Ezine #146

Rotation for Muscle-Size Saturation

Q: I'm on the three-days-per week Size Surge program through the winter. It's working great with the first high-rep set for every muscle, but I was thinking about a change to gain. Since the Monday and Friday workouts are the same, I want to use the MMX method (high-rep-set-first tactic) on Monday and do standard heavy sets, without the high-repper, on Friday. What do you think?

As usual, we'll start answers to questions about the Phase 1 SS program with a look at the split. Here it is…

Monday: legs, chest, back, delts

Wednesday: deadlifts, calves, arms, abs

Friday: legs, chest, back, delts

For each muscle you do one or two exercises, one or two sets each. That's two to four sets total for each muscle group. 

We used the delt routine as an example last time, so let's look at back. On Monday you would use MMX:

Pulldowns, 1 x 20, 1 x 8 R/P 4
Bent-over rows, 2 x 7-9

Yes, the preliminary high-rep set to failure will produce fatigue, which will impact your strength on the heavier sets after; HOWEVER, the high-rep set also triggers growth in the slow-twitch fibers AND takes those endurance fibers out of the heavier sets, which means more fast-twitch fiber stimulation and growth.

But we get it: You want to train with heavy weights too. So Friday you will do the standard procedure. Start with a couple of light warmup sets--not to failure and not high reps. Then hit your heavy sets like this…

Pulldowns or chins, 2 x 7-9
Bent-over rows, 2 x 7-9

We added "or chins" because you may even want more change to gain--a different but similar exercise. You can't use chins on Monday unless you're capable of 20 reps, which most trainees aren't.

Also, you could use dumbbell bent-over rows or machine rows on Friday, another movement change to gain.

This is essentially more of a Power-Density rotation, with a high-rep density set on Mondays and pure power on Fridays. For more on this style of training and heavy-light workouts, see The Ultimate Power-Density Mass Workout 2.0 (more on that popular e-book below).

With the above Size Surge MMX-to-Power rotation, you'll get new muscle-growth acceleration, a.k.a. a freak physique.

Power-Density: For more on this "heavy/light" method as well as many complete 4-days-per-week power-density mass-building programs, grab a copy of The Ultimate Power-Density Mass Workout 2.0.  Includes interview and details on Mr. America Doug Brignole's Super-TORQ training. For more info and to order for only $10 (a $22 value) go HERE.

SIZE SURGE: For variations as well as the complete original program Jonathan used to pack on 20 pounds of muscle in 10 weeks, grab a copy of The X-traordinary Size Surge Workout 2.0--a perfect hyper-growth routine for winter. Only $9 (a $20 value) for a limited time HERE.