FST 7

FST-7 - The Key to Muscle Growth: Part 1
Written by TheProCreator
Tuesday, 29 July 2008 19:19 - Last Updated Wednesday, 17 September 2008 13:41
What is FST-7?
FST-7 is a training system I devised after years of research and a great deal of trial and error
with many clients. FST stands for Fascia Stretch Training, and the seven refers to the seven
sets performed for the final exercise of a target bodypart. I have had many clients use this
system for overall growth and especially to improve stubborn bodyparts that were seemingly
resistant to just about anything else the person had tried. FST-7 encompasses several factors
both inside and outside the gym. This month we will focus on the training aspects.
Is fascia limiting your muscle growth?
There are three types of fascia in the human body, but the type bodybuilders should be
concerned about is deep fascia. This is dense fibrous connective tissue that interpenetrates
and surrounds the muscles, bones, nerves, and blood vessels of the body. The high density of
collagen fibers is what gives the deep fascia its strength and integrity. The amount of elastin
fibers determines how much extensibility and resiliency it will have. In other words, some of us
have fascia that is thicker and tougher than others. The most genetically blessed bodybuilders
have thinner fascia, which is why their muscle bellies appear to be larger and fuller, with that
round ‘bubbly' look that all bodybuilders covet. Ronnie Coleman and Phil Heath would be two
prime examples of individuals blessed with thin fascia. Their muscles expand easier. Think of it
in terms of it being easier to blow up a balloon as opposed to one of those water bottles that
strongmen like Franco Columbu used to. Jay Cutler and Nasser El-Sonbatty are two men that
clearly have thicker fascia. This didn't prevent them from building substantial muscle mass,
obviously, but neither man ever had that round ‘Marvel Comics' appearance to their muscles.
Yet the average bodybuilder has thicker fascia than either of those two champions. In an effort
to expand their fascia and allow growth to occur, some have turned to Synthol and other items
that are injected deep into the muscle belly. There have even been some advisors, mainly
online, that make it seem as if this is the only solution and must be done. They will also try and
insist that all the pro's use Synthol and site inject, which I can assure you is not true. Synthol
and related products are foreign substances, and you can never be certain how they will
metabolize in the body. We are starting to see various health issues with bodybuilders that are
more than likely related to site injecting. Yes, you do need to stretch the muscle fascia to
experience optimal growth, but that is not the way to do it.
1 / 10
All stretching is not the same
I am not the first person to recognize the importance of stretching the muscle fascia. First John
Parrillo, then more recently Dante Trudel of DC Training fame, incorporate aggressive
stretching during workouts as part of their training programs. They had the right idea, but
stretching the fascia by elongating the muscle is not the best method. FST-7 is based on
stretching the muscle from the inside out by volumizing it. This is accomplished by getting the
greatest pump possible while training.
Do I still train heavy, or can I just pump up with light weights?
One thing I don't want anyone misconstruing is that FST-7 is all about pumping. That's just one
component. I also believe that a bigger muscle is a stronger muscle, and you absolutely must
train with heavier weights in the 8-12 rep range. I have tried many variations of heavier and
lighter training with clients over the years, and discovered that both types are needed. Heavy
weights will build thickness and density, but they will not give you that round, full look. Similarly,
getting incredible pumps all the time can impart some of that roundness, but you won't ever get
extreme muscle size without training with heavy straight sets. So you need to focus equally on
maximizing both your strength and your pump in the same workouts to see optimal results.
Here's an example of a biceps workout, FST-7 style, that shows you how to incorporate both:
Alternate dumbbell curls 3-4 x 8-12
Machine preacher curl 3 x 8-12
2 / 10
EZ-bar curl 7 x 8-12 (rest 30-45 seconds between sets while sipping water - more on this next
month)
I don't typically like to use very high reps, because too often you will experience general fatigue
and get short of breath before you have built the maximum pump in the muscle. I also don't like
the weight to be too heavy and limit the reps any lower than eight, because this is when you see
form breaking down and ancillary muscles kicking in and robbing the target muscle of the proper
stimulation. You can think of the ‘7' set as blowing up a balloon. We keep the rest periods fairly
short, because as you pump up the muscle, a little blood escapes in that time. You can think of
it as blowing up a balloon with a slight leak in it - even though the balloon is being inflated, some
air is escaping. The key is to build on the pump sets by set, exponentially, so that it reaches its
maximum state by the final set. If the rest periods were too short, you wouldn't have enough
energy to do justice to the seven sets. Another question I often get is, should the weight be
constant as the seven sets go on? It can be, but it's perfectly fine to reduce the weight one or
two times as needed to stay in the proper rep range. There may also be times when you need
