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UltimatePower DensityWorkout
UltimatePower DensityWorkout
com Presents
The Ultimate
POWER-DENSlTY
MASS
WORKOUT
www.X-Rep.com
Homepage
www.X-traordinaryWorkouts.com
Workout programs in printable PDF format
Other e-books are available at
www.X-Rep.com/xshop.htm
Contents
Introduction............................................................4
lntroduction
It all started when, after more than 40 years of cumulative
training between us, we got a sudden size surge of eight
pounds of new muscle in six weeks. We were somewhat
stunned, as that's unheard of for drug-free advanced
bodybuildersand even more unheard of for the two of us
who have different muscle-building requirements.
Steve is more of the slim ectomorphic type, while
Jonathan is more of a mesomorphsmall joints with full
muscle bellies, so
he looks more like a
competitive bodybuilder.
Steve responds more to
higher-rep, enduranceoriented work, while
Jonathan grows best
with heavier straight-set
workouts...
Yet we both got
Jonathan L.
pounds of muscle
using the exact same program, a
lighter-weight 10x10 routinebut that's not the only reason.
The other anabolic trigger was our shift in hypertrophic
emphasis and less heavy stress. Let us explain...
Steve H.
CHAPTER 1
Force + Density for
Muscle Immensity
Startling mass gains can happen when you merge maxforce and tension-density at every workout because you
train both components of the key high-growth muscle
fibers. It's pure size-building firepowermax-force plus
endurance-component expansionthat can take your
muscle size to freakish levels when used for focused fourto-six-week phases.
It's in the programs
of some of the biggest
bodybuilders today
and many of the most
massive from yesteryear.
In fact, one of the most
impressive and iconic
bodybuilders of all time
used a form of it to
create one of the most
incredible physiques in
bodybuilding history...
If you read up on how
Arnold trained his big
compound exercises
during mass-building
phases, you'd see that
he was a proponent of
the forceplus-density
principle. He
would begin
by pyramiding,
or adding
weight, over
about five sets,
with the last
two or three
being heavy
One of Arnold's favorite workout-density techniques
all-out efforts;
was what he called strip sets, a.k.a. drop sets. He
then he would
would load smaller plates on a barbell so that when he
reduce the
reached exhaustion, he could strip off a plate or two
and continue repping. More intense work in less time.
weight for two
quick higher-rep
burnout sets. For example, on bench presses his reps
would go 15, 12, 10, 9, 7, 6. Then he would reduce the
weight and do one or two sets of 15 to 20 reps.
He got total max-force stimulation from the heavy sets
and tension/occlusion from the last two burnout sets.
That's the combo-to-grow method.
We've refined that to what we call Heavy+4x, and weve
found it to be one of the most effective mass builders
out there when used for short bursts. The reason is that
it triggers maximum force but also stacks it with loads of
workout density for extended tension...
What the heck is workout density? While researching
the 10x10 method, we discovered that Vince Gironda,
famous Hollywood trainer known as the Iron Guru, used
The Ultimate Power-Density Mass Workout
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Poundage
Decline presses
or Wide-grip dips
3 x 9, 7, 5-6
4 x 10
Dumbbell presses
3 x 9, 7, 5-6
Dumbbell upright rows 4 x 10
Decline extensions
2 x 9, 7
4 x 10
Incline kneeups 3 x 12, 10, 8
4 x 10
Warmup sets are not listed. Do two progressively heavier sets before
your power-pyramid sets. Use 50 and 75 percent of your first work-set
weight for 12 and 8 reps, respectively.
Rest about 2 1/2 minutes between power-pyramid sets; rest 30 to 45
seconds between and after 4x density sets.
Rep speed should be about 1.5 seconds up and 1.5 seconds down.
Weight stays the same for all 4x density sets; when you get the rep
number for all four sets, add weight at your next workout.
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Poundage
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Poundage
V-handle pulldowns
3 x 9, 7, 5-6
4 x 10
Chest-supported
dumbbell rows
or Bent-over rows
3 x 9, 7, 5-6
4 x 10
Barbell or Dumbbell curls
2 x 9, 7
4 x 10
Warmup sets are not listed. Do two progressively heavier sets before
your power-pyramid sets. Use 50 and 75 percent of your first work-set
weight for 12 and 8 reps, respectively.
Rest about 2 1/2 minutes between power-pyramid sets; rest 30 to 45
seconds between and after 4x density sets.
Rep speed should be about 1.5 seconds up and 1.5 seconds down.
Weight stays the same for all 4x density sets; when you get the rep
number for all four sets, add weight at your next workout.
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CHAPTER 2
The 3-Way Mass Effect
You just saw a basic program using the Heavy+4x
method on key exercises. But what if you have more time
and/or are more advanced, looking for the biggest mass
boost possible? Enter Positions of Flexion...
POF is a mass-building protocol based on full-range
muscle stimulation, with its primary get-bigger trigger
being maximum force...
Max-force production via muscle team work with
the midrange-position exercise (heavy compound
movements, such as pulldowns, pictured below left).
Stretch overload, which has a significant max-force
componentplus, stretch overload has been linked to
hyperplasia, or fiber splitting (example: pullovers).
Tension/occlusion, or blood-flow blockage, which
has been shown to significantly increase size and
strength via endurance-component expansion, like
capillary beds (example: stiff-arm pulldowns).
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Midrange.
Stretch.
Contracted.
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CHAPTER 3
The Ultimate
Power-Density
Mass Workout
You've got the basic principles of The Ultimate PowerDensity Mass Workout rolling around in your head, so now
it's time to outline a complete program that you can print
out and take to the gym. Before we get to that, however,
we need to clarify two important spark plugs in your massbuilding machine: the training split and repetition cadence.
