Rating: 
Author: Nick Nilsson
Recommended For:
Intermediate-Advanced
Price: $30
Format: E-Book (Electronic Delivery)
Bonuses: Online Training from Nilsson, Exercise Guide, Supplement Guide, Printable Workout Sheets, Done-For-You Meal Plans
| Skip down to the “Bottom Line” |
As he is known to do, Nick Nilsson ventures a bit outside of traditional training geared for muscle gain. Actually, that’s an understatement. He is well outside the traditional in “Muscle Explosion: 28 days to Maximum Mass”.
But it still works.
Very high rep sets? Low calorie days? High cardio days? No protein days?
When you first start reading the program you may think there has been a terrible mistake… You may think you’ve been mistakenly sent the handbook for some goofy fat-loss boot camp.
On further examination, however, you’ll discover there is reason behind the madness. One thing Nilsson (appropriately nicknamed the “Mad Scientist of Muscle Building”) always does well is to explain the science and reason behind his programs without getting too technical (boring). This program is no exception.
While many of the prescribed techniques are techniques that are steadfastly avoided by those after mass gain, Nilsson shows you how these techniques can spark impressive gains and break plateaus when used in the systematic way detailed in the program.
Muscle Explosion is sort of a condensed periodization approach. It isn’t for beginners. It is very demanding both mentally and physically.
I really like the program for a few reasons…
Firstly, though not necessarily presented as such, I see it as an ideal training change-up. It’s a once-in-a-while program that breaks the low-volume/heavy weight/high-calorie approach most trainers seeking muscle gain use most of the time. Even the least creative of these trainers usually learn that taking a somewhat different approach to their training for a period of time can prove beneficial.
I’ve known some who will simply switch to a high-rep program for a few weeks, a crude and unscientific periodization approach. They don’t expect to make gains in those few weeks, just hope that it will condition their muscles to respond better when they go back to their normal training.
I can’t get excited by such an approach.
If I go to the gym, I want to know I am working intelligently towards my goals at all times, not just hoping and praying my efforts will pay off in the future. “Muscle Explosion” is a radical departure from the traditional and if it won’t wake an adapted body, nothing will. In addition, it is an intelligent science-based program that keeps the goal on short-term gains as well as perhaps providing long-term benefits.
Secondly, as previously mentioned, Muscle Explosion is demanding. Both from a training and dietary standpoint, it takes a lot of discipline. To be honest, normally this is a turn-off for me. I’m just not the type to keep to a strict program for too long. That’s my reality. I’m not a Nick Nilsson who can probably follow a strict program 364/365.
I can, however, psych myself up and stay strict for a short period of time. It goes to the psychology of putting a time frame on your goals, of always working to a short term goal as well as a long term one. Following a very demanding program such as this wouldn’t work for me in the long term (and I suspect it wouldn’t for the majority of trainers).
But 28 days? I can do anything for 28 days. And really, the very strict dieting is only for the first week.
So I love that the program is designed for maximum muscle within my reality.
The third thing I like about the program is that it demands that you pick a specific muscle group to target. Everyone has that one muscle group that seems to lag behind. And we are all tempted to just train the crap out of it in order to get it a reaction. However, if you don’t have an intelligent plan of attack for that muscle group, the increased training can put you at risk for worse results and, yes, even overtraining.
If you know Nilsson, you know he likes to really push the body to the point of overtraining… and then ease you back down to a safe and effective landing. Muscle Explosion has you focused on just one exercise for 5 straight workouts (5 very painful workouts). It sounds crazy like a lot of this program, but it can really get a reaction from bored muscles.
Nilsson includes daily printable logs for all 28 days so you are always clear on what you are doing. I wish he detailed the dietary recommendations a little more in these logs but you’ll still figure out the nutrition.
Speaking of nutrition… The first week is a killer as Nilsson has you go very strict, depriving the body of the various macronutrients and then gorging on them. It is designed to prime the body for gains (a “slingshot effect”) as you go back to normal mass gain eating for the final three weeks. There are also some good tips on how to diet and supplement that I found interesting and useful.
The book is clear and well-organized. Nilsson provides his email address for any questions. This is noteworthy because unlike many online trainers who have started hiding behind dimwitted help-desks, dimwitted wives or dimwitted assistants, Nilsson is easy to contact. He is passionate about his stuff and always helpful.
The Bottom Line
4 of 5 Stars: It isn’t just change for the sake of change, it’s a science-based approach designed for maximum mass.
A trainer looking for a radical change to his current training practices is going to find that with “Muscle Explosion“.
It’s good and I think the experienced trainer (again, not a beginner program) will find the program challenging and productive.