to increase the weight, but this happens less often.
How often can I train bodyparts this way?
Generally speaking, this type of training is too traumatic on the larger muscle groups to use
more than once a week. Due to the sheer volume of muscle cells, soreness tends to linger too
long to allow for more frequent workouts. For instance, Phil Heath recently completed a back
workout and was sore for four days. Since he is supposed to be training back and chest twice a
week in preparation for the Arnold Classic, this threw him off his schedule somewhat. The
higher than normal amount of microscopic tears in the muscle caused by FST-7 training
necessitates a bit more recovery time than standard training protocols. However, smaller
bodyparts like arms and calves certainly can and should be trained twice a week. This gives you
twice as many opportunities to stretch the fascia in what are often exceedingly stubborn
3 / 10
bodyparts. Here's a sample split that displays how you could arrange this:
Day one: Biceps and triceps, calves
Day two: Legs
Day three: OFF
Day four: Chest and triceps
Day five: Back and calves
Day six: Shoulders and biceps
Day seven: OFF
This is a split geared toward someone with the goal of improving stubborn arms. There are
many other variations depending on what the individual's goals might be.
4 / 10
Which exercises are best suited to the ‘7' sets?
Certain exercises are more appropriate than others for the ‘7' sets. The big compound free
weight movements like squats and deadlifts usually are poor choices, for two reasons. For one
thing, they involve several other muscle groups and don't do a good job of isolating a target
muscle. Also, they require technique and balancing, which tends to break down if one attempts
to perform multiple sets in such a short time span. Machines are a good choice in many
instances because they keep you in a fixed plane of movement and thus make it easier to
isolate a given muscle. Those with selectorized stacks also make it very fast and convenient to
increase or decrease the resistance as needed. Here are some suggested movements that I
have found work very well:
Back width: Machine pullovers (Hammer Strength, Nautilus) or cable pullovers
Back thickness: Seated row machines with chest support
Chest: Pec deck or peck flye machine*, cable crossovers
*I find that the pec decks with the pads for the elbows usually work very well for shorter trainers,
5 / 10
while the pec flye machines with handles seem to be better for tall guys. Try both - you will
know by the pump and range of motion you achieve which one is a better choice for you.
Shoulders: Machine lateral raises with pads - my favorite is made by Bodymasters. Hammer
Strength, LifeFitness, and Cybex also produce similar models.
Quads: Leg extensions, leg presses
Hamstrings: Seated or lying leg curls
Biceps: EZ-bar curls, machine curls, cable ‘front double biceps curls'
Triceps: Cable pushdowns using rope attachment
6 / 10
Overhead cable extensions
Skull crushers (for advanced trainers)
Calves: Standing and seated raises, calf raises using leg press
(alternate between these three)
When should I do my ‘7'?
The best time to do your ‘7' is as the final exercise for a muscle group. You don't want to do it
first, as this would take away from your performance on the heavy straight sets that are also a
critical factor in building muscle mass. Finishing off a bodypart with a great pump is something
many top bodybuilders have been doing instinctively for years, not knowing that they were
expanding their fascia and maximizing growth. It may be tempting to do your pumping sets
earlier on if you can't seem to get any kind of pump going, but I would urge you instead to do
something like a set or two of 21's to get the blood flowing and then proceed with your heavy
sets before capping it all off with your ‘7' set for that bodypart. Remember, ‘7's' are done at the
conclusion of each bodypart, so if you are working multiple bodyparts in a given workout, you
will be doing two or more of these extended pumping sets.
7 / 10
Next month
Now you know what you need to do in the gym, but there is more to FST-7. Next month we will
look at how your nutrition should be set up to optimize your workouts and recovery as well as
facilitate a better pump. I will also give you some real-life examples of clients that have used
these methods to improve bodyparts that had been otherwise unresponsive for some time.
Got a question for Hany you would like to see answered here? E-mail him at HanyRambod@a
ol.com . Due to
the high volume of e-mail he receives and limited editorial space, only selected questions will be
answered and used.
Sample FST-7 bodypart routines*
Triceps
Close-grip bench press 3-4 x 8-12
Weighted or machine dip 3 x 8-12
Overhead cable extension 7 x 8-12
8 / 10
(beginner and intermediate)
Skull crushers 7 x 8-12
(advanced)
Chest
Incline dumbbell press 3-4 x 8-12
Incline dumbbell flye 3 x 8-12
Flat Hammer or dumbbell press 3 x 8-12
Pec deck or cable crossover 7 x 8-12
Quads
Leg extensions 3-4 x 8-15
Squats 4 x 8-12
Hack squat or leg press 3 x 8-15
Leg extension or leg press 7 x 8-15
9 / 10
Shoulders
Seated dumbbell press 4 x 8-12
Barbell or dumbbell front raise 3 x 8-12
Dumbbell lateral raise 3 x 8-12
Lateral raise machine 7 x 8-12
*Next month we will feature sample workouts for back, hamstrings, traps, rear delts, and calves
10 / 10
Last month we outlined the training aspects of my FST-7 (Fascia Stretch Training 7) system.
The discussion included the need for both strength gains and a fascia-stretching maximum
