Ultimate Mass Exercise Guide

The Ultimate-Mass Exercise Guide was written to help you achieve
a muscular physique with sensible bodybuilding strategies. Weight

training and dieting can be demanding activities, however, so it is
highly recommended that you consult your physician and have a
physical examination prior to beginning. Proceed with the suggested
exercises and routines at your own risk.
Studio and cover photography by Michael Neveux
Other photography by Steve Holman, Becky Holman,

Jonathan Lawson and courtesy of Doug Brignole and
Vince McConnell
Start/finish exercise photos by Becky Holman
Writing consultant: Bill McKnight
Cover design and layout: Ben Mall
Copyright © 2024 by Homebody Productions, Inc.

All rights reserved.
The material in this document may not be reproduced in whole or

in part in any manner or form without prior written consent from the
publisher/copyright holder.
Homebody Productions, Inc.

P.O. Box 2800, Ventura, CA 93002
www.X-Rep.com
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Ultimate-Mass Exercise Guide
Contents
Introduction............................................................4
Chapter 1—Ideal Quad Training............................7
Chapter 2—Ideal Hamstring Training.................12
Chapter 3—Ideal Glute Training..........................16
Chapter 4—Ideal Calf Training............................20
Chapter 5—Ideal Chest Training.........................22
Chapter 6—Ideal Shoulder Training...................26
Chapter 7—Ideal Back Training..........................31
Chapter 8—Ideal Triceps Training......................38
Chapter 9—Ideal Biceps Training.......................41
Chapter 10—Ideal Abdominal Training..............46
Chapter 11—The New Positions-of-Flexion

Mass Workout................................49
Appendix—The New Positions-of-Flexion

Exercise Matrix................................62
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Introduction
Bodybuilders are always searching for a secret exercise
for each muscle that will ignite explosive hypertrophy. This
reference guide will give you the exercises that qualify as
the best of the best—the ones that can get you as close as
possible to explosive growth. Once you begin emphasizing
these ultimate exercises, you’ll feel and see the difference.
Late biomechanics expert

and Drug-Free Mr. Universe
winner Doug Brignole called
those exercises “ideal.”
That’s because they line
up the majority of muscle
fibers to fire optimally with
Photos courtesy of Doug Brignole
the correct line of force and

the proper resistance curve
without torquing your joints.
Take a set to failure or very
close, and you stimulate the
most growth fibers possible
with only a few sets.
Does that mean one ideal

exercise is all you need for each muscle to max out your mass?
Not necessarily. There’s something scientists call variation
of fiber recruitment. Training a muscle at different angles can
activate unique fiber bundles, creating new “layers” of size and
even area-specific development—more mass in different parts
of the muscle. That’s according to the latest research. Here’s a
recent quote from hypertrophy researcher Chris Beardsley:
4
“It’s often assumed that the extra hypertrophy
that occurs after using stretched-position exercises
[like overhead triceps extensions] is simply more
of the same type of hypertrophy as occurs after
training with contracted-position exercises [as with
triceps pushdowns]. Yet, the additional mechanical
tension that stimulates that extra hypertrophy
does not arise from more active
mechanical tension but from the provision of
passive mechanical tension on top of the active
mechanical tension. This is important because
studies have linked passive mechanical tension
uniquely with increases in muscle fiber length, and
some research has linked active mechanical tension
uniquely with increases in muscle-fiber diameter by
means of myofibrillar addition.”
So achieving size increases in different areas of the muscle as well

as unique fiber recruitment is why you want to use more than one
exercise for the fastest, fullest muscle growth possible. That’s where
Positions-of-Flexion mass training comes in. You emphasize the ideal
exercise, like lying extensions for triceps, then follow with limited sets
for the missing positions, such as stretch and/or contracted.
Just remember that it’s the ideal, or ultimate, exercise that will
get you the best mass bang for your effort buck. You’ll emphasize
the ideal to get at the majority of fibers, then follow with specific,
focused add-on moves to accelerate your mass development. It’s the
most efficient way for you to gain pounds of muscle in the coming
months—genetics and age constraints willing, of course.
At most workouts you should start each target-muscle routine with

the ideal exercise. The ideals have all or most of the following five
factors that directly impact and enhance muscle-fiber engagement…
5
1) Reduced bi-lateral deficit: You’re stronger when training one
side at a time—more fiber recruitment. That means you should choose
one-limb movements when possible (one-arm cable laterals); if that’s
not possible due to balance or other issues, fire the target muscles
simultaneously but independently by using separate cable handles
(cable chest presses) or two dumbbells (dumbbell decline presses).
2) Full range of motion: Move from near stretch to full contraction

on most sets.
3) Optimal resistance curve: Early-phase loading near target

muscle stretch, late-phase unloading near contraction; in other words,
an ideal exercise should be harder near the stronger stretch and
easiest at weaker contraction (dumbbell decline presses).
4) Proper direction of resistance: Pull of resistance should be

directly toward the target muscle’s origin or insertion—for example,
upper arm pulling toward the breast bone on dumbbell decline
presses for chest.
5) Minimal non-target muscle activation: Minimize the

involvement of other muscles during the exercise; isolating the target
muscle as much as possible optimizes fiber activation.
Let’s take it muscle group by muscle group, starting with the one
that most bodybuilders train with some disdain because of the pain:
quads…
Note: In the coming chapters you will see mentions of “X-Reps.”

These are partial repetitions in the stretch area of the stroke after you
complete all of your full-range reps. Those eight-to-10-inch partials,
such as at the bottom third of leg extensions, force the target muscle
to continue to fire in its strongest position, activating more growth
fibers.
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CHAPTER 1
Ideal Quad Training
Squats are the Sissy squats
king of the mass
moves—sissy
squats, that
is. What’s the
problem with
barbell squats?
There are four
main ones…
1) The more
weight you use,
the further your torso pitches forward, which throws the majority
of the work onto your glutes—your butt becomes the prime mover.
2) Non-target-muscle activation is detrimental. Even with a near-

perfect vertical-torso barbell squat, you’re still training two targets
at the same time—butt and quads—dividing the focus. That’s not
ideal.
3) With barbell squats you miss 20 percent of the quadriceps

group. That’s due to reciprocal innervation. Because you’re
involving the glutes, which is a hip flexor muscle, you shut off one
of the quad groups, the rectus femoris, a hip extensor. Why would
you want to ignore 20 percent of your quad muscles?
4) Excessive potential for injury. With back squats, you have

a heavy barbell across your shoulders compressing your spine,
which could result in a blown vertebrae or two. Not worth the risk.
7
With sissy squats, the resistance is your torso. You can hold a
weight on your chest as you get stronger, and in both cases the
load does not shift forward but to the rear as you lower into a
squat, the stretch position. That’s because you keep your torso
on the same plane as your thighs—like doing the Limbo.
Also, the resistance curve is perfect: hardest at stretch, easier

at the top contraction where the target muscle is weakest.
Another positive with sissy squats is that it takes very little

