Q: In the “X Factor” interview at X-Rep.com [X Q&A section], Jonathan says you guys tried a static contraction at the end of isolation exercises with only mediocre size results. Now, in the X-Rep Update #1 e-book, you are recommending them. Why have you found static holds more effective now than in the past?

A: When we used static contraction years ago, we did them on contracted-position exercises, like leg extensions, holding the flexed position for as long as we could after full-range exhaustion. That’s a hold after a number of regular reps. We got good gains, but later that hold at the end of a set evolved to X Reps on the big midrange exercises instead of isolation moves, and that worked much better at building bigger, fuller muscles.

That’s to be expected because contracted-position exercises are merely ancillary mass builders. It’s the big midrange moves—squats, presses, rows, etc.—that create max force and therefore the most muscle stimulation (mass gains). Nevertheless, using contracted-position exercises for continuous tension and occlusion adds another layer of mass—and static contraction in the flex position at the end of a set adds to the overall mass-building effect (but there may be a better way, as you’ll see in a moment).

In the past we were looking at the static contractions on isolation exercises as the key mass builder. As we said, that’s not the case. You use the contracted-position exercises, with a static contraction at the end, to build the endurance components of the muscle via more tension and occlusion. It’s icing on the cake after the midrange mass builders—but it’s thick, dense icing that can add a sizzling size effect after your big midrange exercises. But hold on...

Movement with standard reps before the static hold may not be necessary at all if you want to pack on loads of muscle. In our latest e-book, X-Rep Update #1, we discuss how to use static-only sets—like holding the weight at the top of a concentration curl for 30 to 60 seconds, no preliminary dynamic reps necessary.

We say that the hold alone can build lots of muscle because, get this: In a recent study subjects added pounds of muscle to their frames after only one workout using that style of training—yes, one workout; the researchers verified it with the most accurate equipment available. (Heck, we’ll settle for one pound of muscle after every workout.) Those results are exciting and suggest—no, make that demand—experimenting with some static-hold sets in your workouts? Will it build pounds of muscle for you? Maybe; it worked for each and every subject in the study. [For more on that study and the static hold technique, see the X-Rep Update #1 e-book—and get the X-Rep Mass-Training Method e-book free, which is a complete overview of X Reps.]

Q: I read at your X-Training Blog that you guys use a cheat day or two on your diets during your ripping phase. I can’t seem to get myself to do that. I am very focused, and slacking just isn’t in my nature. Is it really necessary?

A: We’ve tried it both ways—with a cheat day and without—and we’ve found that adding in 50 to 100 grams of carbs one or two days a week makes a significant fat-burning difference. It’s both psychological and physiological. Here’s an excerpt from our X-treme Lean e-book that explains...

“It may go against your moral upbringing, but you have to cheat to get lean. (We’re talking food here, not running around behind your significant other’s back—although that does burn calories.) If you don’t have a cheat day during the week, you can sabotage your fat-loss efforts in a big way. That’s true from a psychological standpoint (you will feel deprived, and you’re more likely to binge) and from a physiological standpoint. It has to do with a specific hormone called leptin.

“Leptin is known as the antistarvation hormone. If you have enough, your body doesn’t panic. If you don’t take precautions as you reduce calories, however, your body can produce less and less. When your leptin levels fall, the starvation mechanism shifts into high gear, and your body halts fat burning and triggers a voracious appetite (you start having dreams about giant chocolate sundaes). Studies show that increasing calories, primarily with carbs, only one day a week during a diet can help normalize leptin levels, keeping the starvation mechanism in check and speeding the fat-burning process. We verified that, inadvertently, through a miscalculation Steve made during our last peaking phase...”

We go on to tell the story of how Steve discovered that he wasn’t cheating when he thought he was (he was actually getting fewer carbs on his cheat day), and how it slowed his fat loss considerably—until he made the fix.

We suggest at least one “cheat” day per week, and we often use two—Sunday and Wednesday. You don’t have to eat ice cream and cake, but do allow yourself enough fruit or other healthful carbs to get an extra 50 to 100 grams over what you take in on your low-carb days—and watch your physique get leaner faster with acid-etched abs. [For more ripping strategies and diets, see the X-treme Lean e-book—X-traordinary Abs e-book free.]