pump to induce optimal gains, and how to incorporate the ‘seven' sets into your workouts for
best results. Ideal exercises for ‘sevens' were listed for each bodypart, and instructions were
given as to how to perform the series of pumping sets properly. Finally, several suggested
bodypart routines incorporating both standard sets and sevens were given. This month, we
wrap up the two-part series by explaining how to structure your nutritional intake around your
workouts to ensure that your muscles will have all the necessary nutrients to fuel a superior
pump, thus stretching out your fascia tissue and permitting growth to occur. Bodypart routines
for the rest of your muscle groups will also be provided so that you can get started immediately
on your own FST-7 growth experience.
Pre-workout nutrition: Priming the pump
Hopefully most of you grasp the importance of solid pre-workout nutrition. This provides the
body with all the raw materials it will need to fuel an intense and productive weight training
session. I like to see my clients get in a minimum of two solid-food meals containing both lean
proteins and complex carbohydrates prior to training. The protein source can be chicken or
turkey breast, white fish, or even leaner cuts of red meat such as filet or top sirloin if one is
training later in the day. Good carbohydrate sources would be oatmeal, sweet potatoes, or
brown rice. These are all slow-burning carbs that will deliver time-released energy, as opposed
to fruits and other simple sugars that digest too quickly and can leave you with an insulin crash
while training. Equally important to the food intake is adequate hydration. This is particularly
applicable to anyone using thermogenic products. Most of these have a diuretic effect, which
means you need to take care to drink a bit more water to compensate for the fluid loss. Notice
that I said water and not diet soda. Carbonated drinks tend to be too filling and hence you don't
drink enough. A common question I get is, how soon before the workout should my last meal
be? Generally speaking, you want your last meal to end about one hour before your workout
begins. The exception would be legs. Since heavy leg training is so metabolically demanding,
the last meal should be a bit earlier - say ninety minutes. These are just guidelines. If you are
the type of person that is starving an hour and a half after a clean meal, you probably don't ever
want to let more than an hour go by from the end of the pre-workout meal to the workout. If you
seem to digest your food more slowly and get nauseous when you eat too close to the workout,
adjust your meal timing accordingly. Staying away from high-fat foods or sugary items should
help stave off feelings of nausea while training.
1/9
During the workout
While training, most people will only need plenty of water - roughly a liter. This also depends on
your size, how much you tend to sweat while training, and the season. Obviously you need
more water in the summer, particularly if you train at a place like MetroFlex Gym that doesn't
believe in air conditioning, or if you work outdoors. You can sip a carb drink or a thermogenic
drink if you tend to ‘run out of gas' while training, but neither takes the place of water. If you
choose to have one of these beverages during your workout, you should also have a water
bottle and alternate between the two to ensure proper hydration. I can't emphasize this strongly
enough - there is simply no way you can achieve a great pump if you aren't drinking enough
water before and during the workout. As you know, the human body and especially our blood
supply is comprised of over seventy percent water, so you need to have a steady supply to stay
hydrated.
Post-workout nutrition
Within 15-20 minutes of the end of your workout if not immediately, it's important to drink a
shake to start the re-compensation and recovery process that ultimately leads to muscle growth.
There are several different recovery powders I am currently testing with my clients, and I will
have the results soon. But in the meantime, you can't go wrong with a highly bio-available
protein source such as whey protein isolate along with a rapidly-assimilated carbohydrate
source like dextrose, waxy maize, or maltodextrin. If you are a hardgainer ectomorph type, don't
be afraid to mix two or more carb sources together. You can even add in something like fruit
juice for flavor and additional simple carbs. If you are trying to lean out or you are simply a
person that gains fat very easily, you will want to take it easy on the amount of carbs in this
shake. You still want to always include at least some carbs in this shake, except in the case of
the final stages of a pre-contest diet for those that are striving to lose the last vestiges of
bodyfat.
2/9
Roughly an hour or two later, you want to have another solid-food meal that should be similar in
composition to the pre-workout meal. For the purpose of better absorption, you want to keep the
fat content low, particularly saturated fats. The timing of this meal will depend on the size of
your shake as well as your appetite. Obviously you can't eat until you are hungry again. If you
are drinking a large shake that is very filling for you, it might take two hours for your appetite to
return substantially enough to allow you to eat a solid meal. Conversely, a lighter shake should
digest faster and you should theoretically be ready to eat just an hour later. Also note that there
tends to be more bloating and gas associated with lower-quality grades of protein powder. They
