MAX-STIM FOR MASS.
- Thread starter scientific muscle
- Start date
scientific muscle
New Member
Stand upright completely, use your delts to lift your arms to the side. I bend the arms slightly to put less stress on the elbows and focus the strain on the shoulders.
Kind of like this:
Kind of like this:
scientific muscle
New Member
12/18/07
Squats- 280
Shrugs- 325
Chins- BW+10
WG Rows- 160
Dips- BW+40
Bench- 190
Laterals- 22.5s*
Curls- 37.5s*
All were done for 1 set of 20 reps with 5-15 seconds m-time. Curls and laterals done in a *max-stim superset.
Squats- 280
Shrugs- 325
Chins- BW+10
WG Rows- 160
Dips- BW+40
Bench- 190
Laterals- 22.5s*
Curls- 37.5s*
All were done for 1 set of 20 reps with 5-15 seconds m-time. Curls and laterals done in a *max-stim superset.
I want to do them but with a triangular style power rack like mine, it's a couple steps out from the pegs and no safety. Nothing feels right when the fatigue sets in. When I fail a rep, as I have twice so far, I have to 'duckwalk' forward to the lower pegs. Then crawl out with my tail between my legs.
scientific muscle
New Member
<div>
(colby2152 @ Dec. 18 2007,20:08)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I am jealous, I want to do a Max-Stim cycle... 20 reps (MS style) of Back Squats at 280 lbs is awesome Sci!</div>
Thanks colby, but these are not ATG squats, just as deep as I need to get a good strain on my thighs and hips. I really feel squats in my glutes alot, but my thighs have been sore lately too. I am purely focused on hypertrophy this cycle. The strength gains are just a means to an end. Powerlifting will remain a spectator-sport for me, at least for now.
I would like to add an inch on my arms and thighs, and 2 inches on my chest this year. I think it is a realistic goal.
(colby2152 @ Dec. 18 2007,20:08)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I am jealous, I want to do a Max-Stim cycle... 20 reps (MS style) of Back Squats at 280 lbs is awesome Sci!</div>
Thanks colby, but these are not ATG squats, just as deep as I need to get a good strain on my thighs and hips. I really feel squats in my glutes alot, but my thighs have been sore lately too. I am purely focused on hypertrophy this cycle. The strength gains are just a means to an end. Powerlifting will remain a spectator-sport for me, at least for now.
I would like to add an inch on my arms and thighs, and 2 inches on my chest this year. I think it is a realistic goal.
scientific muscle
New Member
12/22/07
Moving nutrition into a bulk now to feed the damaged muscle tissue. Fairly balanced carbs (50)/protein(25)/fat(25) with creatine and some whey supplements. I am easily resting 96 hours between workouts and still feel the effects of the heavy resistance max-stim training even long after the workouts. Especially the hamstrings, trapezius and pectorals seem particularly tight/sore all the time. Not to the point of feeling over-trained, just 'well-stimulated'. I could swear a visual change already in muscle size, but it is likely largely due to glycogen loading of the cells after being depleted alot during my 'cut'. Also the muscles retain much more water during hyper-caloric conditions, so obviously the visual changes are superfluous at this point, but a good sign of excellent conditions for hypertrophy.
Moving nutrition into a bulk now to feed the damaged muscle tissue. Fairly balanced carbs (50)/protein(25)/fat(25) with creatine and some whey supplements. I am easily resting 96 hours between workouts and still feel the effects of the heavy resistance max-stim training even long after the workouts. Especially the hamstrings, trapezius and pectorals seem particularly tight/sore all the time. Not to the point of feeling over-trained, just 'well-stimulated'. I could swear a visual change already in muscle size, but it is likely largely due to glycogen loading of the cells after being depleted alot during my 'cut'. Also the muscles retain much more water during hyper-caloric conditions, so obviously the visual changes are superfluous at this point, but a good sign of excellent conditions for hypertrophy.
scientific muscle
New Member
12/22/07
Squats- 285
Shrugs- 330
Bench- 195
Chins- BW+10
Dips- BW+40
WG Rows- 165
Curls- 40s
Laterals- 22.5s
Good workout, "attitude" as quadancer would say:
Squats- 285
Shrugs- 330
Bench- 195
Chins- BW+10
Dips- BW+40
WG Rows- 165
Curls- 40s
Laterals- 22.5s
Good workout, "attitude" as quadancer would say:
scientific muscle
New Member
Wow, my quads and hams feel like they've been chewed up in a meat-grinder already. Good squat workout I guess.
scientific muscle
New Member
I can't get motivated to go through 8 exercises in a row at 85%+ of my 1rm...so I decided to split everything. Volume and frequency are completely unchanged, just splitting my workout to two different days.
12/27/07
Shrugs- 345 x20
NG Chins- BW+15 x20
WG pulldowns- 135 x20 (for rear delts and rhomboids, I like these, they are much stricter than rows)
DB Curls- 42.5s x20
by the end of the workout, my biceps felt 'ripped' slightly...good!
12/27/07
Shrugs- 345 x20
NG Chins- BW+15 x20
WG pulldowns- 135 x20 (for rear delts and rhomboids, I like these, they are much stricter than rows)
DB Curls- 42.5s x20
by the end of the workout, my biceps felt 'ripped' slightly...good!
scientific muscle
New Member
12/28/07
Squats- 285 x20 (should have warmed up more, I wasn't really fully ready until the end of the set)
Bench- 200 x20 (awesome!)
