Secrets to Ultimate Muscle Growth

Special Research Report From X-Rep.com

Secrets to Ultimate

MUSCLE GROWTH

How Muscles Grow, Plus Proven Techniques to Pack On Mass Fast by Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson

Secrets to Ultimate Muscle Growth was written to help you achieve a muscular physique with sensible bodybuilding strategies. Weight training and dieting can be demanding activities, however, so it is highly recommended that you consult your physician and have a physical examination prior to beginning. Proceed with the suggested exercises and routines at your own risk. Photography by Michael Neveux Cover model: Jonathan Lawson Copyright © 2011 by Homebody Productions All rights reserved. The material in this document may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any manner or form without prior written consent from the publisher. Homebody Productions, P.O. Box 2800, Ventura, CA 93002

www.X-Rep.com Homepage www.X-traordinaryWorkouts.com Workout programs in printable PDF format E-books are available at www.X-Rep.com/xshop.htm



Secrets to ULTIMATE MUSCLE GROWTH

CONTENTS Introduction............................................................4

Chapter 1—Double Muscle Density:

Myofibrils and Sarcoplasm...............6

Chapter 2—Shocking Study: Heavy

and Light for Growth.......................10

Chapter 3—Workouts and Techniques

to Supersize Your Physique............14

Chapter 4—On Your Mark, Get Set

GROW..............................................22

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INTRODUCTION The truly exciting thing about the info in this special report is that it can double or triple the speed at which you gain muscle. That's because it clears up the mass confusion that exists when it comes to muscle hypertrophy. The big myth that needs exploding first is that there's a direct correlation between muscle strength and its size. While getting stronger can get you bigger to a degree, if you want to achieve extreme muscle growth and reach your ultimate size potential, you have to do more than just lift heavier weights. You must build every hypertrophic constituent to where your physique is a seam-splitting mass of shredded, eyepopping muscle—and it shouldn't take years. In fact, the biggest reason muscle growth is so slow in most cases is that simplistic myth—that strength equals superior size. There's more to it than that. Trying to move big weights for a few reps does very little for ultimate muscle size. Did you know that some of the strongest pound-for-pound powerlifters in the world are the smallest? For example, Joe Luther bench presses more than 400 pounds at a bodyweight of 165—no bulbous muscles anywhere on his physique. Even women weighing 130 pounds have benched close to 300, no bodybuilder-style muscle in sight. Research conducted more than 40 years ago drives home the point. Here’s a quote from Peary Rader, the founder of IRON MAN magazine, from the 1960s: 

Secrets to ULTIMATE MUSCLE GROWTH

“Experiments we have carried out show that we can put an inch on the arms in a short period by pumping [or lighter-density] methods.... On the other hand, we can, by training on an entirely different system [heavy weights/power] develop 10 or 20 percent more strength without one bit of increase in the size of the arms. This sort of ruins the popular theory that muscle strength is in direct relation to its size.” Could that be the reason so many of the biggest bodybuilders of yesteryear—before steroids—used heavy/ light routines? Even many of today's mass monsters use similar tactics because heavy/light works big time. IFBB pro bodybuilder Johnnie Jackson, who also competes in powerlifting, has said that when he trains ultra-heavy with low reps exclusively, he gets smaller, not bigger. So getting to be your strongest is not the key to being your jaw-dropping biggest—although strength can contribute, as you'll see. Building extreme mass is a combination of things including extended muscle tension time and muscular fatigue—as in reducing rest between sets. We'll explain. So throw out all that you think you know about building muscle. Once you understand how and why muscles really grow larger, you'll be able to retool your workouts to build some incredible mass fast. We'll give you plenty of examples and tactics on how to do just that—rapid-rate muscle growth in record time. Exciting stuff! Let's get to it. —Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson www.X-Rep.com Secrets to ULTIMATE MUSCLE GROWTH



CHAPTER 1

Double Muscle Density: Myofibrils and Sarcoplasm Researchers used to believe that a bodybuilder's muscles were dominated by fast-twitch type 2B fibers. Those are pure anaerobic, or power, structures that respond to heavy weight training for few reps. But recent research proved otherwise. A study reported on by Jerry Brainum compared highlevel bodybuilders with average college students, which resulted in a startling discovery: “The study examined single muscle fibers. Since the type 2B fibers are the muscle fibers most likely to grow, it stands to reason that the bodybuilders in the study would have an abundance of such fibers, or at least more of them than the other kinds of muscle fibers. The reality was that they showed a higher portion of types 1 and 2A fibers, with a complete absence of type 2Bs.” [Eur J Appl Physiol. 103(5):579-83. 2008.]



