Step Four: Use training routines that are dominated by the big, compound movements for the most rapid muscle gains possible.

Compound movements are those exercises that involve more than one joint. For example, when you squat, there's movement at the knee, hip, and ankle joints. This allows many muscles-the gluteus, lower back, hamstrings and calves-to work as a team to stress the target muscles-the quadriceps, or front-thigh muscles. This teamwork is known as synergy, a phenomenon that allows you to hit the target bodypart with heavy poundages and stimulate the bulk of it's muscle fibers. Synergy has the potential to do even more than just stress more muscle fibers, however.

    Research has shown that when you perform squats with high intensity, you actually get a natural surge of testosterone, a hormone that's believed to stimulate muscle growth. Notice that phase 1 of the Size Surge Routine is dominated by compound movements and that each workout leads off with with either the squat or the deadlift, two of the most powerful size stimulators. By using the two compound anabolic accelerators you ensure not only maximum muscle stimulation but a testosterone surge every time you hit the gym. Notice also that each bodypart routine in the phase 2 program begins with a compound movement-listed as midrange-so that in the second phase you continue to give the muscle fibers of your major bodyparts a synergistic blast for the fastest development.

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