tend to taste good, but contain large amounts of lactose. Do yourself and your loved ones a
favor and spring for the good stuff.
A note on sodium
Many bodybuilders have it in their heads that sodium is bad for them and should be avoided.
They intentionally remain on very low-sodium diets year-round when the fact of the matter is,
you only need to be concerned about sodium intake in the final few days before a contest when
you are attempting to shed subcutaneous water. Without proper amounts of dietary sodium, you
simply won't be able to get a pump. Some of you may have experienced this when competing. If
you are trying to pump up and haven't had more than trace amounts of sodium for a couple
days, your muscles will be totally flat and unresponsive, even if you are eating carbs and
drinking some water. Then, if you go out and have a burger and fries after the judging, your
muscles seem to magically inflate, and you are able to generate an excellent pump for the night
show! Sodium helps transport carbs into the muscles, so by all means don't be afraid to put a bit
of salt on your food. I actually encourage my clients to get their sodium from condiments like
ketchup, mustard, and barbecue sauce in the off-season. It should be noted that for any of you
with medical conditions such as hypertension or diabetes that require you to adhere to strict
low-sodium diets, always observe the guidelines set forth by your physician or your dietician.
3/9
Additional research
If it seems odd that this discussion of nutrition as it applies to the FST-7 training system isn't
discussing supplements, that's because I am currently in the process of experimenting with
various types of products to see which ones enhance the pump, reduce soreness, speed up
recovery, and other effects that would be beneficial. One of the major side effects of this type of
training is extreme muscle soreness, so this in particular needs to be addressed. All I can say at
this point is that even though all the results aren't in and there is still more research to be done;
we have already witnessed some intriguing and exciting effects. Stay tuned here in the coming
months for my findings in this area.
Success stories - in progress!
Although I have been developing the FST-7 system for several years and have been
recommending it to my clients, only recently have I insisted that they consistently incorporate it
into their own training. In the near future, I will have some impressive success stories to report.
In the meantime, you will be seeing some of the results of FST-7 on the pro stages this year.
Phil Heath has used it to improve his shoulder and back width, his chest, and even his legs.
Larger bodyparts like back and legs typically need more time to show changes, of course.
Charles Ray Arde has used FST-7 over this past off-season to bring up his chest, delts, and
back for his rookie pro season this spring. And Bill Wilmore has just started using FST-7 for his
arms, and will soon be showing the results of his hard work. I also encourage those of you that
experience success with FST-7 to send me before and after photos and tell me how you used it
to improve stubborn bodyparts.
Figure workshop
4/9
Finally, I want to let you all know about a Figure workshop being held the first weekend of April
in Southern California. I am teaming up with trainer Kim Oddo, whose star clients have included
Monica Brant, Gina Aliotti, and Sonia Adcock. Regular readers of MD will know that I have
worked extensively with two-time Figure Olympia Champion Jenny Lynn, and have worked with
many other Figure competitors in recent years. This comprehensive one-day workshop will
cover various aspects of training, nutrition, and supplementation for the Figure competitor.
Plans are already in the works for a follow-up workshop for those of you who need more notice.
Please email me for more information.
Date: Saturday, June 7
Location: Body by O Fitness Facility
Temecula, CA
Got a question for Hany you would like to see answered here? E-mail him at HanyRambod@a
ol.com . Due to
the high volume of e-mail he receives and limited editorial space, only selected questions will be
answered and used.
FST-7 Bodypart routines
5/9
Back - width emphasis
Warm-up:
Neutral-grip chin-ups 3 x failure
Wide-grip pulldowns 3 x 8-12
Barbell row 3 x 8-12
Hammer Strength row 3 x 8-12
Machine or cable pullover 7 x 8-15
Back - thickness emphasis
Warm-up:
Reverse-grip pulldowns 3 x 12-15
Low cable row or 1-arm dumbbell row 3 x 8-12
6/9
T-bar row 3 x 8-12
Deadlift 4 x 8-12
Note: For either back workout, those needing to specialize on lower back development should add 3-4 s
Traps
Dumbbell shrugs* 3-4 x 8-12
Machine shrugs 7 x 8-12
*Proper form consists of leaning head and torso slightly forward and shrugging up to an imaginary point
Rear Delts
Dumbbell rear lateral raise 3-4 x 12-15
Reverse pec flye or cable 7 x 12-15
Rear laterals
7/9
Hamstrings
Lying leg curls 3-4 x 10-15
Stiff-leg deadlift 3-4 x 10-12
Single leg curl 3-4 x 10-15 each leg
Seated leg curls 7 x 10-15
Calves (alternate workouts)
Workout A
Standing calf raise 4 x 10-12
Seated calf raise 4 x 15-20
Leg press or calf sled raise 7 x 10-12
Workout B
8/9
Donkey or standing calf raise 4 x 10-12
*Calves should be trained twice a week with roughly 48-72 hours
between workouts, such as Monday and Thursday, Tuesday and Friday,
or Wednesday and Saturday.
9/9
Sample FST-7 Workout
Wednesday, 23 July 2008 09:52 - Last Updated Monday, 06 October 2008 17:30
Sample Basic FST-7 bodypart routines

