IRON MAN E-Zine: Issue #611: Mass-Building Mistake You Can’t Afford to Make

Subject:
IRON MAN E-Zine: Issue #611:
Mass-Building Mistake You Can’t Afford to Make

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TRY THIS AT YOUR NEXT WORKOUT
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Mass-Building Mistake You Can’t Afford to Make

Q: A lot of bodybuilders go all power in the off-season. They push for more strength so size will follow. I’m thinking about using the phase 1 program in Size Surge for that purpose—mostly big exercises with heavy weights training three days a week so I get plenty of recover-and-grow time. Would that program be okay to use for the entire 10 weeks instead of moving to Phase 2?

A: You’re right, even Arnold used to do a two-to-three-month power phase in the winter–but it wasn’t heavy low reps on every exercise, as we’ll explain. That’s the problem with the way most trainees do it: They go heavy on ALL exercises all the time for too long and neglect critical sarcoplasmic size…

For example, the Phase 1 Size Surge chest routine is this:

Bench presses, 2 x 7-9
Flat-bench flyes, 1 x 7-9
Incline dumbbell presses, 2 x 7-9

That will give you a lot of strength with mostly a myofibrillar size increase. The myofibrils are the force-generating actin and myosin strands in the muscle fiber. Emerging research is finding that myofibrillar growth is NOT the main contributor to muscle size…

So myofibrillar-dominant training is fine for a five-week power-bodybuilding phase, as in the Size Surge program, but after that you should alter it so you blow up the sarcoplasm, the energy fluid that fills the muscle fibers. The sarcoplasm contains mitochondria, glyocogen (carbs), ATP (creatine), noncontractile proteins, etc. and responds to higher reps and/or shorter rests between sets…

Of course, if all you’re interested in is mostly strength, 10 weeks of all-power sets is fine. However, keep in mind that you could actually shrink if you’ve triggered sarcoplasmic growth in your previous training. Many bodybuilders tend often train all power throughout the winter and compensate by eating more and getting fat. They get big, but not with new muscle–the sarcoplasm deflates as fat cells inflate. We don’t think that’s what you’re looking for–it’s a classic "bulking" mistake you can’t afford to make…

If you’re looking for MAXIMUM MUSCLE SIZE, don’t ignore the sarcoplasmic layer of growth for too long. After five weeks of all power, we suggest you give the above chest routine a sarcoplasmic-size blast. There are a number of ways. Arnold used to do his isolation moves with higher reps—12 to 15–like on flyes in the above routine…

Now the Phase 1 SS program doesn’t have you do iso-type moves for every bodypart. That means you’ll have to improvise and do a compound move with higher reps for some groups. For example, instead of two sets of each exercise with 7 to 9 reps for back, you’d do this…

Chins or pulldowns, 2 x 7-9
Bent-over rows, 2 x 12-15

On Friday when you hit it again, you could flip-flop: Do bent-over rows first for 2 x 7-9, then do pulldowns second for 2 x 12-15. We like the lower-rep exercise first. The same goes for presses and upright rows for delts in the Phase 1 SS program.

Of course, we prefer you use the 4X mass method on those higher-rep exercises to really give your sarcoplasm a mega-expansion boost. Arnold used to do about four high-rep sets on his iso moves in his power-bodybuilding routine, so you’re in good company…

Instead of high reps, do 4X on one exercise per bodypart: Pick a weight with which you can get about 15 reps, but only do 12. Rest 40 seconds, then do 12 more–and so on until you complete four sets. On the fourth, go all out. If you get 12, add a bit of weight at your next workout OR try to get 4×13.

Bench presses, 2 x 7-9
Flat-bench flyes (4X style), 4 x 12
Incline dumbbell presses, 2 x 7-9

You say you’re not going to use it, but just for clarification, the Phase 2 Size Surge program is five weeks of full-range Positions of Flexion for each bodypart. The finishing contracted-position exercise–like pushdowns for triceps, crossovers for chest, etc.–produce occlusion, or blood-flow blockage, a sarcoplasmic-growth trigger. But for even better mass-building results, we now encourage 4X on those contracted moves.

Many experts, including Mr. America Doug Brignole (pictured below), believe that the sarcoplasm accounts for half to two-thirds of a muscle’s size potential. He’s recently made BIG new gains with 4X-style training. So work in some 4X for better mass-building success.

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

Note: The X-traordinary Size Surge Workout, The 4X Mass Workout and The 3D Muscle-Building Workout e-books are only $19.99 each for a limited time.

–Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson

www.X-Rep.com

LIMITED-TIME $19.99 BEST-SELLERS: We’re offering each of these at their lowest price ever to get you big and ripped by spring. Click on the title you’re interested in for more info…

1) The 4X Mass Workout–fast, simplified supersaturation training for X-treme size

2) The X-traordinary X-Rep Workout–the latest update to our original X e-book

3) The X-centric Mass Workout–the negative-accentuated training manual

4) The Ultimate Fat-to-Muscle Workout–total body transformation training

5) X-traordinary Muscle-Building Workouts–10 complete mass programs

6) X-traordinary Arms–includes the 3D HIT workout system with big-arms routines

7) 3D Muscle Building–the original Positions-of-Flexion mass-training manual

8) X-treme Lean—Fat-Burning and Nutrition Guide (with training too)

9) The Ultimate Power-Density Mass Workout

10) The X-traordinary Size Surge Workout

11) The Ultimate 10×10 Mass Workout

12) Eric Broser’s FD/FS Mass-Shock Workout

Latest release: The 4X Mass Workout—Fast Simplified Supersaturation Training for X-treme Muscle Size. It’s how many pro bodybuilders get big AND ripped as fast as possible for contests and photo shoots. You can use it for a blast of new mass in only a few weeks–and the workouts are quick. Guaranteed or your money back. Limited-time discount offer HERE.

MASS-BUILDING E-BOOKS…

X-SHOP: Find our original X-Rep e-book, as well as X Updates and Positions-of-Flexion mass-training guides…

X-WORKOUTS: Find specialized e-workout programs, including Power-Density, 10×10 and Eric Broser’s Power/Rep Range/Shock….

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.

Newbies: If you’re a beginning bodybuilder, coming back from a layoff or a trainer who trains beginners, our new e-book, Quick-Start Muscle-Building Guide, is for you.

To follow the ITRC training program in “Train, Eat, Grow,” get a copy of the latest issue of IRON MAN.

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This Special Report was submitted by Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman.
The IRON MAN Training & Research Team
www.ironmanmagazine.com

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