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Get a 3-Way Rise in Size from Staged Muscle Growth

Lateral raises

Q: You’ve mentioned Stage Sets. What are those, and should I use them to get more size? Also, are Smith-machine squats a midrange exercise for quads or hamstrings in the Positions-of-Flexion mass-training system? I’ve seen it classified as both.

A: We discuss Stage Sets as one of our favorite X-hybrid techniques in Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building, along with Double-X Overload and X-Fade. We first tried Stage Sets after reading about them in one of Ellington Darden’s High-Intensity Training books back in the ’80s. So what the heck is a Stage Set? [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: beyond x-rep muscle building, biotrust protein, double-x over, dxo, ellington darden, free protein, free supplements, high-intensity training, low-carb protein, stage sets, X-Fade, x-hybrid techniques

Stage Sets for More Muscle Mass

Jonathan Lawson incline Smith machine presses with Steve Holman Spotting - What Are Stage Sets? (Hint: They Work!)

We often look back through our ebooks for motivation and to find mass-boosting techniques we haven’t used in a while. We recently reminded ourselves about Stage Sets from our second e-book, Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building, which also discusses the X-Fade technique, Double-X Overload and X/Pause. When we first used Stage Sets and other X-hybrid techniques within the program outlined in that e-book, we each gained 10 pounds on top of our previous year’s great gains. Definitely something to add back into the mix once in a while when you have a training partner… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 2a fibers, anabolic fasting, beyond x-rep muscle building, brad pilon, eat stop eat, fast-twitch fibers, get ripped, mass tactics, mass-boosting, more muscle mass, motivation, muscle mass, stage sets, X Reps, X-Fade, x-hybrid techniques

Changes at Every Workout?

Q: I remember from your old daily training blog (which I really miss) that you guys would make changes at every workout (or at least it seemed like it). Should I be doing that, or should I stick to a routine as it’s written for six weeks, then try something new? You’ve also mentioned things like “X-Fade” and “DXO” after some exercises. Do you have an e-book that explains those?

A: The frequency of change your muscles require to keep growing depends on your experience. Beginners and early intermediates don’t need change very often because they’re getting stronger as neuromuscular efficiency, or nerve force, improves. That helps to keep the muscle-growth process moving forward, so changing things every six weeks is about right.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: advanced, beginners, belly fat burn, Beyond X, beyond x-rep muscle building, change to gain, changes at every workout, dieting advice, Double-X Overload, dxo, fat loss, fiber activation, intermediate, lose weight, max-force generation, muscle growth, nerve force, neuromuscular efficiency, ripping phase, small change for big gains, training blog, X-Fade, x-hybrid techniques, x-rep experiment, x-rep partials

Weekly Change for Big Muscle Gains

Q: I want to thank you for the great programs and excellent tips, like X-Reps. My background is in Olympic lifting, but I’ve been into bodybuilding lately. I made some okay gains training heavy, but I’ve made much better and faster progress training heavy one week and using an all-4X program the next.

A: You didn’t really ask a question, but we just wanted to commend you on being brave enough to give all-4X training—every other week—a try.

So many trainees are stuck in the must-always-train-heavy-to-grow mentality that they miss out on significant muscle-size stimulation. It’s probably the key reason most complain about such slow gains. Plus, they get injured much more often.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 3d muscle building, 4X, 4x training, beyond x-rep, biotrust, bodybuilding, Double-X Overload, dxo, free protein, gains, growth threshold, heavy training, low-carb protein, muscle gains, olympic lifting, Power, power/rep range/shock, rest/pause, stage sets, weekly change, X Reps, X-Fade, x/pause

X-Rep Lies: Before and After Photos

Q: The before and after photos at your X-Rep site are pretty unbelievable. I mean, come on, four weeks to get those changes? You must’ve either lied about the time it took or manipulated the photos. You should be ashamed of yourselves. There’s too much of that deceptive crap on the Internet.

A: Ashamed? Actually, we’re very proud. Those photos are 100 percent authentic and accurate—no photo alterations, no steroids, and they were taken about four weeks apart. (The key technique that made it happen and a step-by-step how-to is coming up.)

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 10 pounds of muscle, before and after photos, before and afters, bodyweight training, bodyweight workout, Double-X Overload, efficiency-of-effort, fiber recruitment, gains, hypertrophy, Jacob Wilson, jonathan lawson, max-force generation, muscle fibers, muscle growth, photo shoot, positive failure, results, ripped, sarcomeres, steroids, Steve Holman, training experiments, training experts, transformation, Ultimate Mass Workout, X Reps, X-Fade, x-hybrid techniques, x-rep lies, x-rep partials

Triggering Big Size Gains With One Unique Set

Jonathan demonstrating incline X Reps

Q: I am a fan of your mass tactics like X-Fade, Static X and, of course, X Reps. You often list the ones you use in a workout, but often you list a 4X sequence as (4×10 + StatX). Do you do the [end-of-set] static hold on all sets, some sets or just the last set?

