Total Body Workout: How to Get Bigger

The Fast Way to Big Muscle

Make big gains with this scientific plan that targets your largest muscle fibers
By Chad Waterbury menshealth

The Mind-Muscle Connection

Building brawn starts in your head. That's because your brain is the command center for every movement your body makes. How, exactly, does your mind control your muscles? It's complicated. But we've broken the process down into four steps, using your biceps as an example.

Step 1 When you're ready to lift a weight, your brain identifies which and how many muscle fibers are needed. It then sends an electrical impulse down your spinal cord through a bundle of neurons, or nerve cells. (Find out how much weight you should be lift with these 10 standards to determine your fitness level.)

Step 2 This impulse exits your spinal cord at your lower neck, through a group of nerves known as the brachial plexus. (Search: What does the brachial plexus do?)

Step 3 To reach your biceps, the impulse then branches off to the musculocutaneous nerve. (If your spinal cord is a highway, think of this nerve as a side road.)

Step 4 When the impulse reaches the nerve ending, a neurotransmitter—in this case, acetylcholine—is released. This sets off a chain of biochemical reactions that cause your muscle fibers to contract.

Related: Learn how to care for every muscle in your body by snagging a copy of the only exercise book you'll ever need!

Your 4-Week Muscle Plan: Blast Every Single Muscle Fiber in 30 Minutes!
Thieves used to target banks because, they reasoned, that's where the money was. (This was before they discovered subprime mortgages.) In the gym, you want to target your biggest muscle fibers because those are the ones with the most growth potential. Work them and you make all your muscles bigger, stronger, faster, and more explosive. This high-growth, no-risk program gives you three ways to hit those high-powered fibers. In 4 weeks, you can have a body that's right on the money. (For the science behind this workout plan, read Hotwire Your Muscles.)

Directions
Do this workout twice a week with at least 2 days between workouts (Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday). Perform the exercises in the order shown, and do all sets of each exercise before moving on to the next.

Exercises 1, 4, and 7 are static. Hold one position, even though your arms or legs might be shaking.

Exercises 2, 5, and 8 are ballistic. Do every repetition as explosively as you can with good form.

Exercises 3, 6, and 9 are traditional strength training. Use the heaviest weight you can handle for 3 reps.

Video: The best moves to rip your core


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