The Ultimate Muscle Growth Training Guide

Heads up! This article is connected to our Muscle Growth Journey page. For the complete picture on how to build muscle using our evidence-based system, check it out here!

The muscle growth process begins with training. You need to give your body the signal that it needs to build more muscle. 

With so many different types of training out there, you may be wondering “what’s the best way to train to build muscle?”

In this guide, we’ll answer that question and more. We’ll cover the most important variables in any training plan when it comes to building muscle, along with some frequently asked questions, all using evidence-based research. 

Welcome to the Ultimate Muscle Growth Training Guide!

How to Train for Muscle Growth

While there are many methods of training that can build muscle, resistance training, or lifting weights, is one of the most (if not the most) efficient ways to do so.

You may be wondering "What kind of resistance training is best for optimal muscle growth?" and “How can I design my resistance training program to maximize my muscle growth?” 

Fear not! In this article we’ll break down everything you need to know when constructing the perfect muscle growth workout. We’ll cover the three training “macro variables” of resistance training, as well as the importance of exercise types and exercise order. 

How to Train for Muscle Growth

While there are many methods of training that can build muscle, resistance training, or lifting weights, is one of the most (if not the most) efficient ways to do so.

You may be wondering "What kind of resistance training is best for optimal muscle growth?" and “How can I design my resistance training program to maximize my muscle growth?” 

There are a few simple rules you should make sure your lifting routine satisfies if you want to make sure that it maximizes muscle growth:

• Try to keep your intensity, or how heavy you lift, in the range of 60-80% of your one rep maximum. This translates to a rep range of between 8-20 repetitions per set.
• The ideal weekly volume, or how many reps of any given exercise you perform per week, is in the 40-80 repetitions range when it comes to muscle growth and retention.
• You want your frequency, or how often you hit any muscle group per week, to be 2-3 times per week for optimal muscle growth and retention.
• Use a variety of exercise types, including compound, isolation, free weight, machine, unilateral, and bilateral exercises. 
• Perform exercises the most important exercises earlier in your workout.

If you follow those rules, you can be sure that your lifting routine will optimize muscle growth! Simple as that.

Next, we’ll be diving deeper into each of these rules and break down exactly what each of them means, and how they affect your resistance training routine as it concerns muscle growth. 

The Best Intensity For Muscle Growth

One variable to consider when constructing a workout for optimal muscle growth is intensity, or how heavy you lift for any given exercise. 

In resistance training, intensity is the amount of weight lifted or resistance used in an exercise. Research shows that if you lift with more weight, you will get stronger faster. Since muscle strength and muscle size tend to grow together, lifting heavier will also generally lead to muscle growth.

Intensity is usually measured as a percentage of your 1 rep maximum (1RM), or the maximum amount of weight you can lift for 1 repetition for any given exercise. For example, if your 1RM for squat is 200 lbs, squatting 100 lbs would be lifting at 50% intensity. It is generally recommended to lift within the range of 60-80% of your 1RM for optimal muscle growth. 

Since you can figure out your 1RM based on the amount of repetitions you can perform, you can also work backwards and figure out what number of repetitions is associated with 60-80% of your 1RM. 

Don’t worry- we’ve already done the math for you. To stay in the 60-80% intensity range and maximize muscle growth, you generally want to use a weight that allows you to perform between 8 and 20 reps per set if your priority is to maximize muscle growth.

The Best Volume For Muscle Growth

Another important variable in a resistance training program is the total number of repetitions performed during a training session at a given intensity, also known as volume. Research shows that volume is one of the most important factors to muscle growth. 

Volume is typically measured on a weekly basis by exercise or muscle group. For example, if you do 3 sets of 10 squats with 100 lbs on Monday and on Friday, your weekly volume for squats is 60 reps at 100 lbs (3 sets x 10 reps x 2 days of the week).

Studies also show that any muscle group for any given exercise shows the greatest growth when there are 40-80 repetitions per week per exercise. The lower end of this range would be appropriate if you are lifting more weight, and the higher end of this range if you are lifting lighter weight.

The Best Frequency For Muscle Growth

Another variable to consider when constructing your training plan for maximum muscle growth is the number of times a muscle group is exercised within a training week, also known as frequency.