extra weight to totally max out quad activation. Some of the
strongest bodybuilders can only get 10 to 15 reps holding a
25-pound plate on their chest.
A close second to sissy squats is the cable squat with the

pulleys set low. You hold a handle in each hand and squat,
keeping your torso leaning back slightly; however, there is glute
involvement, so it’s slightly below sissies on the ideal hierarchy.
Cable squats
While the sissy squat, pictured on the previous page,

is a near perfect quad exercise, cable squats are a
close second. You do get some glute involvement
here, however. Flex your quads at the top of each
rep if you want to emphasize quad contraction.
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Ideal Quad Exercises
1) Sissy squats
(stretch). This
is pure quads. If
bodyweight is too
light, you can hold
a barbell plate on
your chest. You want
to keep your heels
elevated. Tip: If you
train at home, put a
doorway chinning
bar at about chest
height and position yourself under it so you can hold on for
balance. If you train in a commercial gym, use a Smith Machine
with bar set at your chest to hang on to.
2) Cable
squats
(contracted).
This one has
some minor glute
involvement but
is close to ideal.
You can use it as
your ideal quad
exercise or after
sissy squats as
a contracted-position add-on quad move, flexing at the top of
each rep to simulate a leg extension machine. Tip: Don’t push
straight up; drive back, like you’re on a hack-squat machine for
max quad involvement.
9
Possible Add-On Quad Exercises
Leg extensions (contracted).

This isolates the quads nicely. The
main problem is the resistance
curve—almost every machine is
too hard at the top contracted
position, which is why it’s
classified as a contracted-position
exercise. Your torso and quads
should be on the same plane
as well, so lying back flat would
be best for more rectus femoris
activation; however, most leg
extension machines don’t allow that. Tip: You can remedy the
resistance-curve problem somewhat with X-Reps, partials in the
bottom third of the stroke at the end of a set.
Wall squats
(contracted). If you're
in a bare-bones home
gym with no cables or
leg extension, use this
for contraction emphasis.
Place a foam roller
between your back and
the wall, which allows you
to squat with an upright
torso. Hold dumbbells
for extra resistance. Tip:
Move your feet forward somewhat to make it more quad-centric—
like a home gym hack squat.
10
Unique Quad Move
Before his death in 2022, Brignole perfected another ideal

quad exercise he called the pendulum sissy squat. It takes some
experimentation and set-up time, but he said the resistance-
curve improvement makes it a top-of-the-line ideal exercise for
quads. Here are some early snapshots of the arcing motion. He’s
using a weighted vest for extra resistance. Later he graduated to
a waist harness with a cable attached to the stationary bar. That
made the arc movement more pure and freed up his hands to
hold dumbbells if necessary.
If you’re interested in learning more and seeing the evolution

of this unique quad exercise, you can find his discussion and
video of how to do it on YouTube.
11
CHAPTER 2
Ideal Hamstring Training
One-leg
cable leg
curls
According to Brignole and some recent

studies, the best hamstring exercise is a
seated leg curl, at right, which has your
torso and thighs at a 90-degree angle for
best hamstring activation due to more
stretch; however, the strength curve is
not right on these machines—too much
resistance at contraction. And you must

avoid the very top knees-locked position
for joint-safety reasons.
One-leg cable leg curls performed

standing (above), or seated on a high bench
(on next page), has a better strength curve,
and you can bend at your waist with a
forward lean to achieve some stretch.
12
The stretch you
get with cables
isn’t quite as
pronounced as
it should be, so
if you use the
one-leg cable
leg curl as your
High-bench one-leg cable leg curl,
demonstrated by Vince McConnell.
ideal hamstring move, include semi-

stiff-legged deadlifts to get full-stretch
work. While your glutes are the prime
mover on stiff-legged deadlifts, it’s still
the best stretch-position exercise for
hamstrings without a seated leg curl.
Ideal Hamstring Exercises
1) Cable standing one-leg leg curls (semi-contracted).

These give you the proper resistance curve—less at the top
and more at the
bottom. And
you’re diffusing
the bilateral deficit
by training one leg
at a time. If you’re
in a commercial
gym, you can do
lying leg curls
instead—but at
most workouts you
should train one leg at a time for optimal mass-building benefit.
Tip: Adding end-of-set X-Rep partials at stretch can improve both
exercises.
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2) Seated leg curls (stretch +
contracted). This machine provides a
good hamstring stretch as well as full-
range contraction. But that's the main
flaw: Most machines have constant
tension throughout the stroke. Ideally the

resistance should tail off as you reach
contraction. So this exercise is not quite
ideal. Tip: End-of-set X-Rep partials near
top-area stretch can remedy the flawed
resistance curve to a degree; however,
avoid the knees-locked position so you
don't hyperextend your knee joint.
Possible Add-On Hamstring Exercises
Semi-stiff-legged
deadlifts (stretch). This
is not a true hamstring
exercise; it’s a glute
move. Even so, include
one set at the end of your
hamstring work to get
some stretch overload on
your hams—and a more
pronounced backside.
Using only stretch-
partials, moving through
the bottom two-thirds
of the stroke instead of
full reps, can limit damage, but stay in control of the weight and
lower only to mid-shin level, not all the way to your feet. Tip: Keep
your back locked flat, no rounding forward, throughout the set to
maximize hamstring stretch.
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Unique Hamstring Move
In OMYM the go-to

hamstring exercise is floor
rolls due to no access to
cables or machines. It lacks
negative resistance, but that
can be a positive in that it
triggers less damage. It’s
not ideal, however.
If you have a cable

machine, you can do the
more optimal standing one-
leg leg curls; however, you
could sometimes include
floor rolls as a contracted-
position exercise for variety.
As with most unique exercises, floor rolls provide variation

in muscle-fiber recruitment order, which means different areas
of growth and/or unique fiber-bundle activation. Be sure to
squeeze your hamstrings at the top of each rep to optimally
engage the target muscle and maintain tension as you push
away from the bench with your heels.
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CHAPTER 3
Ideal Glute Training
Cable
pull-
throughs
The glute bridge or hip thrust (right)

is a popular gym exercise, usually with
a barbell across the pelvis. But it has a
backward strength curve. As you drive
your butt up from the floor, the rep gets
harder, not easier as it should; there’s
almost zero resistance at the important
low stretch point.
As for the barbell squat, the strength

curve is better—harder at the bottom
stretch, easier as you get to the top—
but too many muscles are involved.
Your quads share the load, as do the
spinal erectors, and the line of force
16
is such that as you get stronger, you compress your spine like an
accordion.
While Brignole IDs

the hip-extension
machine as the
ultimate glute move,
the resistance curve
is not great. You
stand with one leg
over the pad, which
is behind your knee,
thigh near your
torso. You then
drive your leg back as it straightens, pushing the pad slightly past
the plane of your body for a complete glute contraction. But the
resistance does not tail off as it should.
A better go-to glute move is one with cables: pull-throughs.

