What's the difference between the X3 Hypertrophy Program and the X3 12-Week Program?Updated a month ago

The original X3 12-week program is designed to build muscle as efficiently as possible. Its focus is on getting as strong and lean as possible in the shortest amount of time. Dr. Jaquish achieved all of his initial results using the standard X3 12-week training method, which certainly builds muscle.

That said, we have numerous customers interested in "volume training" techniques, which has led to investigating a more time-intensive option: The X3 Hypertrophy Program is focused on maximizing muscular size, with less emphasis on getting great results out of fast workouts. As a result, the hypertrophy program requires a substantially larger time investment.

The two protocols can help you achieve slightly different goals. If your goal is just to be as strong and as lean as possible, then you'll want to stick with the original X3 12-week program, which is designed to help you achieve that goal in the shortest possible time.

The X3 Hypertrophy protocol is a much more time-intensive option that focuses on maximizing muscular size, with less emphasis on fast workouts.

Some new research shows that working muscles with agonist/antagonist relationships (like what is recommended in the X3 Hypertrophy protocol) allows for a larger cardiovascular capacity with shorter rest times. Supersets done via this method can achieve volume training in 36% less time, with no compromise in performance or muscle hypertrophy. That means just twenty seconds of rest between exercises in the supersets and then 2 minutes of rest between the second superset of the same movements. 

Here's this reference: Burke, R., Hermann, T., Piñero, A., Mohan, A., Augustin, F., Sapuppo, M., ... & Schoenfeld, B. (2024). Less time, same gains: Comparison of superset vs traditional set training on muscular adaptations. PREPRINT, SportRxiv.