Because each bodypart routine is severe, with a doublebarrelled mass attackmax force plus tension/density
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Now for a few comments on ideal rep speed for maxmass gains. A new study just released compared doing
sets with a two-to-three-second positive and a two-tothree-second negativeabout three up, three downwith
sets using a power cadence,
which is one second up and
three seconds down. The power
cadence produced the most
mass in this study. [Int J Sports
Med. 30(3):200-204; 2009.]
Why would doing powertype sets build muscle more
efficiently? Muscle biopsies
suggest that it causes more
damage to more muscle fibers
than traditional reps, leading
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Poundage
Deadlifts* (2/0/2/0), 2 x 9, 7
Chins* (3/X/1/0), 2 x 9, 7
Pulldowns (3/X/1/0), 4 x 10
Pullovers* (2/0/2/0), 2 x 7-9
Stiff-arm pulldowns (DD)
(3/X/1/0), 1 x 10(7)(5)
Bent-over dumbbell rows*
(3/X/1/0), 2 x 9, 7
Barbell upright rows
(3/X/1/0), 4 x 10
Reverse curls* (3/X/1/0), 2 x 9, 7
Reverse wrist curls (2/0/2/0), 4 x 12
Wrist curls (2/0/2/0), 4 x 12
* Do two to three progressively heavier warmup sets, 50 and 75
percent of your first work set for 12 and 8 reps. Then continue to
pyramid the weight on the listed work sets (add weight to lower reps).
4 x 10 means to do the exercise in 10x10 styleuse a weight that you
can get 15 reps with, but only do 10; rest 30 seconds, then do 10 more.
Continue until you complete four sets of 10 reps. If you get 10 reps on
all four sets, add weight at your next workout.
DD means double drop. Take a weight that allows 10 reps; reduce the
weight enough so you can immediately do 7 reps; reduce the weight
again and reach failure at 4 or 5 reps.
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Poundage
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Poundage
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CHAPTER 4
Our X-Rep PowerDensity Mass Workout
As we mentioned in the Intro, we have different body
types, which means we each require a different training
emphasis for optimal mass gains. Jonathan thrives on
more max force, while Steve gets more size stimulation
from longer tension times and workout-density tactics...
That's not to say that we don't benefit from the other's
optimal mass-building style; however, we've discovered
that for best gains, Jonathan should major in heavy maxforce sets and minor in tension/occlusion; Steve, on the
other hand, should major in tension/occlusion and minor
in max force. What's interesting is that we both have been
making spectacular gains with our version of the PowerDensity Mass Workout that's listed in this chapter. Why?
It's a balanced attack that's good for both of us.
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We often
use two
different
midrange
exercises,
one for
the power
pyramid
and one for
the 4x10.
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Incline
one-arm
laterals,
medialhead
stretchposition
exercise.
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Poundage
Smith-machine low-incline
presses (X Reps), 2 x 10, 8
Bench presses, 4 x 10
Tri-set
Wide-grip dips (X Reps), 1 x 8-10
High cable flyes (drop), 1 x 10(6)
Superset
Wide-grip dips (X Reps), 1 x 8-10
Low cable flyes (X Reps), 1 x 8-10
Leg press calf raises (X Reps), 2 x 12-15
Standing calf raises, 5 x 15
Machine donkey calf raises
(double drop), 1 x 12(8)(5)
Hanging kneeups, 1 x 15
Incline kneeups, 4 x 10
Tri-set
Ab Bench crunches (X Reps), 1 x 9-12
Full-range twisting crunches, 1 x 9-12
End-of-bench kneeups (X Reps), 1 x 9-12
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Poundage
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CHAPTER 5
Power-Density Q&A
Q: There is no place to
do deadlifts in my gym.
How should I change the
Ultimate POF back day?
A: If you review our X-Rep
Power-Density Mass Workout in
Chapter 4, you'll see we don't do
deadlifts. We prefer to use more
direct exercises for midback.
That means we don't train legs indirectly, except for cardio
work. Were not competitive bodybuilders, so we don't
need huge legs that rub together from crotch to knees.
If you agree with our assessment, and you don't
compete, you can get plenty of development with one
direct leg workout a week and the residual work from
cardio, as we do. Here's how to modify the back routine
without deadlifts as part of the mix:
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Chins*
2 x 9, 7
Pulldowns
4 x 10
Pullovers*
2 x 7-9
1 x 10(7)(5)
2 x 9, 7
Shrugs*
2 x 9, 7
4 x 10
Note that we
deleted deadlifts
as the first exercise
and added shrugs
near the end of the
routineyou can
use a barbell or
dumbbells. To repeat,
that means you get
no indirect leg work
during the week, but
for many people,
including us, that
works fine.
Dumbbell
shrugs.
Q: You have
bench presses
(midrange), incline flyes (stretch) and cable
crossovers (contracted) as the POF chest routine.
I feel like I need incline presses. My upper chest
sucks. Can I add those?
A: Absolutely. In fact, refer to our workout again: We
do Smith machine low-incline presses as our leadoff
exercise, pyramiding the weight. Then for the 4x10 density
sequence we do standard flat-bench presses.
If you're a big fan of heavy bench presses, as most
gym rats are, you can reverse that: Do the flat-bench
presses for your heavy power pyramid, then use barbell or
dumbbell incline presses for your 4x10 sequence.
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One of Arnold's
favorite biceps
routines was
pure POF.
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Bench presses*
(10x10 style)
3 x 9, 7, 5-6
4 x 10
Incline flyes*
2 x 7-9
1 x 10(7)(5)
1x9
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