Do Low Reps Build Muscle? (Yes — Heavy First, Pump Second)
Yes, sets of 2-5 reps build muscle near failure. Set for set they seem to build less than 8-12, so you need more sets. The research, and how to use it.
By Justin Myers · October 9, 2026
Training Principles
How training actually works — progressive overload, intensity, recovery, and the gym myths that waste your sets.
Push Pull Legs vs Upper Lower (The Answer Is Your Calendar, Not the Split)
Volume-equated, neither split builds more muscle. Your available days decide it: 3 days go upper/lower, 5-6 go PPL. The setup to avoid is 3-day PPL.
By Justin Myers · September 3, 2026
Why Am I Not Gaining Muscle? (It's Usually Effort, Not Food)
Most lifters who aren't gaining muscle aren't undereating — they're lifting too light and not progressing. The two numbers that tell you which.
By Justin Myers · August 31, 2026
How Long Does It Take To Build Muscle? (The Rate Nobody Gives You)
Stronger in 2-4 weeks, visibly different in 8-12, and about a pound of real muscle a month in year one. The rate of gain, not just the timeline.
By Justin Myers · August 27, 2026
How Many Exercises Per Workout? (It's Set Math, Not a Number)
Four to six for most sessions — but the count is an output of your weekly sets, not a rule. Where the more-angles advice breaks, and when to stop adding.
By Justin Myers · August 26, 2026
How Long Does It Take to Lose Muscle? (The Honest Timeline)
Two weeks off costs you almost nothing measurable. The detraining research, what the 5-day 'atrophy' studies actually measured, and how fast it returns.
By Justin Myers · August 24, 2026
How Long Should A Workout Be? (It's Arithmetic, Not A Rule)
Forty-five to 75 minutes for most lifters — but the number is your sets times your rest, not a guideline. Here's the arithmetic and where 45 minutes came from.
By Justin Myers · August 22, 2026
How Long To Rest Between Sets? (Longer Than You're Resting)
Two to three minutes on compounds, 90 seconds on isolation. The research says under 60 seconds costs you growth — and 89% of lifters rest under 60 seconds.
By Justin Myers · August 20, 2026
Is 4 Days a Week Enough to Build Muscle? (Yes — Here's the Exact Split)
Yes. Four days is the fewest that spreads ~10 hard sets per muscle thin enough to recover from. The exact push/pull/legs/upper split I run at 37.
By Justin Myers · August 4, 2026
Should You Train to Failure? (No — But You're Probably Not as Close as You Think)
Training to failure beats stopping short by a trivial 0.19 effect size — but lifters underestimate their reps left by ~1. Here's where to actually stop.
By Justin Myers · August 3, 2026
Is 2 Sets Enough to Build Muscle? (Yes — With One Condition)
Two hard sets per exercise get you most of the growth — Krieger's meta-analysis put 2-3 sets level with 4-6. The catch is where each set ends.
By Justin Myers · August 1, 2026
How Often Should You Train Each Muscle Group? (Twice a Week, Here's the Math)
Twice a week per muscle. The frequency research says frequency isn't magic — it's how you fit enough hard sets into a week you'll actually finish.
By Justin Myers · July 28, 2026
5-8 Reps vs 12-15 Reps for Muscle Growth (The Answer Depends on the Lift)
Both build muscle when sets go near failure. 5-8 wins on your heaviest compound lift, 12-15 on isolation work — the exercise picks the rep range.
By Justin Myers · July 27, 2026
How to Train in Your 30s (What to Stop Doing From Your 20s)
Your 20s program isn't wrong — it stopped auto-forgiving mistakes. Recovery is the variable that changed, so you manage frequency and load, not add more.
By Justin Myers · July 23, 2026
Do You Have To Be Sore To Build Muscle? (No — But a Flat Logbook Is a Red Flag)
No — soreness isn't required for muscle growth and is a poor gauge of a workout. Never sore plus a logbook that hasn't moved is the real red flag.
By Justin Myers · July 22, 2026