Strength and Physique

Q: I have been doing the Ectomorph Pyramid training for 4 weeks now. Your advice is to switch to the 5x5 workout. Will switching to different rep ranges hinder my muscle with respect to muscle fibers? What I mean is, do these two workouts work different types of muscle fiber? On a side note, to hit your Type 2B fibers, do you have to do explosive movements? I am assuming that the pyramid and 5x5 training work the same fibers, 2A. Thanks for your work, Joe My Answer: The programs will work two different sets of muscle fiber. The Hypertrophy Training for the Ectomorph program will work the 2A fibers, while the 5x5 program will work the 2B fibers. I wouldn't worry about working 2 different fiber types. It will not hinder your muscle gains. Regardless of the fiber type and rep range, always perform the reps explosively (unless a program specifically states otherwise). Fast repetitions recruit more muscle fiber than slow repetitions.

Q:  My name is Ian, and I am definitely an ectomorph. It is ruining my life! I am very fit and defined but lack mass. Something as easy as wearing a T-shirt is depressing for me cuz I can never fill them. I’m notorious for wearing button down shirts in the summer all because I can’t show people how skinny I am. I just can’t find the right routine, and I see all different types. Yours seems very basic and simple. Others have me working out more than 3 times a day or doing multiple exercises on one body part. That’s like 11 different exercises per workout! I don’t know what's preventing me from gaining weight. My question is why do everyone and internet sites tell me to do these multiple workouts and yours says do 5 exercises and pyramid them? Your program would be so easy for me. I just want to make sure it will work, and I don’t waste my time. My diet is good I eat 6-7 meals a day. No snacks, full meals. Dude help me! I’m 26 and weigh 130. WTF! I need a better quality o...

Q: I am an officer in Missouri, and I have had some major physical set backs in the last several years. In 2004, I tore my ACL in a training accident and had reconstructive surgery. Before injuring the knee I was 5"9 and 230 lbs. I ran 3 to 4 times a week and about 5 miles each day. In 9 months and after rehab I was up to 300 lbs! Since then I have not been able to get the weight off. I was able to get up to running 3 miles 3 days a week, but in 2009 I tore my miniscus in the same knee. So it just seems that I keep getting set back after set back. I am now a reserve officer, and I work full time at a hospital doing security. I am still an active reserve officer, and I get out about 2 to 3 times a month and involved in the Street Crimes Unit at my department. I am now down to about 270 lbs., but as you can imagine I am no where near wher I once was in my conditioning. I have had blood work and all kinds of tests to see what I could do about the weight loss, but my doctor sa...

Q:  I have just read your excellent Wingspan Workouts article on Bodybuilding.com. How many times per week would you recommend using any one of these four back workouts? Regards, Cameron My Answer: You have 2 options. You can either rotate through all 4 workouts within a 2 week period. Or you can alternate Wingspan Workouts with a back thickening workout: Workout #1: Wingspan Workout Workout #2: Back Thickening Workout #3: Wingspan Workout Workout #4: Back Thickening Workout #5: Wingspan Workout Workout #6: Back Thickening Workout #7: Wingspan Workout Workout #8: Back Thickening Whereas any of the Wingspan Workouts will widen your back, back thickening workouts will do just that: thicken your back. Back widening workouts consist of pull-ups, chin-ups and pulldowns. Back thickening workouts consists of rowing movements. Tactics and Strategies has a chapter on back thickening.

I just did my first workout, Build a Bigger Engine, and it was tiring. I did it at 10pm, my only time to workout. I can’t get up in the morning early enough. My questions about the routine are: 1) Is it ok I can only do 4 pullups max at this point. I was never strong at them. 2) I don’t have a preacher curl is there anything else you would suggest? I was doing 1 arm dumbbell preacher curl on an incline bench. 3) The pushups didn’t tax me a lot. Should I do till failure? Or what would you suggest? Thank You, D.S. My Answer: It's supposed to be tiring. Fat loss programs usually are tiring. If it was easy, then you wouldn't losing much fat, would you? Anyway, to answer your questions: 1) Yes 2) One arm dumbbell preacher curls at the top of an incline bench are fine. 3) It says right there in the program, "Pushups... as many reps as possible." That means go to failure.

Q:  I am going to start training with your suggestion from Book Two : Building a Bigger Engine. I see that you indicate to do it 3 times a week. Is that all the training in a week and no specialization? And how long would you suggest training that program? Then, where do I take it from there? The Hypertrophy Training for Ectomorphs ? Thank You, D.T. Stipetich My Answer: I was very specific about what to do. Follow the Building a Bigger Engine program a 3-4 weeks. Then switch to the Neo-Classical workouts . There is no specialization with the Building a Bigger Engine program. If you want to specialize on a body part, then choose one of the specialization programs in Neo-Classical Bodybuilding and do that after the main Neo-Classical program. You should not be doing the Hypertrophy Training for Ectomorphs program, because you need to focus on fat loss, not muscle gain. You have to prioritize your training, and that means focusing and accomplishing one goal at a t...

I am into book two and now wondering about training. You have many different programs to try. I did take down and put into an excel the hypertrophy routine you put in the book . Before I jump on in and try it out is this the one for me that you would suggest. Just a refresher. I am 40 and 210 just have some belly fat but have been training 5 -6 days a week for about 5 months consistently. So, if you could give me your thoughts it would be appreciated. Thank You, D.T.S. My Answer: Neo-Classical Bodybuilding has a chapter on Strength training for fat loss, so I suggest you follow that program for a few weeks to break you in for the Neo-Classical workouts. Although the Neo-Classical workouts were not meant specifically for fat loss, they are tough to do. If you watch your diet, then you should get ripped on the program. So bottom line: follow the Building a Bigger Engine program for a few weeks, then switch to the Neo-Classical Bodybuilding workouts.