Dedicated to Your Physical Transformation
Carb Cycling is a simple method we first learned about from the legendary Iron Guru Vince Gironda when he used to visit the Iron Man offices…
Vince always said that to train the body to drop fat, you do 3 to 4 days of low carbs followed by higher-carb “load” days—and Vince was ripped before it was in style. Check out the shred master in his heyday… [Read more…]
Q: I love the 4X Workout method. It’s opened my eyes to a new way to build mass. I notice that you guys often superset opposing muscles with 4X, like forearm extensors (top) and flexors (underside), going back and forth. Can I do that with other opposing muscle groups, like biceps and triceps to save time and get a bigger pump?
A: We addressed that question in the Q&A section of the 4X Mass Workout e-book. The answer is, opposing-muscle-group supersets work great with the 4X method—as long as the exercises don’t force you to stop your sets from cardiovascular failure as opposed to muscular exhaustion… [Read more…]
Q: I’m using your 10×10 method after all the great feedback I’ve read, and I love it. Because the poundages are lighter, my joint problems are disappearing, and I’m already seeing new muscle after only three weeks. I love the enormous pumps too! My question is, I feel 10×10 on every exercise, but the intensity varies a lot. Do you guys ever recommend increasing the reps, like 10 sets of 12 reps?
A: For those who aren’t familiar with it, 10×10 is taking a weight with which you could get 20 reps, but you only do 10; rest for 30 seconds, then do another 10 reps—and so on until you complete 10 sets of 10 reps. The first few sets are easy; the last few are brutal. [Read more…]
Q: So glad you clarified many of the hypertrophic requirements for muscle size in Anabolic Reload [progression, exercise rotation, metabolic stress, etc.]. One that really got me thinking was volumization. I believe it was Vince Gironda who said that more work done in the same or less time creates mass quickly. My question is, What do you think about drop sets instead of rest/pause as the volume addition to each exercise? Seems like you get more work in the same time frame.
A: The drop-set method is one of the best hypertrophic tactics around because it does condense workload into a short time frame. Studies verify the [Read more…]
Q: I was reading in one of my IRON MAN back issues about the “Blood Theory” of muscle growth. Can you explain it and tell me how to take advantage of it to grow?
A: Way back in the 1970s, an Iron Man author named Dennis DuBreuil explained his Blood Theory….
Basically, he said that there is a direct relationship between how well a muscle pumps and how well it grows… [Read more…]
Q: I heard someone at my gym say that Arnold used X Reps. Is that true? I thought you guys came up with the concept a few years ago, so how could Arnold have used it?
A: Arnold used X Reps and many of the concepts we discuss in our X-Rep e-books. We know that because we worked alongside John Balik, former publisher of IRON MAN and Arnold’s former training partner and nutritionist. We talked to John a lot about Arnold’s past training. [Read more…]
Q: I want to incorporate dips into my chest routine with the 10x muscle building method. How would that work, maybe assisted? I’ve just read that bench dips (for triceps) are bad for the shoulders. If that’s so, are bar dips bad too? Another question: Do decline bench presses really work only the lower pecs? It’s been said time and time again that you can’t work the upper and lower portions of the abs—it’s all one muscle. Why would the pecs be different? By the way, you’ve both been an inspiration to me. Keep up the good work.
A: Great questions. We appreciate your compliments regarding your confidence in our experience and recommendations. Now to the answers…
Some bodyweight exercises can be tricky with 10×10. For example, we found that with chins we have to use Vince Gironda’s 8×8* instead—and our reps still start tailing off on the last few sets (but still lots of soreness). You could try 8×8 on dips. If your reps tail off too soon, simply increase the rest between sets a bit—maybe to one minute. As you get stronger and more conditioned, you can gradually reduce the rest to 30 seconds.
Now about bench dips: Yes, they can traumatize your shoulders if you go down too low, as the arms are being forced up behind your back, awkwardly rotating the shoulder joint. If you go to the point at which your upper arms are parallel to the floor, or stop a little higher than that, you should be fine.
That goes for standard dips too; however, parallel-bar dips allow you to move more naturally, so going a bit lower than the point at which your upper arms are parallel to the ground shouldn’t hurt your shoulders. If you feel joint pain, however, reduce the range of motion. If it continues, find a new exercise; dips aren’t for you.
As for decline presses, they emphasize the lower-pec fibers but train the entire chest. There have been EMG studies that show the upper chest is very involved during declines. That’s why we classify it and wide-grip dips as the ultimate chest exercises in The Ultimate 10×10 Mass Workout—because they both train that torso muscle complex thoroughly. You can see it happening in this photo of Jonathan…
If you do only one chest exercise, a decline movement is best for most trainees, as the front delts are de-emphasized and the entire chest is activated to some degree. In our programs, we usually include incline work to further stress that stubborn upper area. As you mentioned, the abs are similar: Leg-raise-type exercises hit the entire rectus abdominis but emphasize the lower segment; crunches work the entire muscle as well but emphasize the upper area.
Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.
—Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson
www.X-Rep.com
*For more on the Iron Guru’s 8×8 method and much more, grab a copy of Vince Gironda: Legend & Myth. It’s a big 330-page anthology of all of his training methods, unique exercises, carb cycling and other diet principles. There are also a few freebie e-books, like his complete 8×8 system. See it HERE.
Q: I’m a bodybuilder and very interested in trying the 10-sets-of-10 method you’ve been writing about. I’m worried because using lighter weights and short rests [between sets] would appear to build primarily the slow-twitch and the fast-twitch endurance fibers [2As], and neglect the power fast-twitch 2Bs. Shouldn’t I be using heavy weights to get at the key 2B fibers?
A: You’re right, the 10×10 method primarily builds the type-2A fibers, those fast-twitchers with an endurance component (that’s why it works so quickly, as you’ll see in a moment). You don’t entirely neglect the 2Bs, however… [Read more…]