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Did you get that? The bodybuilders had almost no 2B power fibers! Therefore, optimal training for bodybuilders interested in ultimate size should emphasize the dualcomponent 2A power + endurance fibers. Those key 2A growth fibers have two primary constituents: myofibrils and sarcoplasm. The myofibrils are internal strands of actin and myosin that grip onto one another to shorten the fiber and produce muscular contraction. The sarcoplasm is the fluid surrounding the myofibrils, and that "energy” juice contains mostly mitochondria, glycogen and ATP. Here's the difference: 1) The myofibril strands respond, grow and multiply as a result of intense heavy-weight sets. 2) The sarcoplasm increases with extended tension times on the muscle and/or short rests between sets. Essentially, muscle fatigue within a fast-twitch endurance threshold causes the energy constituents in the sarcoplasm to increase, producing a larger muscle fiber. It's obvious that to get your muscles to their absolute largest possible size, you must train both the power and fast-twitch endurance, or density, "sides" of the 2As... Secrets to ULTIMATE MUSCLE GROWTH



Myofibril

Sarcoplasm

Fig. 1: Untrained muscle fiber.

Fig. 2: Mostly myofibrillar growth, slightly larger fiber— the result of training with lower reps and/or short tension times, which does not significantly expand the sarcoplasm.

Fig. 3: Growth in both the myofibrils (power) and sarcoplasm (endurance) for maximum fiber growth. 

Popular dogma suggests that a rep range of eight to 10 reps is the key to muscle growth. That's only partially true; you see, most trainees do each repetition of a set in about two seconds. If they do 10 reps, the target muscle is only under tension for 20 seconds. That's still a poweroriented tension time and affects primarily the myofibrils. (Fig. 2) Lots of sarcoplasmic “endurance” growth potential is left on the table. You want both myofibril and sarcoplasm expansion for total muscle size. (Fig. 3) To get the sarcoplasm to increase significantly, you need a tension time of 40-plus seconds and/ or short rests between sets to work the muscle close to its fast-twitch endurance-growth threshold. Here is the scientific definition of both sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar hypertrophy from Vladimir Zatsiorsky, Ph.D., and William Kraemer, Ph.D., from their book Science and Practice of Strength Training:

Secrets to ULTIMATE MUSCLE GROWTH

“Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy of muscle fibers is characterized by the growth of sarcoplasm (semifluid interfibrillar substance) and noncontractile proteins that do not directly contribute to the production of muscle force [or strength]. “Myofibrillar hypertrophy is an enlargement of the muscle fiber as it gains more myofibrils and correspondingly, more actin and myosin filaments.... This type of fiber hypertrophy leads to increased muscle force production [or muscle strength]. “Mostly myofibrillar hypertrophy is found in elite weightlifters, whereas sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is typically seen in bodybuilders.” That is to say that sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is dominant in bodybuilders; however, they do have myofibrillar hypertrophy as well because, according to Zatsiorsky and Kraemer, "pure sarcoplasmic or myofibrillar hypertrophy never occurs." If you're thinking you may need two type of training to get the most muscle-size development possible—as depicted in Fig. 3 on the previous page—you're on the right mass-attack track. Secrets to ULTIMATE MUSCLE GROWTH