Similar to measuring volume, frequency is typically measured in terms of specific muscle group or exercise. For example, if you do squats on Monday and Friday, your frequency for squats is twice per week.

Research suggests that a frequency of 2-3 times per week per muscle group has been correlated with optimal muscle growth. Simple as that!

The Best Exercise Types For Muscle Growth

You may also be wondering what exercises are best for your training routine if you want to prioritize muscle growth. To answer this question, you have to be able to identify exercise types.

To figure out what exercise type any exercise is, there are three questions to ask about the exercise you choose:

1. Does the exercise hit multiple muscle groups (compound exercise ) or does it hit just one muscle group (isolation exercise)?
2. Does the exercise hit one side of the body (unilateral exercise) or does it hit both sides of the body (bilateral exercise)?
3. Does the exercise involve free weights (free weight exercise) or does it involve using a machine (machine exercise) ? 

The answers to these questions will determine the strengths and weaknesses that any exercise will have in your training routine as it concerns muscle growth. 

For example, a barbell bench press is a compound, bilateral, free weight exercise, and will carry all the benefits of those exercise types. A machine fly will carry the benefits of an isolation, bilateral, machine exercise, and gets the benefits of those exercise types.

If you were trying to maximize muscle growth in your pectorals, it would be wise to incorporate both a bench press and a machine fly in your workout routine.  Between the two exercises, you're hitting your pecs with a variety of exercise types and boosting muscle growth!

To maximize muscle growth for any muscle group, a routine that includes a mix of compound, isolation, unilateral, bilateral, free weight, and machine movements is the best option.

We’ll break down each exercise type and their benefits in more detail right here. 

Compound vs Isolation Exercises

One choice in building your workout is between compound exercises and isolation exercises.

Compound exercises are exercises that work multiple muscle groups at the same time, like the bench press or military press.

Research shows that compound exercises are more efficient means of muscle growth because they recruit multiple muscle groups at a time. This creates greater training volume and intensity, both of which lead to greater muscle growth.

Isolation exercises are exercises that work a single muscle group at a time, like a bicep curl or tricep extension. Research suggests that isolation exercises can be useful targeting specific muscles for muscle growth, and in stressing muscles that aren't worked directly in a compound exercise.

Isolation exercises can also be particularly useful if one muscle group is lagging behind another and creating imbalances within a compound exercise that relies on the strength of multiple muscle groups.

Knowing this, when choosing between compound and isolation exercises:

• It's best to utilize compound exercises to hit more muscles at once
• Use isolation exercises to address growing a specific muscle

So, whether you choose a compound or isolation exercise will depend on what you want to accomplish, but you’ll want both to be involved in your workouts to get the best of both worlds. Variety is key!

Free Weight vs Machine Exercises

In creating your lifting routine, you'll also be faced with the decision of using free weights or machine exercises. 

Free weight exercises are exercises where the resistance is provided by a barbell, dumbbells, or any other free moving object, such as a barbell squat or a dumbbell bent-over row. The object being moved is on a free path – no cables, no attachments – nothing. Research shows that free weight exercises are useful because they recruit more muscle fibers, which is beneficial for muscle growth. This is because they require more muscles to control the path of resistance.

Machine exercises are exercises that provide resistance through a fixed path or range of motion, such as a smith machine bench press or leg press machine. While they don’t offer the same benefits as free weight exercises, machines exercises offer their own advantages, such as:

1. Safer to perform
2. Prevents improper form
3. Easier to perform

Research of resistance training does note that machines also allow for the performance of some exercises that are not practically accomplished with free weights. For example, imagine doing leg extensions with free weights! 

Knowing this, when choosing between free weight or machine exercises, it depends on the situation. It's best to utilize free weight exercises to stress your muscles more dynamically, and use machine exercises while learning a new motion or to add more weight to specific motions that are difficult to perform with free weights. 

Similar to the choice between compound and isolation exercises, using a mix of both free weight and machine exercises will allow you to get the benefits of both when it comes to muscle growth.