Dips- BW+40 x3...ouch, my right pec tendon hurts where it attaches to the humerus/bicep area, dips hurt since they stretch the pectorals so much. Maybe bench and dips both is a bit excessive for my chest, I will have to chose one or the other or alternate, or maybe do 10 reps of each.
Laterals- 22.5s x20
Squats- 285 x20 (should have warmed up more, I wasn't really fully ready until the end of the set)
Bench- 200 x20 (awesome!)
Dips- BW+40 x3...ouch, my right pec tendon hurts where it attaches to the humerus/bicep area, dips hurt since they stretch the pectorals so much. Maybe bench and dips both is a bit excessive for my chest, I will have to chose one or the other or alternate, or maybe do 10 reps of each.
Laterals- 22.5s x20
scientific muscle
New Member
I think I will drop dips and replace them with overhead press. The front delts need attention and laterals mainly work the medial deltoid head. Dips seem to be a better pec exercise than bench press, but also more dangerous since the stretch is so severe! My tendon felt fine during bench, but dips hurt it right away.
Sci, sorry to hear about your tendon strain. I have found that by not pushing up the loads for dips too much each cycle and so keeping the reps a bit higher (for the first set at least) my tendon insertions have gradually acclimatised to the strain of heavy loading. I remember when dipping with 80lb for 5s felt like it was going to rip me in half. Now, even though I am going heavier, I feel the strain more in my pecs than my tendon insertions. I am still very aware that there seems to be more potential for injury with dips than with bench so I do try to be as careful as possible once I am in the 5s.
Just a thought: as you are doing MS reps you are more likely to push the loads into the danger zone. I would either stick to regular reps for dips until you are sure that the tendon has healed properly or ensure that you don't go heavier than your 5RM.
Great benching by the way.
Just a thought: as you are doing MS reps you are more likely to push the loads into the danger zone. I would either stick to regular reps for dips until you are sure that the tendon has healed properly or ensure that you don't go heavier than your 5RM.
Great benching by the way.
scientific muscle
New Member
Benching just before it with 200 pounds for 20 is a major factor I am sure.
The point being I feel I need to chose one or the other at least for now.
Also I would like to do military presses, but 3 pressing movements is too much for my shoulders anyway.
Also I would like to do military presses, but 3 pressing movements is too much for my shoulders anyway.
Max-stim seems interesting, but doesn't racking the weight after each rep take too much energy? I would think clustering reps into 3x or 5x would be better...no?
I would be interested to try Max-Stim if I weren't so hesitant to try racking the weight after each rep. What does one do for something like overhead DB presses?!?
I would be interested to try Max-Stim if I weren't so hesitant to try racking the weight after each rep. What does one do for something like overhead DB presses?!?
scientific muscle
New Member
<div>
(jwbond @ Dec. 29 2007,13:31)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Max-stim seems interesting, but doesn't racking the weight after each rep take too much energy? I would think clustering reps into 3x or 5x would be better...no?
I would be interested to try Max-Stim if I weren't so hesitant to try racking the weight after each rep. What does one do for something like overhead DB presses?!?</div>
That seems to be the universal complaint about max-stim. But really its not so bad, except for squats. I usually cluster squats to 3 reps or so, to avoid so much re-racking.
Do barbell presses out of a rack instead of dumbells. Or use power-hooks for the dumbells.
(jwbond @ Dec. 29 2007,13:31)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Max-stim seems interesting, but doesn't racking the weight after each rep take too much energy? I would think clustering reps into 3x or 5x would be better...no?
I would be interested to try Max-Stim if I weren't so hesitant to try racking the weight after each rep. What does one do for something like overhead DB presses?!?</div>
That seems to be the universal complaint about max-stim. But really its not so bad, except for squats. I usually cluster squats to 3 reps or so, to avoid so much re-racking.
Do barbell presses out of a rack instead of dumbells. Or use power-hooks for the dumbells.
scientific muscle
New Member
Well I am using my up to my 5 rep max for 20 MS right now. Try doing 4 sets of 5 with your 5 rep max...it will take a long time to recover between sets. Plus you will probably hit failure or very close every set.
scientific muscle
New Member
To be fair to your point though, cluster HST is quite similar to max-stim. One of Dan's main points in max-stim is to keep the rep total constant while load increases, that way you have progressive load AND progressive work. Both of which are THE key stimulators of hypertrophy. So it doesn't matter that much if you use 20 reps with m-time while progressing load or do 3x7, 2x20, 4x5, etc....
...EXCEPT that m-time allows you to keep going progressively higher in load. In the above example, you could go from 4x5 to 5x4 to 7x3 to 10x2 and you would end up back at max-stim with 20x1 at the end of the progression!
The other advantage to m-time is to keep fatigue accumulation minimal which should allow greater force output, i,e,- stronger muscles throughout the lifts.
...EXCEPT that m-time allows you to keep going progressively higher in load. In the above example, you could go from 4x5 to 5x4 to 7x3 to 10x2 and you would end up back at max-stim with 20x1 at the end of the progression!
The other advantage to m-time is to keep fatigue accumulation minimal which should allow greater force output, i,e,- stronger muscles throughout the lifts.
Very interesting...
So what m-time are you using when doing your 5RM? Does the m-time get progressively longer as you get into the higher reps or is the m-time the same between reps 1-2 and 19-20?
Also, how are your joints? I would think the additional work would beat them up pretty good.
So what m-time are you using when doing your 5RM? Does the m-time get progressively longer as you get into the higher reps or is the m-time the same between reps 1-2 and 19-20?
Also, how are your joints? I would think the additional work would beat them up pretty good.