Training for Maximum Muscle Growth

For those wanting to pack on size and get big, the age-old question remains the same.  What is the best rep, set, and rest combination to produce maximum hypertrophy or muscle growth?

Before answering this question, I would like to note that one should periodically incorporate a variety of training protocols to avoid stagnant adaptation and plateaus.

Naturally, there is more than one way to skin this cat.  Many professionals and athletes alike will have their own opinion and preferences on this matter, which is all fine and good.

There does, however, seem to be a consensus when it comes to building size, and that’s volume.  Simply stated, the volume is the total sets x reps x weight.

As such, it is widely held that hitting body parts twice per week using 8-10 sets per muscle group in the 8-12 rep range is most effective for building size.

However, we must still account for two more variables that are important to the above matrix. 

 

The first is time under tension or the speed at which one executes repetitions, and the second is the rest period between sets.

WHEN LESS IS MORE

How strictly you perform reps and the resistance used in doing so is critical to building quality muscle mass. 

You do not need to go to failure with each set but you must use a weight that makes the last few reps very difficult while still maintaining good form and constant tension.

 

In addition, the speed at which you perform reps plays a huge role in accumulating time under tension, which in turn can add or detract from overall volume.

Which do you think builds more muscle mass faster, doing 10 cheat curls in 10 under seconds with a hundred pounds or doing 10 slow and strict constant-tension curls over the course of 30-50 seconds with 50 lbs.?

If you guessed the latter, you would be correct.  This is when using less weight actually produces more quality volume and thereby delivering better muscle building results over time.

OPTIMAL REST

One can also increase volume and enhance the quality thereof when adequate rest occurs between sets.

By fully recovering between each set, every rep performed will be of the highest quality and with maximum output, which translates to more overall volume.

In general, big compound movements require more rest than isolation movements.  

As such, your optimal rest for squats might be anywhere from 3 – 8 minutes, while 2 – 5 minutes may suffice for high-quality isolation movements.

You can see two short videos of my training at home here.  In one, I use a strict form with quality time under tension. 

 

In the other, I use looser form while employing a good deal of explosive momentum to get the reps in.

Both styles have their unique benefits.  Each is productive to employ at different points within one's scheduled periodization protocols.

Having said all that, I hope that you now have a better idea of how to train for maximum muscle growth.

Until next time...

-Coach Joe