Hopefully this is useful for someone considering buying this book - I am a 46 year old male who has been lifting on and off most of my life but seriously over the past 5 years. As an experienced lifter I often find myself reading the marketing and/or reviews of sports supplements and thinking "How can people be so foolish as to think this actually works.." But after reading through Max Muscle I came to the realization that I've been applying that same faulty logic to my own training methods despite the fact that I thought I was following a relatively sound plan.
Brad's book is a wonderful cohesion of scientific theory and real-world methods presented in a well written and easy to read style. Seriously, I am amazed at how well this flows and how clearly the major concepts are first presented and then repeatedly supported throughout the text. And while Brad weighs in on a variety of popular/fad topics such as super-slow training and unstable surfaces, the real meat and potatoes of Max Muscle is a foundation of planned periodization. Basically you start with a foundation of experience-proven, reputable science (translation: no broscience) and then develop a program to maximize results by manipulating training variables such as exercises, frequency, intensity, rest, etc. as applied through a method of phases and micro-cycles. There are sections covering the science of muscle development, exercises to actualize this science and nutrition to support the growth. Information is clear and concise and photographs accompany each of the exercises which is great for the beginner. Brad adds his own training insights to each exercise which is great for both the beginner and experienced trainee. In the end you have in your hands a proven blueprint for muscle growth that is (at least for me) so simple in its application that you tend to lose sight of the fact that the science behind it isn't that simple at all and this is the result of 20+ years of both ivory tower science and heavy iron application.
I personally have just completed the strength phase of the program and I have to say that it took a serious suspension of disbelief to go from the standard bb isolation protocol 6 days a week to a total body workout 3 days a week. (I'm not joking - I actually had to lie and tell people I took a second job which prevented me from lifting every day in order to explain the change to my regular lifting buddies - the cultural change wasn't a trivial matter.) But the results have been most gratifying to the point where people are asking what I'm taking. And the real silver lining is that I've actually done away with almost all supplements with this program and the progression has been gratifying, not to mention the monthly savings. Maybe that should be one of Brad's taglines - Science Not Supplements.
In conclusion, I found Max Muscle to be perhaps the best $15.00 I've ever spent. It has allowed me to break through a 1 year plateau that I wasn't even fully aware existed. I am currently in the metabolic phase and looking forward to the muscle phase. I highly urge both novice and advanced lifters to give this consideration as it will change the way you think about your own approach to lifting and if you actually give it a try, I doubt you will be going back to your old ways.
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From the Publisher
T-bar row targets the back muscles.
6 months to total-body transformation
Blast through training plateaus, add lean muscle, and achieve your best body ever with The M.A.X. Muscle Plan.
Developed by renowned strength and fitness expert and bestselling author Brad Schoenfeld, Mitogen Activated Xtreme training is a six-month periodized program that manipulates exercise variables to generate clear and steady muscle growth.
(PLEASE NOTE: This book is not affiliated with Joe Wells Enterprises or MAX Muscle Sports Nutrition. For details of official MAX Muscle Sports Nutrition products visit www.maxmuscle.com.)
- M.A.X. is an acronym for Mitogen Activated Xtreme training, a scientifically proven program to help you maximize your muscle potential and transform your physique.
- No gimmicks, no expensive supplements, just results.
- With step-by-step instructions for 108 of the most effective exercises, The M.A.X. Muscle Plan is your complete guide to total-body transformation. The results will speak for themselves.
- Brad Schoenfeld breaks down the science behind training and periodization and explains how to properly implement these components. He dissects complex research and provides recommendations.
Three primary mechanisms involved in exercise-related muscle growth
1. Muscle tension
2. Metabolic stress
3. Muscle damage
(Adapted from pages 3-4 in the book)
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Customer reviews
This is the only bodybuilding book you’ll ever need. It has educational pictures of people doing tons of different exercises, it teaches you how to eat, and how to progress to the physique of your dreams. Both men and women will get beach body hot with this.
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 24, 2012
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 27, 2019
He is the leading expert in the science of muscle hypertrophy and has beautifully condensed all the current research on muscle h
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SwiftFit
Not for learning, it's a workout plan
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on March 10, 2017Dan C
Easy to follow, gives great results
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on September 5, 2018