A: We never use those end-of-set mass tactics on more than the last two sets of a 4X sequence. And usually, it is only one unique set… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 4X, anabolic, anabolic hormones, lactic acid, muscle recovery, size gains, static hold, static-x, StatX, X Reps, X-Fade, x-hybrid tactics

One Key Change for Fast Size Gains

Jonathan Lawson dumbbell incline flyes - One Key Change for Fast Size Gains

Q: I’ve been using the X Fade and Double-X Overload techniques from the Beyond X e-book, and I’ve gained six pounds in one month. My previous workouts were always heavy training, so I’m wondering if maybe I added so much muscle with those methods because they’re giving me some density I’ve been missing. They both make my sets last longer. Could that be it?

A: That’s a distinct possibility, although there’s more to it, as you’ll see. But as you suggest, most wanna-be-big bodybuilders rely almost predominantly on heavier, lower-rep training, and their sets last only 20 seconds or less (time your sets; you will be surprised!). That’s a mistake if you want maximum mass and fast size gains…

A set of 20 seconds or less is power emphasis—but you need BOTH power and density to get TOTAL growth in the majority of the muscle fibers. With those two X-hybrid tactics, X Fade and DXO, you definitely have been X-tending your sets—more so with DXO, which we really like on stretch-position exercises like flyes…

Jonathan Lawson dumbbell incline flyes - One Key Change for Fast Size Gains

DXO: This is simply adding an X-Rep partial near the stretch position between EVERY full rep—so each of your reps is really a 1 1/4 rep. The “hitch” at the bottom between each full rep emphasizes stretch overload, which has been shown to induce everything from hyperplasia, or fiber splitting, to anabolic hormone release in muscle tissue. Plus, as you noticed, it puts more of a mass-building density spin on the set as well…

If you do 9 reps in DXO style, your set will last more than 30 seconds. Now you’re getting into density territory for adding size to that side of the key type 2A mass fibers. That’s a great get-bigger trigger, especially if you’ve been using mostly power sets. Your six-pound muscle gain in one month is no doubt due to a combination of density and heightened fiber activation. You get both of those with DXO—and the X-Fade technique…

X Fade: With this X-hybrid tactic you do a standard set of, say, cable flyes, a contracted-position exercise in the Positions-of-Flexion mass-building protocol. When you hit full-range exhaustion, where most bodybuilders end the set, you get the cable handles back up to the contracted position—a partner can help—and do three to five short partials there, flexing the target muscle…

Cable flyes, top position - One Key Change for Fast Size Gains

Then you lower to the stretch position and do standard X-Rep partials there. If you can’t manage any movement at either position, just hold for a static pec contraction for a few seconds at each spot—top flexed and bottom stretched. Key growth fibers will still be firing and you should wake up some dormant ones as well for new size stimulation—you’ll feel it…

Cable flyes, bottom position - One Key Change for Fast Size Gains

Doing end-of-set X-Rep partials at BOTH the top and bottom of the stroke with the X Fade will add maybe six to eight seconds to your tension time. Nevertheless, both DXO and the X-Fade tactic are excellent ways to get more density training, activate more growth fibers to fire and give you excellent change to fuel fast size gains.

Note: For more info on all the X-hybrid Training Tactics, check out the Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building e-book below: 
Beyond X-Rep cover

Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.

—Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson
www.X-Rep.com


ATTENTION OVER-40 BODYBUILDERS

One of the most interesting read-me pages on Testosterone and other muscle-building hormones we’ve seen is The Truth About Testosterone.

It even talks about a fruit, a specific part, that can up your T naturally. Cranking up your testosterone will not only get you jacked in the gym, but in the bedroom too—not to mention help rip up your midsection as it ignites fat burning. If that interests you, there’s more from our colleague and registered dietician, HERE.

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 2a fibers, anabolic hormones, Beyond X, beyond x-rep, density, Double-X Overload, dxo, end-of-set x-rep partials, fast size gains, fiber splittying, growth fibers, hyperplasia, mas-building, maximum mass, muscle fibers, positions of flexion, Power, power and density, size stimulation, stretch overload, X-Fade, x-hybrid tactics, x-rep partial

X-Reps for X-tra Muscle—Pounds of it

Jonathan Lawson doing chin-ups

Q: I’m thin and consider myself a hardgainer. I’ve been training with weights for two years and have managed to add only about 10 pounds of muscle. Not very impressive. I recently got your X-traordinary X-Rep Workout [e-book] and started using the X Reps in my workouts. They feel great, and I wanted to report that after using them for only a few weeks, I’ve added five pounds and look much bigger. I’m so thankful I found this technique! Are there any others I should be using? I feel like I’m finally getting the size gains I’ve been looking for.

A: Great progress! As we often say, hardgainers tend to have more of an endurance component to their muscles. You know how calves and forearms tend to respond better to longer tension times? That’s how most of the muscles on a hardgainer’s body are constructed, so they need longer tension times to grow… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: anabolic, beyond x-rep, big gains, Double-X Overload, dxo, European Journal of Applied Physiology, fat burner, GH, growth fiber activation, growth hormone, growth spurt, growth stimulation, hardgainer, high-threshold motor units, low-threshold motor units, mr. olympia, pounds, rest/pause, size principle of muscle fiber recruitment, stage sets, stretch overload, tension time, X Reps, x-centric, X-Fade, x-hybrid techniques, x-only sets, x-rep partials, x-traordinary x-rep workout, x-treme lean, x/pause

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