Drop sets are a highly effective way to build muscle in less time than traditional training. In some studies, subjects gained just as much muscle as they did with straight sets, but with workouts that were 50% shorter. Here’s the lowdown on drop sets — sometimes referred to as descending sets, stripping or running the […]

If you want to know what hypertrophy training is, how it differs from strength training, and what your workouts should look like if you want your muscles to grow as fast as humanly possible, this page will show you. Let’s dive right in. Hypertrophy and How Muscles Grow Take a slice of muscle tissue from […]

If you want a simple but highly effective 3-day full-body workout routine designed for muscle hypertrophy, one that doesn’t involve doing weird exercises you’ve never heard of, counting rep tempos, or spending hours in the gym, this page will show you how it’s done. Before you continue, I do want to point out a few […]

When someone asks how to get shredded, it usually means they want to drop some fat, so that you can see the shape and outline of their muscles. Truth is, there’s more than one level of leanness. Most people can get cut without too much of problem. But not everyone can get shredded. Even just […]

Some say that getting a pump is essential for building muscle. If you want to make your muscles grow as fast as humanly possible, getting one should be the aim of your workouts. A good muscle pump is a sign that you’ve had a good workout, and that growth is sure to follow. Others will […]

MX4 user Frank writes in with a question about the deload week: “Do you subscribe to the idea of programming in regular deloads? If so, how and when?” What Is a Deload Week? A deload refers to a planned reduction in training volume and/or intensity, with the aim of encouraging recovery and improving performance during […]

If you’re a hardgainer who wants to build muscle, but you’re frustrated because you don’t seem to be getting anywhere, and the standard hardgainer workout advice to “follow an abbreviated training program where your workouts are brief and infrequent” hasn’t worked, this page will show you what to do. Here’s the story: Once, I got […]

“Can you recommend a good routine for building muscle after 50,” asks MK via email. “I am looking to put on muscle mass and focus on muscle quality while getting lean. I done a lot on my own and have seen some pretty good results but as I have aged I am seeing that my […]

Compound lifts like the squat, pull-up, bench press and overhead press work large numbers of muscles. They’re a very efficient use of your training time, and I like them a lot. However, there are also a number of myths and misconceptions about compound lifts that have developed over the years. Here are some of the […]