Subject:
IRON MAN E-Zine: Issue #404:
Progressive-Shock Size-Surge Tips
==========================================
TRY THIS AT YOUR NEXT WORKOUT
==========================================
Progressive-Shock Size-Surge Tips
Q: I’m astounded by Jonathan’s Size Surge transformation in only 10 weeks [see the new e-book cover below]. His arms got huge, and he said his gains really took off during the second phase when he started using Positions of Flexion [full-range workouts for each muscle]. I was thinking that I should do POF for arms in phase 1 too. Like for biceps he has two sets of barbell curls and two sets of concentration curls [on Wednesdays]. Wouldn’t I make better gains if I did two sets of barbell curls followed by one set of incline curls [for stretch] then one set of concentration curls? That’s the same number of sets, but now it’s full-range POF. I could do the same for triceps too.
A: That sounds like a good plan–until you realize that one reason phase 2 in the Size Surge program works so well is because the muscles get a progressive-shock size effect when you shift to full-range training for the last four weeks. In other words, you force more growth adaptation to happen when you add stretch-position exercises like incline curls for biceps and overhead extensions for triceps at week 7….
If you do full POF from the get-go in phase 1, as you suggest, you significantly reduce that POF size-shock effect you get for arms those last four weeks…
Remember, phase 1 is designed as a 3-days-per-week anabolic primer–it’s to optimize your hormones and metabolism with a specific split of big exercises three days a week for five weeks. After that, you get another BIG mass kick from phase 2, full-range Positions-of-Flexion mass training for four weeks…
That’s why we highly recommend NOT adding stretch moves until phase 2–so that your arms and other muscles surge with new size from the stretch-overload jolt. Remember the animal study that produced a 300 percent muscle-mass increase with only a month’s worth of stretch-overload workouts. Now that’s a size-surge jolt worth waiting for!
Q: I was looking back at some of your past e-zines that I’ve saved, and in the Winter-Workout Mass Plan you have this:
1) Basic X-traordinary X-Rep Workout for two weeks
2) Basic Power-Density Mass Workout for two weeks
3) Downshift week (stopping all work sets before failure)
4) Heavy/Light 10×10 Mass Workout for 4 weeks OR start the X-traordinary Size Surge Workout
My question is about #4. Can I go ahead and do the Heavy/Light 10×10 Mass Workout for two weeks, and then go to the new Size Surge Workout? I really want to try 10×10 training.
A: You’re excited about 10×10, and for good reason–it works, big time for short bursts! That’s why we think a better strategy is to use the PURE 10×10 workout on pages 19-21 in The Ultimate 10×10 Workout e-book for two weeks instead of the Heavy/Light version (pages 28-33). Why? Progressive shock and adaptation…
The pure 10×10 version is a fast and effective size jolt. It’s simply one Ultimate Exercise per bodypart using 10 sets of 10 reps–that’s it, one BIG exercise for each major muscle group. (Note: For 10×10 you take a weight you can get 20 with, but only do 10, rest 30 seconds, do 10 more, and so on till you complete 10 sets of 10 reps; the first sets are easy, the last sets are brutal–and the pump is insane! Plus, it only takes about 10 minutes.)…
Pure 10×10 is an ideal fast-mass jolt, especially after you’ve reloaded and recovered during your downshift week. Your muscle-glycogen stores will be full, so 10×10 will send your muscle pumps off the charts…
What if you do as you suggest and go to the Heavy/Light 10×10 Workout instead of pure 10×10? You’ll be doing pure 10×10 at one workout for a muscle, then at the next workout you do full Positions of Flexion. It’s a great program, but it’s not the best one to use right before Size Surge, especially for only two weeks. Why?
You alternate workouts, so two weeks isn’t enough to get full growth adaptation from POF or 10×10. Also, it’s best if you reserve the full-range POF mass blast for the last few weeks of your Size Surge program…
There’s one more reason pure 10×10 is the better choice as your pre-Size Surge workout: It’s almost total Density training for the endurance side of the 2As, the dual-capacity fast-twitch fibers that create extreme muscle mass…
So pure 10×10 provides those key growth fibers with a unique Density stress. Grind out two weeks with that 10×10 Density emphasis, then you can move to the Size Surge phase 1, which is primarily Power–new mass-building stress again…
After that, at the end of Size Surge, you get four weeks of full-on POF, which is a good mix of Power and Density with full-range muscle-fiber recruitment that includes progressive-shock stretch overload…
That’s a kick-ass mega-mass tweak to put some freak on your physique!
Till next time, train hard–and smart–for BIG results.
—Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson
www.X-Rep.com
NEW: The X-traordinary SIZE SURGE Workout, Jonathan Lawson’s legendary two-phase mass program that packed 20 pounds of muscle on his frame in only 10 weeks. See all the changes he made to the original workouts, transcribed from his training journal. In printable templates so you can duplicate his incredible gains. You also get his eat-to-grow diet and streamlined no-frills supplement schedule, anabolic acceleration methods and loads of tips and tricks. Plus, an interview with a top-level bodybuilder who trains Size Surge style for incredible growth.
Winter-Workout Special: You can get all 3 of our latest best-selling e-books–The X-traordinary X-Rep Workout, The Ultimate Power-Density Mass Workout and The Ultimate 10×10 Mass Workout–at a limited-time discount price. Those contain all the workouts in our Winter-Workout Mass Plan, which is 1) Basic X-traordinary X-Rep Workout for two weeks, 2) the Basic Power-Density Mass Workout for two weeks, 3) a downshift week (stopping all work sets before failure), 4) the Heavy/Light 10×10 Mass Workout for 4 weeks. Click the covers below for more info.
To follow the ITRC training program in “Train, Eat, Grow,” get a copy of the latest issue of IRON MAN.
——————————————————————–
This Special Report was submitted by Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman.
The IRON MAN Training & Research Team
www.ironmanmagazine.com
The ITRC Training Newsletter is not intended as training advice for everyone. You must consult your physician before beginning any diet or training program. You may forward this email to as many friends as you want, but do not photocopy or reprint this report in any format without the written permission of the copyright holder.
——————————————————————–
Help us build the IRON MAN Research Team — Tell a friend! If you know someone who would benefit from Supplement Updates, Diet Tips and Freebies, forward them this e-zine or tell them to visit us at
http://www.ironmanmagazine.com and click on FREE Training Newsletter.
*We DO NOT sell any subscriber e-mail addresses.
——————————————————————–
Visit the Home Gym Warehouse online store for the latest books, videos and equipment specials at
http://www.home-gym.com
All Content (c) Copyright 2009 IRON MAN Magazine
All Rights Reserved
You must be logged in to post a comment Login