Unilateral vs Bilateral Exercises

A final choice you'll have to make when choosing the exercises for your workout is between unilateral and bilateral exercises. 

Bilateral exercises are exercises where you perform a motion with both sides of your body simultaneously, like an overhead press. Bilateral exercises are useful because they allow you to use greater resistance while both halves of your body work together. Bilateral exercises are also time efficient – you don't have to take the extra time to perform repetitions for each side of your body.

Unilateral exercises are exercises where you only use one side of your body independent of the other, like a dumbbell lunge or a single arm overhead press. Unilateral exercises can be useful when you have an injury that prohibits the use of an arm or a leg. Studies show that unilateral exercises also have different levels of muscle activation, which can be useful for progressive overload.

Research shows unilateral exercises are just as effective as bilateral exercises when it comes to muscle growth, so don’t worry about losing any potential strength gains or muscle growth by doing one over the other.

When choosing between unilateral and bilateral exercises, each has its own benefit for specific situations, but using a mix of both over time will help to maximize muscle growth. 

The Best Exercise Order for Muscle Growth

Once you’ve chosen what exercises you want in your workout, another important choice is picking the order of those exercises. 

While this may seem like a minor detail, research has shown that the order you do your exercises in can have significant implications on your muscle growth and overall performance.

You’ll want to prioritize the exercises that include the muscle groups that you want to grow the most in a workout. Doing those exercises earlier in your workout will lead to more muscle growth, volume, neural activation, and decrease the perceived difficulty.

We’ll break all that down in more detail here!

Exercise Order and Muscle Growth

Order affects the rate of muscle growth you'll experience from any given exercise. Research has shown that greater muscle growth occurs in muscles utilized by exercises performed earlier in workouts. In other words, if you perform your bench press before your overhead press on an upper body workout, you can expect greater muscle growth in your chest than in your shoulders.

Exercise Order and Volume

Research also shows that the volume of any given exercise decreases the later that exercise is performed in a workout. This means if you perform your bench press before your overhead press on an upper body workout, you can also expect to perform more reps on your bench press than if you were to perform it after.

Exercise Order and Neural Activation

Further, studies show that the neural activation of muscles goes down the later the exercise is in a routine. This means that exercises performed later in a workout have lower overall muscle activation and lower output of strength relative to exercises done earlier in a workout. These studies also noted that the performance of an exercise is negatively affected even if none of the exercises before it involved the same muscle groups. This means that even if you were to perform squats before your bench press, where there is no crossover in muscles involved, your bench press sets will still suffer compared to when you perform them first!

Exercise Order and Perceived Difficulty

Lastly, research shows the order of exercises can affect the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) of an exercise. In other words, where an exercise falls in a routine can affect how difficult the exercise feels. That means that how difficult your squats would even feel is more difficult if you were to perform them last in a workout rather than first.

An Example Muscle Growth Workout

To illustrate everything we’ve gone over so far, here is an example workout that satisfies all of the above criteria! We pulled this workout for day 1 of our 3 Day Maximum Muscle Growth Workout Plan.

You can see that rep count for each exercise falls within the 8-20 rep range, which corresponds to a 60-80% intensity which will lead to optimal muscle growth. 

Each of the muscle groups involved, which in this case are primarily chest, shoulders, and triceps, are hit with optimal total volume for muscle growth. For example, if we consider that the bench press, seated dumbbell overhead press, and lateral raise all hit the shoulders, the total volume would be about 66 reps, and that's well within the ideal 40-80 range. 

While performing this workout once per week would certainly lead to muscle growth, we can optimize the frequency variable by performing it twice per week.

This workout also incorporates compound, isolation, free weight, machine, and bilateral exercise types. This variety will help in speeding up muscle growth, and we can even perform some of the exercises unilaterally for more of a muscle growth benefit.

Lastly, the compound bench press and standing military press are prioritized first in the workout in order to get the most out of the compound movements, which will hit the most muscles and lead to greater overall muscle growth.