Triceps
Close-grip bench press 3-4 x 8-12
Weighted or machine dip 3 x 8-12
Overhead cable extension 7 x 8-12
(beginner and intermediate)
Skull crushers 7 x 8-12
1/5
(advanced)
Quads
Leg extensions 3-4 x 8-15
Squats 4 x 8-12
Hack squat or leg press 3 x 8-15
Leg extension or leg press 7 x 8-15
Chest
Incline dumbbell press 3-4 x 8-12
Incline dumbbell flye 3 x 8-12
Flat Hammer or dumbbell press 3 x 8-12
Pec deck or cable crossover 7 x 8-12
2/5
Shoulders
Seated dumbbell press 4 x 8-12
Barbell or dumbbell front raise 3 x 8-12
Dumbbell lateral raise 3 x 8-12
Lateral raise machine 7 x 8-12
Back
Warm-up:
Neutral-grip chin-ups 3 x failure
Wide-grip pulldowns 3 x 8-12
Barbell row 3 x 8-12
Machine or cable pullover 7 x 8-15
3/5
Hamstrings
Lying leg curls 3-4 x 10-15
Stiff-leg deadlift 3-4 x 10-12
Single leg curl 3-4 x 10-15 each leg
Seated leg curls 7 x 10-15
Traps
Dumbbell shrugs* 3-4 x 8-12
Machine shrugs 7 x 8-12
*Proper form consists of leaning head and torso slightly forward and shrugging up to an
imaginary point behind your ears - do not roll shoulders. Reps should be done slowly with an
emphasis on squeezing the contraction point for a full one-second count.
Rear delts
Dumbbell rear lateral raise 3-4 x 12-15
4/5
Reverse pec flye or cable 7 x 12-15
Rear laterals
Calves
Standing calf raise 4 x 10-12
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5/5

