Studies Indicate Brief, Intense Workouts Foster Muscle Growth - Experts Weigh In
Recent research and expert consensus suggest that the optimal strength training workout for building muscle, often referred to as hypertrophy, typically lasts around 60 to 90 minutes per session when training each muscle group 2 to 3 times per week.
Key Factors for Muscle Growth
- Rep range: Between 6 to 30 reps per set can effectively induce hypertrophy, with many experts recommending 6 to 12 reps traditionally. However, research shows that muscle growth occurs as long as sets are taken close to failure, regardless of rep count.
- Sets per session: About 10 to 12 total sets per muscle group per session are effective for maximizing gains.
- Training frequency: Hitting each muscle 2 to 3 times weekly is optimal for promoting muscle growth.
- Rest intervals: Rest between sets should be around 1 to 2.5 minutes to balance recovery and training intensity.
- Intensity: Use weights heavy enough to make the set challenging so you finish near failure (able to do about 1-2 more reps but no more), progressively increasing load over time (progressive overload).
- Exercise selection: Focus on large, compound movements (like squats, deadlifts, bench presses) for efficiency and effectiveness, adding accessory isolation exercises if time permits.
In summary, for muscle building, aim for a 60–90 minute workout including 10–12 sets per muscle group with 6–30 reps performed near failure, training muscles multiple times weekly, and progressively overloading the load. This approach balances volume, intensity, and recovery to maximize hypertrophy based on 2025 research findings.
Practical Applications
- Keeping a training diary can be a powerful tool, especially when starting out.
- It's possible to see results in a 20-30 minute workout, completed 3-4 times per week, with around eleven fractional sets per workout might be the upper threshold for efficiency.
- Shorter, more intense efforts provide a greater post-exercise stimulus.
- For muscle growth, moderate-intensity, high-volume resistance programs, such as those with 8-12 reps over multiple sets, are ideal.
- A high-intensity resistance session can be squeezed into a 30-minute window.
- Lifting straps can help lift heavier weights without experiencing grip fatigue.
- Time is not the main factor when trying to build muscle, but overall volume is vital.
Additional Considerations
- New research suggests that both high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and high-volume resistance training can effectively build muscle.
- The study divided exercises into direct and fractional sets to better capture the load your body is under during different exercises.
- Performing three sets per exercise produces greater hypertrophy than one set per exercise, even when the time of muscle engagement is equalized.
- Optimal rest times between sets for hypertrophy are generally recommended to be 60-90 seconds.
Home Workouts
Plenty of effective strength training exercises can be done at home with just a kettlebell or set of dumbbells.
Health Benefits
A study published last year found that regular resistance training could increase women's life expectancy more than men’s.
In conclusion, with the right approach, building muscle can be achieved through shorter, intense workouts, or longer, lower-intensity sessions, as long as the overall volume is sufficient. The key is to find a routine that fits your lifestyle and stick with it, ensuring progressive overload and consistency.
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