Conclusion

That wraps up our Ultimate Muscle Growth Training Guide! With the information here, you should have everything you need to train for optimal muscle growth. In this article, we covered:

• When constructing a resistance training plan for muscle growth, you should consider optimal intensity, volume, and frequency.
  • Try to keep your intensity in the range of 60-80% of your one rep maximum, which corresponds to a rep range of 8-20 reps per set.
  • The ideal weekly volume for muscle growth is in the 40-80 repetitions range.
  • A frequency of hitting a muscle group 2-3 times per week leads to the most muscle gains.

• When picking exercises for your workouts, include a combination of compound, isolation, unilateral, bilateral, free weight, and machine type movements for maximum muscle growth.
• Using a variety of the above exercise types can ensure you maximize your muscle growth.
• Prioritize exercises that you want the most gains for so they occur earlier in your workout. 

For the next step in your muscle growth journey, be sure to visit our Muscle Growth Journey page!

Frequently Asked Questions 

Here are some frequently asked questions about muscle growth training!

How should I perform each rep of (exercise name here) for maximum muscle growth? Are there any general rules for exercise technique?

While there are different techniques for every exercise, there are some general rules you should always follow in order to get the most out of any exercise and build the most amount of muscle. 

You’ll want to use the full range of motion whenever you can, put emphasis on both the eccentric and concentric motion of each repetition, and work in isometric movements occasionally to overcome plateaus in strength.

We’ll go into more detail here.

Range of Motion

One aspect to always keep in mind while performing an exercise is range of motion. Full range of motion is the full movement potential of a joint, or its range of flexion and extension. For example, in a bicep curl, the full range of motion is covered as you move your arm from a straight position to a position where it is completely bent. We’ve illustrated that in the figure below!

Research shows that full range of motion allows the maximum amount of muscle to be worked, which is the stimulus for muscle growth.

It is important to note that there are exceptions to this rule. Sometimes an injury or lack of flexibility can limit your range of motion, in which case you should only use the range of motion that is comfortable to you. Further, some exercises purposely limit the range of motion in order to add variation to an exercise or target a weak point.

Eccentric and Concentric Motion

When performing an exercise, the range of motion can be divided into two parts: the eccentric and concentric motion. 

The concentric motion of an exercise is the muscle shortening portion, while the eccentric motion is the muscle lengthening portion. 

For example, in a bicep curl, lifting the weight up and shortening the bicep is the concentric portion of the exercise, and lowering the weight back down under control and lengthening the bicep is the eccentric portion of the exercise.

Oftentimes the eccentric portion of an exercise is neglected – this is a big mistake when it comes to muscle growth. Research shows that lengthening the time spent in the eccentric portion of the exercise has been linked to increased muscle growth. This is partially because your muscles are able to sustain more weight during the eccentric portion of an exercise, so you can actually use greater resistance by isolating this part of the exercise.

So, to promote maximal muscle growth during the repetition of an exercise, attention should be paid to both concentric movements as well as eccentric movements. To ensure this, it is generally recommended to perform each repetition with a tempo of 1-2 seconds each direction, at a moderate velocity. 

Isometric Exercises

The vast majority of exercises are covered with concentric and eccentric motion, but there is actually a third time of movement (or lack thereof....) when it comes to resistance training: isometric movement.

Isometric movements are a type of strength training in which the joint angle and muscle length do not change during the exercise. These “movements” involve stationary muscle tension, like holding a heavy weight above your head or performing a plank. 

Studies show that isometric exercises can be extremely useful in a program for muscle growth, as they facilitate greater muscle recruitment than both eccentric and concentric movements.

There are primarily two types of isometric movements:

• Overcoming Isometrics: Exercises where a joint or muscle is moving against an immobile object (e.g., pushing against a wall)
• Yielding Isometrics: Exercises where a joint or muscle is held against resistance (e.g., holding up a heavy weight)

In a program designed for muscle growth, research shows you can utilize isometric movements to add variance to your routine, overcoming stalls in progress, and increase strength as well as muscle recruitment.

To really keep your muscles guessing, you can even perform overcoming isometrics at any “sticking points” within your range of motion that may need some work and extra muscle recruitment!

Can you explain the biological process of muscle growth?

Muscle growth, also known as muscular hypertrophy, is the process of making your muscles grow larger! 