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FST-7 - The Key to Muscle Growth: Part 1

Is fascia limiting your muscle growth?

All stretching is not the same

Do I still train heavy, or can I just pump up with light weights?

Alternate dumbbell curls 3-4 x 8-12

Machine preacher curl 3 x 8-12

How often can I train bodyparts this way?

Day one: Biceps and triceps, calves

Day two: Legs

Day three: OFF

Day four: Chest and triceps

Day five: Back and calves

Day six: Shoulders and biceps

Day seven: OFF

Which exercises are best suited to the ‘7' sets?

Back width: Machine pullovers (Hammer Strength, Nautilus) or cable pullovers

Back thickness: Seated row machines with chest support

Chest: Pec deck or peck flye machine*, cable crossovers

Quads: Leg extensions, leg presses

Hamstrings: Seated or lying leg curls

Triceps: Cable pushdowns using rope attachment

Overhead cable extensions

Skull crushers (for advanced trainers)

(alternate between these three)

When should I do my ‘7'?

Sample FST-7 bodypart routines*

Close-grip bench press 3-4 x 8-12

Weighted or machine dip 3 x 8-12

Overhead cable extension 7 x 8-12

(beginner and intermediate)

Skull crushers 7 x 8-12

Incline dumbbell press 3-4 x 8-12

Incline dumbbell flye 3 x 8-12

Flat Hammer or dumbbell press 3 x 8-12

Pec deck or cable crossover 7 x 8-12

Leg extensions 3-4 x 8-15

Hack squat or leg press 3 x 8-15

Leg extension or leg press 7 x 8-15

Seated dumbbell press 4 x 8-12

Barbell or dumbbell front raise 3 x 8-12

Dumbbell lateral raise 3 x 8-12

Lateral raise machine 7 x 8-12

Pre-workout nutrition: Priming the pump

During the workout

Success stories - in progress!

Date: Saturday, June 7

Location: Body by O Fitness Facility

FST-7 Bodypart routines

Back - width emphasis

Neutral-grip chin-ups 3 x failure

Wide-grip pulldowns 3 x 8-12

Barbell row 3 x 8-12

Hammer Strength row 3 x 8-12

Machine or cable pullover 7 x 8-15

Back - thickness emphasis

Reverse-grip pulldowns 3 x 12-15

Low cable row or 1-arm dumbbell row 3 x 8-12

T-bar row 3 x 8-12

Hammer Strength row 7 x 8-12

Dumbbell shrugs* 3-4 x 8-12

Machine shrugs 7 x 8-12

Dumbbell rear lateral raise 3-4 x 12-15