There are a lot of bros out there who like to train for size, and for good reason. There’s something admirable about getting jacked. It requires a lot of time and discipline. Not to mention, the desire to look great is a noble cause.
As such, there are a number of tricks and tips that bros are willing to try in the gym. A lot of them are awesome, but there’s one that very few people try, which is a damn shame, because it might be the most effective muscle building program out there.
I give you 21’s.
Let’s get something out of the way from the get go, if you haven’t done 21’s to build size, you truly haven’t trained for size yet.
There are a number of tricks in the book when it comes to building more size. And a lot of them are things I’ve covered here in the past. But one of the most brutally effective size building tools that exists is a tool known as 21’s.
What are 21’s?
It’s 7 reps in different rep ranges on one exercise, performed back to back. One of the most brutally effective exercises you can choose for this is the front squat. Just be prepared for your quads to blow up, and for your upper back to be unreasonably sore from supporting the weight for so long.
Here’s how you do it:
- 7 reps from the bottom to about halfway up
- 7 reps from the top to about halfway down
- 7 full reps
Somewhat similar to a barbell complex you do all of this without racking the bar. And that’s where the magic happens. Because you’re working the muscle through various ranges of motion, without giving it a break, the fatigue and metabolite build up within the muscle cell is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.
As such, the growth you experience is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced either.
The beautiful thing about 21s is because the weight is bound to be pretty light, you can do it on almost any and every exercise out there. Especially if you’ve got a lagging body part that needs to be brought up.
A few great examples include:
- Bicep curls
- Romanian deadlifts
- Front squat
- Overhead press
- Cable rows
- Tricep pushdowns
- Calf raises
How to implement 21’s.
The easiest way to start working these into your program is by throwing them in at the very end of your day. So if you’re working chest and back, pick an exercise and do a couple of sets of 21s. That way you’ve ensured you got plenty of quality work in, and you’re finishing off the muscle with a brutal trick like 21s.
Give it a try, bros. I think you’re going to enjoy it.