See the photos at the beginning of this chapter; however, without
cables, the step-back lunge (below) works well, but it’s difficult to
not depend on quads as the prime mover.
You can use step-

back lunges after pull-
throughs as a glute add-
on move, or dumbbell
squats, both of which
also involve your quads.
And if you're including a
set of semi-stiff-legged
deadlifts for hamstring
stretch, those hit the
glutes fairly hard for
additional rear-end
sculpting.
17
Ideal Glute Exercises
1) Cable pull-through.
Use a double-rope
attachment connected to a
low pulley running between
your legs. Face away from
the pulley and step forward,
ends of the rope in each
hand placed on the front
of each inner thigh. Squat
down as you lean forward to
stretch the glutes, then drive
up and forward, straightening your legs to a full-standing position,
glutes contracted. Tip: Drive forward, not straight up; that will
optimally activate your glutes—not to mention prevent you from
crashing backward into the cable machine.
Possible Add-On Glute Exercises
Hip-
extension
machine
(stretch and
contracted).
It provides
all of the
ideal-exercise
factors except
one: the
resistance
curve isn’t
optimal—it’s the same all the way through the stroke, so there’s too
much load at the weak contracted position. Tip: Add end-of-set
X-Rep partials at the top stretch.
18
Step-back lunges (semi-
stretch). Despite quad
involvement, this is still a
decent glute move. Tip:
Place your working-leg foot
on a riser to get a deeper
stretch on the down stroke.
Also, make an effort to
simulate the hip-extension
machine action by pulling
yourself forward and up with
your glute muscle on each rep. Imagine driving your foot back as
you come up out of the lunge—like a horse pawing the ground
with his hoof.
Dumbbell squats (stretch). This provides

some extra quad work. Hold the dumbbells
at the sides of your thighs and squat until the
dumbbells almost touch the floor, then push
back to near lockout—but not quite to knees
locked. Tip: Focus your eyes forward and
allow your torso to come forward somewhat
to stretch your glutes.
One-leg or two-leg hip thrusts (contracted). Wrong

resistance curve with its limited top-heavy range of motion, but
it’s a good contracted-position finisher and an X-Rep qualifier
as well. Tip: Use a riser to elevate your foot or feet for a deeper
stretch.
19
CHAPTER 4
Ideal Calf Training
Aside from genetics, stubborn calves

are often the result of trainees limiting
the range of motion on calf exercises—
they bounce in the middle of the stroke,
missing the important bottom stretch
as well as the top contracted position.
It’s usually the result of too much weight
or not wanting to endure the pain of full
reps.
Training both
legs at once is
also a limiting
factor, as on
a standing
calf machine
or leg press.
Remember
bilateral
deficit—the muscles are producing less
force and getting fewer fibers to fire doing
bilateral exercises as opposed to uni-
lateral, or one-limb, moves.
Most of the time you should work the

full range of movement with one leg at a
time for optimal fiber activation and best
growth creation.
20
Ideal Calf Exercises
1) Standing one-leg calf raises. In a

commercial gym you can use the standing calf
machine. In a home gym, use a riser or block,
holding onto an upright for balance. If you need
extra resistance, hold a dumbbell in your free
hand. If you have a cable machine, you can use
a waist harness hooked to a low cable and place
your foot on a riser or block. Tip: Think about
coming up on the big-toe side of your foot. If you hold a weight,
put it in your opposite hand as your working leg to get that big-toe-
side emphasis.
Possible Add-On Calf Exercises
One-leg donkey calf raises (stretch). With

the ball of your foot on a riser or block, bend
at your waist to 90 degrees and support your
torso with your arms on a bench. The bend at
your waist provides more gastrocnemius stretch
at the bottom of the stroke than standing with
your torso and legs in the same plane. Tip: In
a commercial gym, you can use the leg press,
which simulates the donkey position, but use one leg at a time.
Forward-lean two-leg calf raises

(contracted). You can get some variation in fiber
recruitment by ending your calf work with a two-leg
move on a standing calf machine or with a waist
harness hooked to a low cable and your feet on a
riser. Tip: You can also do these one leg at t a time
leaning forward against a wall.
Note: All of the above calf exercises have decent resistance

curves, so X-Reps aren’t necessary; however, you can still add
them at the bottom of most of the above for more stimulation.
21
CHAPTER 5
Ideal Chest Training
Pulling your upper arm in toward your sternum, or breast

bone, is the function of the pectoral muscles. The majority of the
fibers run at a downward angle, so the optimum exercise is on a
decline—but not with a barbell. Use cables or dumbbells.
The two top ideal exercises

are cable chest presses and
dumbbell decline presses.
Why not use a barbell?
Because your hands are
locked on the bar outside of
your shoulders. That means
your pecs’ range of motion is
limited.
Also, at the top of a barbell bench press, your arms are angled
away from your torso. If the bar were greased, your hands would
slide outward as you push. To maximally stimulate your pecs,
your arms should be pulling in toward your breastbone. That’s the
22
primary function of the pecs—not pushing your hands out, which
engages too much triceps.
What about incline presses for

the upper-pec fibers? You can
do dumbbell presses on a low
30-degree incline for slightly more
upper-fiber activation. The low
bench angle insures that your
upper arm moves toward the
insertion of the high fibers on the
breast bone. A 45-degree bench
would have your upper arms
moving toward your jaw, which
shifts the stress to front delt.
For some
upper-chest
focus, another
choice is low-
incline flyes
moving through
only the bottom
two-thirds of the
stroke. That will
keep resistance
on your pecs.
Keep in mind that using presses on a slight decline engages the

majority of pectoral fibers, including the upper fibers, so incline
work is rarely necessary. A flat-bench dumbbell bench press is
okay, but puts more stress on the shoulder joint. Presses on a
slight decline is better—more ideal.
23
Ideal Chest Exercises
1) Cable chest
presses or
dumbbell decline
presses. Your arms
should angle slightly
toward your low-
pec line on both
of these exercises.
They are very
similar; however,
cables will provide some resistance at contraction, which makes
it slightly better. With dumbbells, you get zero resistance at the
top. If both are available, you can get
variation by doing one or the other
at different workouts. Tip: Keep your
hands angled like an inverted V—like
/ \ —so your arms aren’t moving
perpendicular to your torso, which can
cause shoulder damage.
Possible Add-On Chest Exercises
Flat, low-incline or decline

dumbbell flyes (stretch). The
decline-flye move is very close
to ideal; however, the biceps are
somewhat limiting. Try one of
the flye variations as a stretch-
position add-on. Tip: Mr.
America and film Hercules Steve
Reeves did flyes with palms
facing forward instead of in. Try
it; you may like it. Either version is acceptable.
24
Cable flyes
or chest-
machine flyes
(contracted).
There’s biceps
involvement with
these as well;
however, you do
get continuous
tension—resistance all the way from stretch to contraction. That
means once you reach positive failure, you will have strength left
to fire more fibers in the stretch range, the bottom one-third of
the stroke. Tip: Add end-of-set X-Reps to make either of these
machine-flye add-ons better.
Unique Chest Move
Wide-grip dips are often considered an excellent chest

