Falsehoods of Fitness: A wide grip X3 would be better (Episode 8)

This isn’t really a general fitness myth, but it’s been a fairly popular request for X3.

Full Transcript #

Welcome to “Falsehoods of Fitness”.

So I just concluded a meeting with a number of professors from the University of Athens. And what we were talking about, well we talked about many different things. But we’re talking about differences in force curves, differences in joint capabilities, and where power is capable of being delivered by the human body.

What about a wide grip bench press? #

So one of the subjects I keep seeing discussed online in regards to X3 is I wish I could do a wide grip bench press. So, the problem with a wide grip bench press – it’s great for competition because you can handle more weight. But you can handle more weight because it’s easier because you’re really bypassing the weak range.

In fact, a wide grip bench press is in a way a tremendous acknowledgement of variable resistance. So when you’re down, when you have a narrow grip and your arms are close together, this is a pretty tight angle right here. So you have a position of sort of awkwardness with a regular weighted weightlifting bar, whereas when you grab out here look, this is what the top looks like, this is what the bottom looks like. So you’re not stretching the pectoral as much. You’re not stretching the tricep as much. So you’re getting less range of motion.

And also notice where the top is. When you do a wide grip bench press, you may be very impressed by the fact that you can handle a higher level of force. But don’t confuse that for stimulating growth ‘cause where is the pectoral most efficient at its shortest position.—is it here? Is the pectoral shortest here or here? Well clearly it’s the narrow grip. So the wide grip is just a way of bench pressing that enables you to use more weight, but it doesn’t train the chest, it’s worse at training the chest.

Since X3 is a device that is designed to trigger the most muscular growth keep in mind, you’re using X3 to get as strong as possible, not so you can talk about how much you bench press. Like that has nothing to do with why X3 was developed. So and ultimately, if you get stronger, you will be able to bench press more. But that’s what you should be going for. You should be going for the greatest stimulus.

The X3 bar length #

The fact is that the X3 resistance band bar is slightly less than 20 inches. That is to keep people from using it in a way where they’re denying themselves the potential to really grow. So we’re not gonna make a longer exercise bar, and there’s a good reason for it. It’s so you grow more muscle.

Here’s another thing. Positions of inefficiency: yes, your elbow is very bent here at the back when you have a narrow grip, and it’s a lot more range of motion for the tricep, a lot more range of motion for the pectoral. It’s harder to do that, but remember: we’re using variable resistance. So this is part of the reason why 15 repetitions is the minimum. We wanna make sure we’re getting at least 15 repetitions.

The curve of human capability vs. the linear latex line #

I know I’ve shown this curve before. The curve is human capability in what you can do in. let’s say, a bench press. Now the curve’s very different for like a row but for almost every other exercise, it’s very similar to this, but the latex is linear.

So what it’s doing is it’s providing this right here. So now the curve is based on sort of like a one rep maximum sort of thing like, what are you really capable of? Start with something lower than what you’re capable of. In the middle, it’s more of a relevant weight. And then you’re going like higher than you ever would but keep in mind, if you were to do regular exercise, regular chest press or something, it would look, draw a line here.

It would be the straight line. So you’re getting far higher forces and this difference in between here. This area is the excess load you’re getting with X3, which is stimulating more growth, especially in the stronger range of motion where you’re firing more tissue, which is why you’re able to deliver those forces. So this is why the product is designed the way it’s designed.

If you can’t get to 15 repetitions, and it’s like hurting your elbow, somebody mentioned that the other day they’re hurting their elbow. And especially if you’re like a tall guy, like guess what Tony Robbins, he’s probably not gonna use the elite band for a long time, he’s six foot eight. So it’s a lot harder for him to to use the elite band, so he’s gonna use lighter bands than maybe somebody who’s shorter, you know Brandon and Mikhael, they’re shorter than Tony Robbins.

So they’re able to use the elite band for a lot of different things, but there’s nothing wrong with that. Remember, X3 is not a test of how strong you are, it’s a device to get you as strong as possible. So doesn’t matter what band you’re using. It just matters that you’re using it in a way where it’s relevant.

So you wanna get 15 repetitions minimum and you wanna fatigue in diminishing range, so that all of this capability is leveraged, as opposed to what we see with the straight line.

I hope that answers some questions and thanks I’ll see in the next “Falsehoods of Fitness”.