CHAPTER 2

Shocking Study: Heavy and Light for Growth Couldn't all of the talk about myofibrils and sarcoplasm be only so much text-book theory? Hey, we're with you— we like proof from a controlled study, so here's a great one to help you wrap your mind around the facts... Three groups used different styles of training on leg extensions, three sets, eight reps per set (3 x 8): 1) Low intensity, 50 percent of one-rep max (light) with slow movement—three seconds each to raise and lower the weight with a one-second pause at the top of each rep—no relaxing phase. (56 seconds per set.) 2) High intensity (80 percent of one-rep max— heavy), taking one second to raise the weight and one second to lower it, with one second of relaxing between reps—conventional style of training. (24 seconds per set.) 3) Low intensity with normal speed. (Same repetition cadence as 2.) 10

Secrets to ULTIMATE MUSCLE GROWTH

The workouts were performed three times a week for 12 weeks. Results: Significant, equal muscle gains occurred in the first two groups, with no gains in group 3. [Tanimoto, M. J App Physiol; 100: 1150-1157. (2006)] How on earth did the slow-rep light training in group 1 build so much muscle comparable to standard heavy training? Answer: sustained muscle activation, or longer tension time. Notice that each of the light reps lasted for about seven seconds. That’s 56 seconds of continuous tension on the quads, or front thighs, (7 seconds x 8 reps). That produces a high level of blood-flow occlusion (blockage) due to muscle oxygen deficit, which produces muscle growth via sarcoplasmic increases—a different pathway than the standard heavy-training group (2), which got more myofibrillar growth. Now imagine stacking the growth from group 1 to the size gains of group 2—and you've got the potential to supersize your muscles fast! By the way, it's sarcoplasmic growth that's most neglected by the majority of bodybuilders—and the reason size gains are so painfully slow for most. Restricting blood flow to the muscle with longer tension times hurts but it works. It releases more nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels in an attempt to overcome the decreased blood flow within the muscle, which activates growth hormone release. All of that forces increases in the Secrets to ULTIMATE MUSCLE GROWTH

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sarcoplasmic fluid as it builds new and more efficient energy substrates and mitochondria to supercompensate for the oxygen debt from the longer set. A real-world example is the muscular upper-body development of male gymnasts. It's the result of occlusive activation for mostly sarcoplasmic expansion on the rings and floor exercises; they don’t do any heavy progressiveresistance work. The same can be said of acrobats and trapeze artists—their muscular development is mostly the result of occlusion and sarcoplasmic growth from static holds and slow, continuous-tension moves. So which produces the most growth the fastest, myofibrillar or sarcoplasmic stimulation? Most would say heavier training is the best stimulus for fastest muscle growth, so myofibrillar activation would be the answer— but the more research that is done, the more it appears that that's the wrong answer. Here's what Phil Wagner, M.D., at SPARTA Performance Science concludes: “The American College of Sports Medicine suggests that moderate intensity loads be used for muscle hypertrophy, and it suggests that training focus on high volume of exercise. High-volume training uses moderate (medium-high intensity) loads for a large number of repetitions and sets, with a small amount of rest between sets and exercises. Research has shown that the rest time between sets has a large impact on the growth of muscles. Research from Eastern Illinois University showed that not letting your muscles recover between sets, using 30 to 60 seconds of rest, acutely increased the release of growth hormone prompting greater muscle hypertrophy (growth).” 12

Secrets to ULTIMATE MUSCLE GROWTH

So he is saying that training the muscle in a fatigued state— short rests between sets— with a high amount of work, or sets, is the way to get big fast. That would seem to favor sarcoplasmic increases. But keep in mind that while myofibrillar (power) increases may be the secondary player, getting growth in the myofibrils will add to a muscle's size. Luckily, there's a style of training similar to what Wagner describes that will build both at one time. (More on that mass tactic and more in the next chapter to get you growing.) Plus, while sarcoplasmic increases may be the primary growth factor in muscle tissue, it may be more true for some muscles than others. For example, enduranceoriented groups like forearms, legs and abdominals respond best to sarcoplasmic stimulation in the majority of trainees. Less-endurance-oriented muscles, like the pectorals, or chest, in most people, will require more of a balance of myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic stimulation to reach greatest growth capacity. Nevertheless, it should be obvious that you must train both "sides" of the type-2A fibers to achieve ultimate muscle growth. How do you do that? There are a few proven top-tier methods that will trigger outstanding hypertrophic results for just about any trainee, as you'll see. Prepare to grow beyond big! Secrets to ULTIMATE MUSCLE GROWTH