exercise, but they target mostly the front-deltoid heads along
with the triceps. Plus, they put the shoulder joints in a precarious
position with hands locked on the parallel bars. Yes, dips can
provide good chest stretch, but they aren’t worth the risk. You
can more safely mimic the wide-grip dip on a cable machine—
which is similar to cable chest presses, the ideal. Another reason
this move is better than dips is resistance at the bottom lockout.
25
CHAPTER 6
Ideal Shoulder Training
The ideal medial-

head exercise is either
one-arm low-incline
lateral raises (right) or
one-arm cable lateral
raises with the pulley
set at waist height
(above). Both of those
will give you all of the
ideal factors outlined
in Chapter 1.
As for standing or seated two-arm lateral raises, those are

significantly inferior due to a horrible resistance curve—actually
backward; they are top-end, or contracted-position, loaded with
zero resistance at stretch when your arms are hanging straight
down.
26
So why do regular laterals at all? As mentioned, recent research
suggest that exercises with different resistance curves can build
certain sections of the muscle—area-specific development.
Overhead presses? Not ideal and can

progressively wreck your shoulder joints;
however, it’s the top quarter of the stroke that
does the damage. To use the press safely
and to better focus on the side heads, use
dumbbells and press to just above halfway
only.
As for the front and rear heads, they get lots

of indirect work from add-on moves—front
with cable flyes and

presses for chest; rear
with rows, retractions
and pull-ins for back.
For additional work,
the best front-head
exercise is a flat-bench
dumbbell press with
palms facing and arms
moving close to your
torso. For the rear
head, it’s cross-pulley
rear laterals (above
right), which you can
Model: Jordon Williamson
mimic by lying on a
bench or the floor on
your side and raising a
dumbbell from the floor
to near vertical (right).
27
Ideal Delt Exercises
1) One-arm cable laterals. Do these with the pulley set

at waist height so
the resistance tails
off at the top of the
stroke. And if you
have one available,
use an ankle cuff
around your wrist.
By attaching the
cable to that, you
will remove your
grip from the equation, putting all the stress on the side-delt
head. Tip: Raise your almost-straight arm slightly to the front,
at about the 1 o’clock position, not directly even with your side.
That slight forward arm position will alleviate joint stress and
better activate the side-head fibers.
2) One-arm dumbbell low-incline laterals. These are

a bit awkward
because you’re
on your side on
an incline bench.
Once you get the
hang of it, you’ll
find that it has a
good resistance
curve and direct
stress on the side
head. Start with
the dumbbell slightly in front of your thigh and drive up in an arc
until it’s just short of perpendicular to the floor. Tip: Don't allow
the dumbbell to move too far down in front of your torso or you
will lost tension on your side-head fibers, involving more rear
head.
28
Possible Add-On Delt Exercises
One-arm cable high pulls

(contracted). You can add
this exercise to get more side-
head contraction at the very
top—when the cable handle is
slightly above your head but
still in front of you, arm angled
at 45 degrees to your torso.
The ideal exercises above don’t
quite get that high-contracted
position. Tip: Have the pulley set low directly in front of you and
pull from in front of your crotch to up and out with your arm at an
angle, hand level with the top of your head. Bottom-area X-Reps
at the end work well here.
One-arm behind-the-back cable

laterals (stretch). Set the pulley near
the floor, cable running behind you with
your nonworking side facing the cable
machine. Pull from your hip up and out
to shoulder height. You’ll get excellent
variation in fiber recruitment with this
unique angle and line of pull. Tip: Think
about driving your arm up and slightly
forward.
One-arm dumbbell
standing laterals
(contracted). You know
the resistance curve is
ass-backward on these,
but that's what makes it
a good add-on to train
the contracted position.
Tip: If dumbbell laterals
29
are uncomfortable, you can get the same effect with a one-arm
dumbbell upright row or a one-arm cable upright row; just don’t
allow your upper arm to move higher than your shoulder joint.
Unique Delt Move
While an overhead press can cause shoulder-joint impingement,

the danger is through only the top third of the stroke. And research
shows that the top half of the stroke is mostly front-delt-head
dominant. The bottom half is medial-delt-head dominant. So a
safe, unique way to target the width-creating side head is with
partial dumbbell presses, moving the dumbbells from shoulders
to just above halfway up. Do not go all the way to the top lock-out
position.
-->
-->
30
CHAPTER 7
Ideal Back Training
There are a number of muscles in your back, but the ones

bodybuilders are most concerned with are the erector spinae,
usually incorrectly referred to as the “lower back”; the mid-back, or
trapezius; and the latissimus dorsi, or lats.
Smaller back muscles, like the infraspinatus, go along for the

ride when training the larger back muscles, so you don’t have to
worry about targeting them directly—unless you want to strengthen
your rotator cuff for more shoulder stability. There are entire books
written on that.
Traps. The mid-back, or middle trapezius, is the most difficult

to feel for most people when training, and it should also get top
billing. That’s because weak traps can trigger neck pain. Note: That
happened to me, and I suffered for a few months. To finally remedy
31
the situation, I put mid-back work before my lat exercises. My
neck pain disappeared almost within a week.
Most training believe that to build your traps, you row, row, row.
No. Believe it or not, the traps are not connected to the arms. The
primary function of these large mid-back muscles is to retract the
scapulae, or pull your shoulder blades together.
While any type of rowing will indirectly work the mid-back

muscles, you’re pulling your arms straight back, which is a
function of the shoulder’s rear head. Rows are inefficient for
middle-trap work. Cable scapulae retractions are better (photo on
previous page). You can stop a bit shorter than full contraction.
Some types of rows can

provide good stretch overload
for the mid-back. Ask Arnold,
who loved close-grip cable rows
and T-bar rows—he got stretch
overload and new back thickness
with those. Consider those add-
ons, however.
The upper third of the muscle also pulls your scapulae together
in an upward direction, so dumbbell or cable shrugs are a must;
however, you want to be leaning forward so that you’re doing
a retraction action, not just lifting your shoulders. The upper
traps are not connected to
the shoulders, so they don’t
lift them. That’s the levator
scapulae’s function. Some
straight up-and-down shrugs
can add to your neck size
somewhat, but the forward-lean
high retraction shrugs are best
for upper-trap development.
32
Lats. Most trainees rely on pulldowns for lat growth, but
the resistance curve is wrong—much too hard at the bottom
contracted position—and the line of pull is off.
You want to pull

from the side but
slightly in front
of your torso at a
45-degree angle.
While the resistance
curve isn’t quite
perfect, the cable
pull-in qualifies as
the ideal lat exercise. It’s harder at the bottom and easier at the
top—but not nearly as flawed as pulldowns.
Erector spinea. People call this the lower back because only
the bottom third is visible. It actually runs from the butt all the way
up to the neck. You don’t see the upper two-thirds because it
snakes under the lats and traps.
The best move for this muscle is an erector curl. There are
two versions:
one you do
hanging your
torso over
the end of an
incline bench;
the other you
put your butt
up against
a wall and
perform the
torso curl.
33
Ideal Back Exercises
Middle traps: cable

scapulae retractions. This is
like exaggerated middle-back
shrugs with a cable in each
hand at just above eye level
for stretch, pulleys out wide
and slightly in front of your
torso. Tip: Think of pulling your
scapulae together, not getting
the weight up with your arms.
Upper traps: cable or dumbbell retraction shrugs (stretch

