SETS, LOAD, AND PROGRESSION
Training
17 pieces, newest first.
ProgressionShould your training change in planned phases, or stay the sameShould your training look the same every week, or change in planned phases? Here's what the research says about periodizing your sets, reps and effort over time.
Exercise countHow many exercises a muscle actually needsSome people hit a muscle with one lift, others rotate through four. Here's what the evidence says about how many exercises you actually need per muscle each week.
ProgrammingDo supersets and cluster sets build muscle as well as straight setsPairing exercises or breaking a set into chunks feels like a shortcut. Here's what the research says about whether supersets and cluster sets build muscle as well as straight sets.
Warm-up setsHow many warm-up sets you actually needHow many warm-up sets you actually need before the real work, and why more isn't always better.
ProgrammingWhat order to do your exercises in, and why it mattersDoes it matter whether you squat before you curl? Yes. The order you do exercises in changes how much each one actually gets out of you.
ProgrammingDo you actually need a deload weekA deload is a planned lighter week, but does it actually help you build more muscle, or is it just a break? Here's what the research says.
ProgressionHow big your weight jumps should be when you progressWhen a lift is ready for more, how much should you actually add? Too big a jump breaks your reps, too small barely counts. Here's how to size the jump.
Drop setsWhat a drop set actually does, and when to use oneA drop set means stripping weight off mid-set and pushing on with no rest. Here's what the evidence says it actually does, and when it's worth using.
ProgressionWhat it means when a lift stops moving, and what helpsWhen a lift stops climbing, it's not a failure, it's a signal. Here's how to tell a real stall from a bad day, and what actually helps.
TechniqueHow range of motion and control change what a set doesTwo people can lift the same weight for the same reps and get very different results. How far you move it and how you control it both change what a set does for muscle growth.
Exercise selectionHow to choose exercises for a muscleWith so many exercises to choose from, here's what actually changes your results: joint type, range of motion, and free weight versus machine.
FrequencyHow often to train each muscle in a weekTraining a muscle once a week is usually enough to grow it a little, but splitting the same work across two or three sessions tends to work better and feel easier.
Rep rangesWhich rep range actually builds muscleLifters argue over the "best" rep range for muscle, but good evidence says the number of reps matters far less than how close to failure each set gets.
EffortHow hard each set should feelRep range and how close you go to failure both matter less than people think. Here's what the research actually says about picking reps and effort.
Rest periodsHow long to rest between setsShort rest between sets feels tougher, but the evidence says longer rest usually builds more muscle and strength, up to a point.
VolumeHow many sets a week your muscles actually needHow many sets a week your muscles actually need to grow, and why more isn't always better once you pass a certain point.
ProgressionHow to know when it's time to add weightThis piece explains double progression, the simple rule for deciding when to add reps and when to add weight, plus how effort and rest between sets fit into that decision.