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CHAPTER 3

Workouts and Techniques to Supersize Your Physique Even with all of those recent findings, scientists contend that 10 repetitions is the hypertrophic range. That's because 10 reps is middle ground—it appears that you keep the muscle under tension long enough to activate sarcoplasmic growth, while the weight is still heavy enough to build the myofibrils. But is it really doing both sufficiently? Watch trainees perform sets in the gym, and you'll see that each rep lasts about two seconds. So a 10-rep set takes around 20 seconds—not even close to the 40-plus seconds research shows is the so-called best hypertrophic tension time. Doing 10 reps like that is still myofibrillar-dominant training. So it's not so much the repetition number but the time the muscle is under tension that governs optimal size stimulation. What happens if you slow down the reps to say four While 10 reps is often thought of as a hypertrophic range, if you do fast reps for, say, a 20-second set, you’re still using a power tension time for mostly myofibril stimulation—and you don't force the need for sarcoplasmic growth. 14

Secrets to ULTIMATE MUSCLE GROWTH

seconds for each? You get 40 seconds of tension time. Ah ha, now the sarcoplasm is adequately stressed for size increases; however, the length of the set causes fatigue to take a toll at around 30 seconds, and that fatigue shortcircuits myofibrillar power stimulation. In other words, a 40second set primarily activates sarcoplasmic expansion. Obviously to get optimal size stimulation in both the myofibrils and sarcoplasm you need to cover two bases— heavy weight for the myofibrils and long tension times for the sarcoplasm. Could you simply do some lower-rep sets and also some higher-rep, longer-tension-time sets for the same muscle? Absolutely. In fact, that's one reason training systems that use standard heavier sets up front and then end with multiple higher-rep sets and/ or a group of sets with short rests between can produce great gains... Our X-Rep Experiment For example, we got significant size and muscularity increases during our experiment with that style of training in ’04. In The Ultimate Mass Workout e-book we outline our X-Rep program that we used (pages 78-80), and it transformed our physiques in only five weeks, One-month results with X Reps as you can see from the before and drop sets—dramatic gains from myofibrillar growth plus and after photos at right. sarcoplasmic increases. Secrets to ULTIMATE MUSCLE GROWTH

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In the before photos we were using mostly standard-set training—eight to 10 reps per set, 20 seconds of tension time. We had been favoring mostly myofibrillar growth with minor sarcoplasmic expansion. But once we integrated end-of-set X-Rep partials and drop sets, sarcoplasmic expansion kicked in and our muscularity skyrocketed. Here's an example of our chest program during that one-month transformation (from The Ultimate Mass Workout e-book)... Smith-machine incline presses (X Reps), 2-3 x 7-9 High cable flyes (X Reps), 1 x 7-9 Wide-grip dips (drop set, X Reps), 2 x 7(6) Cable flyes (double-drop, X Reps), 1 x 7(6)(5) For those not familiar with X Reps, they are end-of-set partial reps, or pulses, that extend the set. For example, on the last set of incline presses, when you reach positive failure, you lower the bar to just off your chest and fire off a number of eight-inch partial reps at that semi-stretch point, the pecs' strongest position on the range of motion. By integrating X Reps we got a bit more tension time on our standard sets for some sarcoplasmic stimulation, but X Reps mostly activated extra myofibrillar growth. The real sarcoplasmic stimulation came on dips and cable flyes, which were performed with drop sets as well as end-of-set XRep partials for even more tension time. Our sarcoplasmic growth skyrocketed and we got bigger faster! Exciting stuff. 16

Secrets to ULTIMATE MUSCLE GROWTH

Cable flyes: double-drop set for sarcoplasm expansion.