+ contracted). Lean slightly forward and shrug to retract your
upper traps. If you’re using two
separate cable handles, you can step
back so you’re retracting up and back
for an ideal line of pull. Tip: You may
want to do a set shrugging straight up
and down to train the levator scapulae
muscles, which are under the traps.
Developing that muscle can push up
the traps making them appear larger.
Lats: cable pull-ins. Set the pulley up so your arms are at

about a 45-degree angle when extended. The pullesy should also
be slightly in front of you. As you pull your arms into your torso,
lean forward somewhat
to better contract the
lats. Tip: You may want
to try pull-ins one arm
at a time rather than
simultaneously for a
unilateral advantage
(photos on page 4).
34
Erector spinae: incline erector curl (ideal + stretch). The
bench should be set at 45 degrees or more to provide stretch at
the bottom and only
minor contracted
resistance at the
top. Tip: At bottom
stretch, move your
arms forward; as
you curl, pull your
arms back. That
will slightly increase
resistance at
stretch and lessen
it at contraction.
Possible Add-On Back Exercises
Chest supported dumbbell rows (mid-back stretch

+ contracted; lats contracted). These do a decent job of
providing a hands-
close position at the
bottom for mid-back
stretch. Start with
your palms facing at
the bottom and rotate
to an under grip at the
top. That allows you
to drive your elbows
in toward your spine
to contract both mid-
back and lats. Tip: If you want to do end-of-set X-Reps, try them
as a mid-back shrug-retraction move—only moderate arm bend
as you pull up each rep.
35
Two-dumbbell pullovers (lats
stretch). This stretches the lats
and also involves the triceps and
upper chest. If you use it, don’t
allow your hands to move past
the plane of your head or you’ll
put your shoulder joints in danger.
Some gyms have a machine
pullover, which is a decent
substitute—just don’t stretch too
far back. Tip: Try these through
the bottom two-thirds of the stroke
exclusively.
Undergrip pulldowns
(lats stretch +
contracted). A shoulder-
width “curl” grip will
provide good lat stretch
and allow you to contract
your lats at the bottom. For
independent movement to
diffuse some of the bilateral
deficit, do these using separate handles on a functional cable
machine. Tip: This is an excellent move for end-of-set X-Reps at
stretch.
Stiff-arm pull-ins (lats

contracted). Most people do
these with a bar attached to
a high cable. The bar starts at
forehead level and ends up at
the thighs—like the missing
range of motion on dumbbell
pullovers. A more effective
36
version that follows the lats’ line of pull is to use the functional
cable machine’s separate handles set high and pulleys out wide
(see photos). With that setup you pull from up outside your
shoulders to down into your sides, hands hitting your thighs. So
it’s a stiff-arm pull-IN, not a pull-down. Tip: End-of-set X-Reps
near the top can ramp up the mass stimulation.
Erector spinae: wall erector curl

(contracted). Put your butt against a wall
and allow your torso to bow forward for a
slight stretch in your erectors. Then curl
your torso up until it is at a 45-degree angle
to maintain tension on the target muscle
and achieve a strong contraction. Tip: Look
back at the wall between your legs at the
bottom and raise your head to look straight
forward at the top.
Unique Lat Move
In OMYM there’s a free-

hand one-arm version of the
lat pull-in, chin-bar lat pulls.
You do it leaning out from a
doorway chinning bar. The
resistance curve is better
than using a cable because
as the body moves to near
vertical, resistance falls off.
Even so, it’s a bit awkward.
The cable pull-in is more
natural—one arm at a time or the two-arm version, but this can
be a good variation every so often.
37
CHAPTER 8
Ideal Triceps Training
Most trainees include the ideal triceps move—well, it’s almost

ideal: Lying triceps extensions, or skull crushers. This exercise and its
variation provide many of the ideal factors.
Doing it on a slight incline with a dumbbell or cable rope handle

in each hand, with palms facing, is one of the best the ideal triceps
exercises (above). It provides a bit more stretch than flat, and, of
course by now you know that dumbbells are better than a bar due to
allowing independent movement for reducing bilateral deficit. A cable
is even better because it provides some resistance at the top, giving
it a slight edge over dumbbells.
As for pushdowns, most trainees stand back away from the pulley
to get more resistance at the straight-arm, weak contracted point.
38
That’s not ideal—the resistance should tail
off as you straighten your arms; however,
it’s a good add-on for contracted-position
work—that’s when you should step back to
emphasize the flex point.
Many trainees like close-grip bench

presses or dips; however, the range of
motion and resistance curve are not great
on either of those. Also, the line of force
makes both exercises front-delt dominant
with only secondary triceps involvement.
Overhead extensions
provide excellent full triceps
elongation. It's the best
stretch-position add-on
moves. You can do them
with a rope, kneeling at the
cable machine or with a
dumbbell in each hand on a
high incline bench for less
shoulder stress.
Ideal Triceps Exercises
Low-incline cable
pushouts. Cables will be
behind you as you recline
on an incline bench, a rope
attachment in each hand.
Drive the cables up over your
forehead. There should be
only minimal resistance at
contraction, more at stretch.
Tip: Drive each hand up and out, not up and forward.
39
Flat-bench or slight-decline
dumbbell extensions. This is a
“skull crusher” with a dumbbell
in each hand, palms facing—
not quite as ideal as the incline
cable pushout above. Dumbbells
should move down to the sides
of your head to up over your
forehead. Tip: Avoid locking out at the top to maintain tension on
your triceps throughout the set.
Possible Add-On Triceps Exercises
Pushdowns (contracted). You

can use a double-rope attachment,
V-bar or separate cable handles,
crossing them for a unique down and
out contraction (photos at left). With
any form of pushdown, step back
away from the machine slightly in
order to get more resistance at the
bottom contracted position—you’re
using this as a contracted-position
move. Tip: As a contracted-position add-on, this is another exercise
that’s excellent for end-of-set X-Reps up in the stretch range once
you’ve exhausted the weaker contracted range.
High-Incline dumbbell overhead

extensions (stretch). Lean back against a
high-incline bench with a dumbbell in each
hand overhead, palms facing. Lower the
dumbbells simultaneously behind your head.
Tip: To maintain some resistance at the top
of the stroke, do these with a cable and rope
attachment.
40
CHAPTER 9
Ideal Biceps Training
If you guessed
curls as the
ideal exercise,
you’re right—but
remember bilateral
deficit. That
means a barbell
is not as efficient
as dumbbells or
separate cables,
which allow
independent
action and more
fiber recruitment.
Use simultaneous cable curls with separate handles (above)

as opposed to alternating. The alternating version allows one
side to rest as the other works, recharging slow-twitch fibers and
prolonging fast-twitch activation. Cable curls have an almost
perfect resistance curve. At the top of the curl, the cables should
run along your forearms, which lessens the resistance at that top
weaker point.
A favorite contracted-position
move is concentration curls,
Arnold style—standing, bent
over. Doing them seated with
arm braced against the inner
thigh is okay, but it’s easier to
cheat.
41
Rope hammer curls
are also a great add-
on, one arm at a time or
simultaneous. For these
step forward for biceps
stretch, which has less
biceps-tear danger than
the palm-forward position.
It’s a great biceps stretch
move that also trains
the brachialis muscles, which snake under the biceps, and the
brachioradialis, the muscle on top of the forearm.
Dumbbell incline curls have

always been the dominant biceps
stretch exercise; however, trainees
with shoulder problems have
difficulty with it. You can get enough
stretch with the cable hammers
standing forward of the pulleys, and
it’s also much safer.
Preacher curls with a barbell on

a preacher bench is an extremely
dangerous exercise, as the excess
resistance at stretch magnifies the
stress on the biceps tendons. No
one wants to rip their biceps from
the bone. If you do preacher curls
as an add-on move, do them one arm at a time with your arm on
an incline bench so the dumbbell hitting the bench at the bottom
stops your arm from hyperextending. Also, stop short at the top
before resistance tails off to zero.
42
Ideal Biceps Exercises
Separate-handle cable curls.

As you curl, pull your hands inward
to simulate a close grip. That will
affect both heads of the target
muscle, according to MRI studies.
Tip: You can do these lying on the
floor to restrict cheating (there's
more on this at the end of the
chapter along with photos).
Dumbbell curls. These work fine

for some people—unless you have
shoulder problems. In that case, stick
to cables. Also, curl simultaneously.
The alternating style rests one side
while the other works, reducing
intensity. Tip: Put your thumbs
against one side of the dumbbell to
get supination resistance—that is,
resistance as you twist your hand
from facing your thigh to palm up at
the top.
Possible Add-On Biceps Exercises
Concentration curls (contracted). Do these

standing and bent at the waist. You can also
do them seated with your arm braced against
your inner thigh, but stay forward so there’s max
resistance at the top of each rep, as this is a
contracted-position add-on move. Tip: These are
one of the best biceps exercises for supination
work; place your thumb against one side of the
dumbbell, start the movement with your arm
43
straight and palm facing you, then turn your palm up as you curl.
Arnold said that was one of his secrets to biceps peak.
Rope cable hammer

curls (stretch). Hook a rope
handle to each low pulley on
a functional cable machine.
Step forward, stand erect.
Your arms should be slightly
behind your torso. Curl with
palms facing you, thumbs
up, keeping your upper arms
stationary. The down position
will provide a unique biceps stretch and the curling motion will train
biceps, brachialis and brachioradialis (tops of forearms). Tip: You
can do these on an incline bench for better stability.
Dumbbell incline curls (stretch).

Lying back on a 45-degree incline bench
will provide unique biceps stretch and
additional development. If you don’t
have shoulder problems, use them—
but be careful. This full-stretch position
with palms forward can be dangerous if
you jerk the weight. Move slowly. These
aren’t nearly as dangerous as preacher
curls, but avoid trying to heave heavy
dumbbells out of the stretch position. Tip: No X-Reps on this one,
but an entire set of controlled stretch-partials is great, bottom two-
thirds only.
Note: Forearms get lots of residual action from gripping

throughout your workout; however, you may benefit from a set or
two of dumbbell wrist curls at the end of your upper-body workout.
44
Unique Biceps Move
Instead of standing cable curls, you can minimize cheating and

get more stability by doing them lying on the floor with a foam
roller behind your back. It’s an incredibly good biceps move, and a
foam roller restricts upper-arm movement and increases resistance
at the stretch point.
Also, try to pull slightly inward to simulate a close-grip curl. MRI

studies show that a close-grip lights up both heads of the biceps
equally.
45
CHAPTER 10
Ideal Abdominal Training
Crunches are at the top of the list, but not flat—you want
your head at the top of an incline bench, as the photos
above show. That provides an
optimal resistance curve. You get
an ab stretch and resistance is
maximum due to the angle. Then
when you curl up and forward,
the resistance decreases:
early phase loaded, late-phase
unloaded.
With a flat crunch (right) you

get too much resistance in the
contracted position—which
makes it more difficult and not
quite ideal—but it’s a great
contracted-position add-on
exercise after the ideal.
46
You can set up an incline bench
and a cable to simulate the incline
crunch. Just be sure the cable runs
straight back or even a bit below
your shoulders. Again, you want the
most resistance near stretch, least
at contraction. Try holding a rope
attachment in each hand, similar to the
Ab Bench (left).
Contrary to popular belief, the

hanging leg raise is mostly hip-flexor
action—the rectus abdominis is not
connected to the legs, only the hips.
That means the abs work isometrically until only the top—so you
only involve your abs dynamically if you can curl your hips toward
your torso at the top. It’s an inefficient ab exercise with a funky
resistance curve, which even the most seasoned bodybuilders
can’t perform correctly to efficiently train abs.
A better add-on choice is incline hip rolls, which have a much

better resistance curve so you can curl your hips toward your
torso at the top; however, you do still involve the hip flexors.
47
Ideal Abdominal Exercises
Incline crunches (stretch).

Do these with your head at
the high end of the bench and
make sure the top of the bench
is at the middle of your back so
you can get mild ab stretch at
the beginning of each rep. Tip:
Don’t curl all the way up to a
vertical torso position; stop just short to maintain resistance.
Possible Add-On Abdominal Exercises
Flat crunches (contracted). Curl

your torso toward your hips for a good ab
contraction. Don’t pull on your head or you
could injure your neck. Tip: Keep your hands
free or on your chest and pretend there’s a
string pulling your nose toward the ceiling
as you curl your torso. Also, don’t relax your
abs when your torso is straight—you want
resistance on your abs throughout the set.
Incline hip rolls (contracted). Move slowly on these—no

momentum. Start with your thighs almost on the same plane as
your torso and then pull them toward your chest as you roll your
hips up off the bench.
Tip: For less hip flexor
involvement, you can
start with your butt on
the bench and your legs
at a 45-degree angle,
with each rep being only
a hip curl with little to no
leg movement.
48
CHAPTER 11
The New Positions-of-Flexion
Mass Workout
In the Introduction you saw that using only the ideal exercise gives
you the best mass-building bang for your effort buck; however,
you’re also familiar with variation of fiber recruitment. Training a
muscle at different angles and resistance curves can activate unique
fiber bundles, creating new “layers” of size and even area-specific
development—more mass in different parts of the muscle.
That's why the three-move Positions of Flexion mass-building