The addition of X Reps and ending each bodypart with drop sets produced an excellent balance of myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic expansion for rapid-rate muscle growth. In case you don't know what a drop set or a double-drop set is... Drop set: Do a set to failure, say seven reps—that gives you some myofibrillar stimulation with lower reps. Then you decrease the weight and immediately do a second set to failure, usually five or six reps, to extend the tension time and trigger some sarcoplasmic expansion. In the above chest routine we did wide-grip dips with a drop set, rested for about two minutes, then did another drop set. That's 2 x 7(6). Double-drop set: We did this on cable flyes, our last chest exercise. It's a drop set with a third reduced-poundage sarcoplasmic-stimulating set. So you do a set to failure (7 reps), reduce the weight and immediately do a second set to failure (6 reps), reduce the weight one last time and do a third set to failure (5 reps). The extreme pump and burn indicates big sarcoplasmic-expansion effects. X-centric Training: Negative-Accentuated Sets Like drop sets, negative-accentuated sets can produce sarcoplasmic growth with some good, but unique myofibrillar stimulation as well. We've had excellent results using this technique on the big compound exercises, like squats. For an NA set you take a lighter weight and do one-second positives and six second negatives on every rep. For example, on squats or bench presses you lower in six seconds, then drive to the top in one. You should use a weight that allows around seven repetitions for a total of 49 seconds of tension time. Secrets to ULTIMATE MUSCLE GROWTH

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Keeping the target muscle under tension for that long is a spectacular sarcoplasmic stimulus, while the slow, sixsecond negatives cause myofibrillar trauma and growth activation. Bonus: The myofibrillar trauma, which results in soreness, also forces a metabolic uptick outside the gym as your body repairs the excess microtears—and that metabolic momentum burns more bodyfat. You get bigger and leaner! In our e-book The X-centric Mass Workout we have complete power-density workouts designed to build both the myofibrils and the sacroplasm. Here's an example of the back routine (lats and midback)... Pulldowns, 4 x 9, 7, 5, 7NA Stiff-arm pulldowns (4X), 4 x 10 Bent-over rows, 4 x 9, 7, 5, 7NA Bent-arm bent-over laterals (4X), 4 x 10 On the two multi-joint exercises, pulldowns (lats) and bent-over rows (midback), you add weight on sets one, two and three so your reps decrease. That's a power pyramid. Then on the last set you reduce the weight for an NA set—one-second positives and six-second negatives—for seven reps. Rest between each of those sets is two minutes.

Negative-accentuated pulldown: one second down, six seconds up. Seven NA reps provide stimulation for both “sides” of the 2A mass fibers.

On the other two exercises, stiff-arm pulldowns and bent-arm bent-over laterals, you use the 4X method—same weight, short rests. It's one of the best balanced overall growth-stimulation tactics we've found, a perfect balance of myfibrillar and sarcoplasmic stimulation... 18

Secrets to ULTIMATE MUSCLE GROWTH

The 4X Mass Method This style of training falls into the exact mass-building parameters outlined by Dr. Wagner in Chapter 2: “moderate intensity loads...high volume of exercise...small amount of rest between sets and exercises—30 to 60 seconds.” Here's the 4X drill... Take a weight with which you can get 15 reps, but only do 10; rest 30 seconds, then do 10 more. Rest 30 seconds, and do 10 more. Rest 30 seconds one last time and attempt to get 10 reps on your fourth set. We say "attempt" because you should not be able to get 10; if you do, you add a small amount of weight to that exercise at your next workout. In the previous section you saw 4X applied to the single-joint exercises to complement the heavy sets on the big moves; however, total-4X-style programs can provide big increases in both the sarcoplasm and myofibrils. As we said, 4X appears to be a good balance for most muscle groups and produces rapid mass gains with some strength side effects. Note that this is not a strength-building protocol—it's mainly for building pure muscle mass. You also need at least three exercises per bodypart in most cases, which is where our full-range Positions-ofFlexion training comes in. Here's a POF 4X biceps routine extracted from one of the complete programs in The X-traordinary 4X Mass Workout e-book...