approach is one of the most efficient at stimulating fast and complete
hypertrophy—but it has evolved. Classic POF was…
Midrange exercise + stretch move + contracted move
Quads example:
1) squats (midrange) +
2) sissy squats (stretch) +
3) leg extensions (contracted)
Midrange Stretch
Contracted
49
New POF: Ideal exercise + the missing positions
Quads example:
Ideal/Stretch Contracted,
1) sissy squats flex at top
(ideal/stretch) + of each rep
2) cable squats
(contracted with
flex at top) and/or
3) leg extensions
(contracted)
Contracted
Note: Standard squats are best used with
glute training for stretch.
Some muscles will still follow old-school POF

protocol, such as chest:
1) DB decline presses (ideal) +

2) flyes (stretch) +
3) cable crossovers (contracted)
Ideal Stretch Contracted
The key change is taking whichever exercise is the ideal and do

it first, two sets using the STX method. The midrange designation
goes away. The ideal exercises are usually semi-stretch, like
dumbbell decline presses. And many ideals that use cables, like
cable chest presses, cable curls and incline triceps extensions
are both semi-stretch and semi-contracted. It’s what makes the
new POF a more powerful, efficient and safer mass-building
method.
50
So what’s the new POF
workout and how does
it differ from the one in
OMYM2? In the latter
workout, you didn’t train
all of the positions at
each workout. With this Ideal
one you do. It’s for those
who may have more
recovery ability or simply
want to use the complete
POF muscle routine for
each bodypart at every
workout for a four-to-
six-week training phase.
The workouts will take Stretch Contracted
somewhat longer, but you
will reduce intensity at every other workout to compensate.
Remember, you need to completely recover before you can

optimally stimulate the muscle again for growth. Excess damage,
which most bodybuilders get at every single workout, can prolong
recovery up to 10 days due to impaired glycogen replacement
and central nervous system overload, according to hypertrophy
researcher Chris Beardsley.
You don’t want to keep hammering a damaged muscle with high

intensity. It’s like picking off a wound's scab over and over—the
very reason growth is so slow for most bodybuilders: continuous
damage from which they never completely recover.
You will have an upper-body day and a lower-body day, similar

to the OMYM2 workout; however, it’s your choice as to the days
you want to train.
51
The Every-Other-Day Split: Alternate upper- and lower-body
workouts with a rest day between. One week you train Monday,
Wednesday, Friday, Sunday; the next week Tuesday, Thursday,
Saturday. Then continue, beginning with Monday.
And you alternate failure workouts with subfailure workouts.

So if Monday is upper body, and you train to failure; at your next
upper-body workout on Friday, you use low-intensity subfailure.
The small glitch with the every-other-day split is that many

trainees don’t want the inconsistency of training on different days
every week. You could instead follow the schedule in OMYM2.
The OMYM2 Split

Monday: Lower-body, subfailure
Tuesday: Upper-body, to failure
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Lower body, to failure
Friday, Off
Saturday: Upper body, subfailure
Sunday: Off
Here you train two days in a row at the beginning of the week,
but the first is subfailure lower body, while the second is to-failure
upper body. Overall recovery drain isn’t so demanding with a low-
intensity bout followed the next day by a high-intensity one.
Okay, you’ve seen the key exercises throughout this ebook.

Now let’s put it all together in the New POF Mass Workout…
Note: The following workouts are shown in the OMYM2 split.

For the Every-Other-Day-Split, you would simply alternate
workouts with a rest day after each.
52
Monday: POF Lower-Body (all sets subfailure*)
Regular Speed
I/S: Sissy squats 20 10
C: Cable squats (top flex)
and/or leg extensions 10
I: One-leg leg curls 20 10
S: DB semi-stiff-legged
deadlifts 15
I: One-leg calf raises 20 12
S: One-leg donkey calf raises 12
C: Two-leg forward-lean
calf raises 12
I: Cable pull-throughs 15
S: DB squats 15
I/S: Incline erector curls 20
C: Wall erector curls 12
I/S: Incline crunches 20, 10
C: Incline hip rolls
and/or flat-bench crunches 12
*Stop all sets two to three reps short of failure.
Regular = lift in one second, lower in three; rest 20

seconds between sets and same-muscle exercises.
Speed = faster tempo: 1.5-second reps
I = ideal S = stretch C = contracted
53
Tuesday: POF Upper-Body (all sets to failure*)
Regular Speed
I: Cable chest presses 20 10
S: DB flyes 10
C: Cable flyes 10
I: Scapulae retractions 20 10
S/C: DB incline undergrip rows 10
I/S/C: DB shrug retractions 10
I: Seated lat pull-ins 20 10
S/C: Undergrip pulldowns 10
I: One-arm cable laterals 20 10
S: One-arm behind-back laterals 10
C: One-arm cable high-pulls 10
I: Low-incline cable pushouts 20 10
S: DB overhead extensions 10
C: Pushdowns 10
I: Separate-handle cable curls 20 10
S: Separate-rope arms-behind-
torso hammer curls 10
C: Concentration curls 10
*Push all sets until another is impossible in good form.

54
Thursday: POF Lower-Body (all sets to failure*)
Regular Speed
I/S: Sissy squats 20 10
C: Cable squats (top flex)
and/or leg extensions 10
I: One-leg leg curls 20 10
S: DB semi-stiff-legged
deadlifts 15
I: One-leg calf raises 20 12
S: One-leg donkey calf raises 12
C: Two-leg forward-lean
calf raises 12
I: Cable pull-throughs 15
S: DB squats 15
I/S: Incline erector curls 20
C: Wall erector curls 12
I/S: Incline crunches 20, 12
C: Incline hip rolls
and/or flat-bench crunches 12
*Push all sets until another is impossible in good form.

55
Saturday: POF Upper-Body (all sets subfailure*)
Regular Speed
I: Cable chest presses 20 10
S: DB flyes 10
C: Cable flyes 10
I: Scapulae retractions 20 10
S/C: DB incline undergrip rows 10
I/S/C: DB shrug retractions 10
I: Seated lat pull-ins 20 10
S/C: Undergrip pulldowns 10
I: One-arm cable laterals 20 10
S: One-arm behind-back laterals 10
C: One-arm cable high-pulls 10
I: Low-incline cable pushouts 20 10
S: DB overhead extensions 10
C: Pushdowns 10
I: Separate-handle cable curls 20 10
S: Separate-rope arms-behind-
torso hammer curls 10
C: Concentration curls 10
*Stop all sets two to three reps short of failure.

56
CHEST
I: Cable chest press +

S: Flyes + C: Cable flyes
TRAPEZIUS
I: Scapulae retractions +
S: Undergrip rows +
I/S/C: Cable shrug retractions
LATS
I: Cable pull-ins + S/C: Undergrip pulldowns
57
DELTS
I: One-arm cable laterals + S: Behind-back laterals

+ C: Cable high pulls
TRICEPS
I: Incline cable extensions + S: Overhead extensions + C: Cross-cable pushdowns

BICEPS
I: Separate-handle cable curls +

S: Arms behind-torso rope hammer curls +
C: Concentration curls
58
QUADS
I/S: Sissy squats +

C: Cable squats (flex at top)
and/or leg extensions
HAMSTRINGS
I: One-leg leg curls +

S: Semi-stiff-legged deadlifts
CALVES
I: One-leg calf raises +

S: One-leg donkey calf raises +
C: Forward-lean calf raises
59
GLUTES
I: Pull-throughs + S: Dumbbell squats

ERECTOR SPINEA
I/S: Incline
erector curls
+ C: Wall
erector curls
ABS
I/S: Incline crunches +

C: Incline hip rolls and/or
C: Flat-bench crunches
60
POF Workout Tips and Tweaks
1) Extra volume. You may have a lagging muscle group that
needs extra work. You can add a set to any of the exercises. Just be
cautious. Overtraining is always looming, especially as you age. Full
recovery good, excess damage bad.
2) Progression. If you get two more reps than the listed number,
slightly increase the poundage for that exercise at your next
workout.
3) Rep ranges. 20 reps on the first ideal-exercise set, as STX

protocol calls for, is not mandatory. It's acceptable to go as low as
15. You want to keep that first-set rep number high, as it provides
slow-twitch exhaustion as well as a target-muscle warm-up. A
"warm" blood-infused muscle contracts better than a cold one, so
strive to get close to 20. When you get there, or close, add weight
at your next workout.
4) Exercise swaps. You may want to rotate in different

exercises that are similar and have the same classification—ideal,
stretch or contracted. For example, you could do dumbbell decline
presses instead of cable chest presses for a few weeks, then return
to the cables. Other possibilities include one-arm incline dumbbell
laterals instead of one-arm cable laterals, decline dumbbell
extensions instead of low-incline cable extensions, seated dumbbell
curls instead of cable curls. See the bodypart chapters for possible
alternatives. The New Positions-of-Flexion Exercise Matrix on the
next two pages can simplify the process for you.
61
The New Positions-of-Flexion Exercise Matrix
Legs, Erectors, Abs
Quads
Ideal/Stretch: Sissy squats
Ideal/Semi-stretch: Cable squats, feet-forward hack squats
Contracted: Leg extensions, cable squats with top flex
Hamstrings
Ideal: One-leg cable leg curls, high-bench one-leg leg curls
Stretch/Contracted: Seated leg curls
Stretch: Semi-stiff-legged deadlifts
Contracted: Lying leg curls
Glutes
Ideal: Cable pull-throughs, step-back lunges
Stretch: DB squats, leg presses, semi-stiff-legged deadlifts
Stretch/Contracted: Machine hip extensions
Contracted: Hip thrusts
Calves
Ideal: One-leg calf raises
Stretch: One-leg leg press calf raises,
one-leg donkey calf raises
Contracted: Forward-lean standing calf raises
Spinal erectors
Ideal/Stretch: Incline erector curls
Contracted: Wall erector curls (butt against wall)
Abs
Ideal/Stretch: Incline crunches (head at high end of bench)
Contracted: Lying hip roll-ups, flat-bench crunches
62
The New Positions-of-Flexion Exercise Matrix
Chest, Back, Delts, Arms
Chest
Ideal: Cable chest presses, decline DB presses
Stretch: Flyes
Contracted/Semi-stretch: Machine flyes, cable crossovers
Midback
Ideal: Scapulae retractions
Stretch: One-arm DB rows, close-grip cable rows
Contracted: Incline DB rows
Upper traps
Ideal/Stretch/Contracted: DB or cable retraction shrugs
Lats
Ideal: Cable lat pull-ins
Stretch: Two-DB pullovers, machine pullovers
Contracted/Stretch: Undergrip pulldowns
Contracted: Stiff-arm pull-ins, pulldowns, chin-ups,
incline DB undergrip rows
Delts
Ideal: One-arm cable laterals (pulley at hip height),
one-arm low-incline laterals
Stretch: Cable behind-the-back laterals
Contracted: One-arm cable front high pulls,
lateral raises, DB or cable upright rows
Biceps
Ideal: Separate-handle cable curls, DB curls
Stretch: Incline curls, behind-torso cable hammer curls
Contracted: Concentration curls
Triceps
Ideal: Low-incline cable pushouts, low-incline DB extensions
Stretch: DB or cable overhead63 extensions
Contracted: Pushdowns away from
Ultimate-Mass pulley,
Exercise kickbacks
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The Ultimate-Mass Exercise Guide was written to help you achieve

a muscular physique with sensible bodybuilding strategies. Weight

Studio and cover photography by Michael Neveux

Other photography by Steve Holman, Becky Holman,

Start/finish exercise photos by Becky Holman

Writing consultant: Bill McKnight

Cover design and layout: Ben Mall

Copyright © 2024 by Homebody Productions, Inc.

The material in this document may not be reproduced in whole or

Homebody Productions, Inc.

Chapter 1—Ideal Quad Training............................7

Chapter 2—Ideal Hamstring Training.................12

Chapter 3—Ideal Glute Training..........................16

Chapter 4—Ideal Calf Training............................20

Chapter 5—Ideal Chest Training.........................22

Chapter 6—Ideal Shoulder Training...................26

Chapter 7—Ideal Back Training..........................31

Chapter 8—Ideal Triceps Training......................38

Chapter 9—Ideal Biceps Training.......................41

Chapter 10—Ideal Abdominal Training..............46

Chapter 11—The New Positions-of-Flexion

Appendix—The New Positions-of-Flexion

Late biomechanics expert

the correct line of force and

Does that mean one ideal

So achieving size increases in different areas of the muscle as well

At most workouts you should start each target-muscle routine with

2) Full range of motion: Move from near stretch to full contraction

3) Optimal resistance curve: Early-phase loading near target

4) Proper direction of resistance: Pull of resistance should be

5) Minimal non-target muscle activation: Minimize the

Note: In the coming chapters you will see mentions of “X-Reps.”

2) Non-target-muscle activation is detrimental. Even with a near-

3) With barbell squats you miss 20 percent of the quadriceps

4) Excessive potential for injury. With back squats, you have

Also, the resistance curve is perfect: hardest at stretch, easier

Another positive with sissy squats is that it takes very little

A close second to sissy squats is the cable squat with the

While the sissy squat, pictured on the previous page,

Leg extensions (contracted).

Before his death in 2022, Brignole perfected another ideal

If you’re interested in learning more and seeing the evolution

According to Brignole and some recent

resistance at contraction. And you must

One-leg cable leg curls performed

ideal hamstring move, include semi-

Ideal Hamstring Exercises

1) Cable standing one-leg leg curls (semi-contracted).

Photos courtesy of Doug Brignole

Possible Add-On Hamstring Exercises

In OMYM the go-to

If you have a cable

As with most unique exercises, floor rolls provide variation

The glute bridge or hip thrust (right)

As for the barbell squat, the strength

While Brignole IDs

A better go-to glute move is one with cables: pull-throughs.

You can use step-

Possible Add-On Glute Exercises

Dumbbell squats (stretch). This provides