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Midrange: Barbell curls (4X), 4 x 10 Stretch: Incline curls (3X), 3 x 10 Contracted: Concentration curls (3X), 3 x 12 Note that the 3X sequences are just like 4X only with one less set—the weight you use should not allow the full number of reps on the third set; if it does, add weight at your next workout for that exercise. Also realize that the above complete 10-set biceps blast takes only 15 minutes! We highly recommend 4X-style training to build ultimate muscle size. It's the perfect way for older trainees to build maximum mass, as the joints aren't ravaged with bone-crushing poundages. You use moderate weights, but you still get overall 2A growth—complete size stimulation— with fairly quick workouts.

No joint pain, better muscle gains. 4X-sequence training is perfect for older bodybuilders like Steve, age 51. You use moderate weights, short rests and get growth in both the myofibrils and sarcoplasm with quick workouts. 20

We experimented with a total4X mass program, similar to the Direct/Indirect Workout on pages 30-32 in the 4X Mass Workout e-book, and our gains were tremendous—plus, all of our injuries healed as our muscles got larger. We're still on it as we write this, and we feel great and look great. Check out our X-Training Blog to see how it's working for us—we log every workout there and provide comments and tips.

Secrets to ULTIMATE MUSCLE GROWTH

Working In 10x10 Despite what doctors Wagner, Zatsiorsky and Kraemer have concluded, many bodybuilders will not accept using moderate poundages at every workout, as is required with 4X. For those who feel they also need power training, we suggest myofibrillar-dominant stimulation at one workout and sarcoplasmic expansion at the next. A prime example is the Heavy/Light program in the 10x10 Mass Workout e-book. With this program you do standard heavy training with longer rests between sets at one session, then the next time you train that muscle you hit it with only one big exercise using a 10x10 sequence to emphasize sarcoplasmic growth. It's an amazingly efficient way to get all sides of the mass fibers—and the 10x10 bodypart hits only take 10 minutes... For 10x10 you take a weight with which you can get 20 reps, but you only do 10; rest 30 seconds, then do 10 more— and so on until you complete 10 sets. You won't get 10 reps on the last few sets, as fatigue will be overbearing—but that's the key to sizable sarcoplasmic expansion. If you've been neglecting sarcoplasmic growth, this can cause your muscle size to explode off the charts! So for triceps, your standard POF power-oriented workout would be... Midrange: Decline extensions, 3 x 9, 6, 3-4 Stretch: Overhead extensions, 1-2 x 8-10 Contracted: Pushdowns, 1-2 x 8-10 At your next workout you do the big move, 10x10 style... Decline extensions, 10 x 10 Secrets to ULTIMATE MUSCLE GROWTH

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CHAPTER 4

On Your Mark, Get Set, GROW Now it's time for you to climb aboard the big-gain train and build the full capacity of both the myofibrils and the sarcoplasm for ultimate, eye-popping muscle size. If you need a proven workout to apply what you've learned here, click on any of the e-book titles in this report for more information (also shown on the next page). Of course, you can also design your own workouts or alter the one you're currently on to include some of the mass tactics we've discussed—X Reps, drop sets, double drops, 4X and/or 10x10. We also encourage you to subscribe to our twiceweekly e-zine, sponsored by IRON MAN magazine. It's FREE, and the subscriber list is kept private—you will NOT receive spam e-mails about increasing the size of your private parts once you sign up. Go to X-Rep.com to get on our private list and get motivated twice a week. Our mission with our Web site, e-zine and e-books is to get you as big and ripped as you want to be—that not only helps you look incredible but also spreads the word about the effectiveness of our methods. We want you to be a success and reach your muscular best so you become an eye-popping, jaw-dropping walking billboard for efficient muscle building. Let's go. It's time to grow! (See the next page for some of our best-selling e-books mentioned in this report.) 22

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E-BOOKS

Workouts to Help You Get Ultimate Muscle Growth Fast

The official X-Rep manual. Includes our X-Rep transformation program and other workouts with the Ultimate Exercise for each muscle.

Negative-accentuated sets produce extreme hypertrophy— myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic growth. Includes 3 complete power-density mass workouts.

10x10 is pure density training at its best. Includes the Heavy/Light workout so you get sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar expansion.

4X produces extreme growth with a balanced attack to totally jack the key growth fibers. 5 complete 4X-style mass workouts.

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