Various studies show there are three primary factors that are theorized to cause muscle growth. They are:

1. Mechanical tension
2. Metabolic stress
3. Muscle damage

You can create all three of these variables with resistance training, which is why it is a great way to build muscle.

We’ll go into a bit more detail on each variable here.

Mechanical tension

One of the ingredients for muscle growth is mechanical tension.

Mechanical tension in resistance training is the force that is used to move weight in an exercise. 

For example, you create mechanical tension during a bench press in order to push the weight off of your chest. 

Chris Beardsley describes mechanical tension as the type of force that is used to try to stretch a material.

Metabolic Stress

The second variable that contributes to muscle growth is metabolic stress.

Metabolic stress training is training that maximizes blood flow in the muscle. This increased blood flow drives metabolites into the muscle, such as lactate and hydrogen, that facilitate muscle growth. 

In gym culture this increase in blood flow is called "the pump", a term popularized by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Muscle Damage

The third and final variable that contributes to muscle growth is muscle damage. While it may sound harmful, muscle damage is crucial to muscle growth! 

Through exercise, you can create small tears in your muscles. With proper rest and nutrition post-workout, your body then repairs these micro-tears and builds the muscle back, oftentimes bigger and stronger. 

How quickly can I grow muscle?

You may be wondering: just how fast can I put on muscle? The answer to this question lies in your training age. 

Your training age is how many years of optimal training you've had. This is an important concept because it has a significant correlation to how quickly you can grow more muscle.

Research has shown that those who are just beginning to practice resistance training can expect a faster rate of muscle growth, while those with a higher "training age" should expect their rate of muscle growth to slow down over time.

This means you could be able to gain 6-8 pounds of muscle in your first 3 months of training, but maybe 4-6 pounds in the following year months. 

As your training age goes up, you get closer to your 'maximum muscular potential', or your genetically predetermined level of maximum muscle mass. Research shows that the closer you get to your maximum potential from your training age, the slower the rate of muscle growth will be.

How do I find my training age?

So how do you find your training age? 

Currently there is no official way to measure training age, as it is an individual’s progression towards his or her "genetic ceiling", which cannot be empirically determined. We do have reliable methods of estimating your training age, though.

One way to estimate how close you are to your genetic ceiling is to compare your strength to the average strength of others with the same body mass. There are several algorithms that can be used to calculate this, but the Wilks Formula is widely employed in strength competitions. 

The wilks formula will give you your “Wilks Score” which is your estimate of how close you are to your maximum strength! When applying the Wilks Formula, individuals who are relatively weaker than most people with the same body mass are considered to have a younger training age, and therefore can expect a faster rate of muscle growth.

Here is a calculator to determine your Wilks Score and relative strength! That will give you an idea of your training age.

Will I lose muscle if I stop working out?

A common concern with taking time away from the gym is the risk of losing your hard earned muscle mass during your time off. Fortunately, you can rest easy knowing that the chance of you losing muscle during a week or two away from the gym has been greatly exaggerated by the online fitness community.

Research on muscle atrophy, or the decrease of muscle due to a lack of resistance training, indicates that atrophy usually only begins after 2-3 weeks of not working out. 

More than that, when atrophy does take place, studies show that the lost muscle mass will grow back more quickly than it did initially once you pick training back up. This has been hypothesized to be due to "muscle memory".

You may also notice a decrease in muscle size and strength during a short break, but fear not! Studies show that decreased muscle size during a break is mostly due to decreased glycogen storage and water retention. This is a temporary effect, and will reverse itself quickly once you resume training.

I’m following all of the guidelines, but my strength and muscle growth are stalling. What gives? 

You may find though that even with a perfect training plan and optimal performance, your muscle growth can stall from time to time. So what do you do?

In this scenario, you need to find some way to change your routine so that your muscles keep growing. You’ll want to utilize the concepts of progressive overload and periodization.

Progressive Overload

Progressive overload is the gradual increase of stress placed upon muscles during exercise training. It is central to growing bigger, stronger and more fit.

During a training program, your body adapts to a given workload over time. Studies show that as the body adapts to a particular exercise, it becomes easier to perform and less muscle mass is recruited. 

In other words, after you do the same exercise for multiple workouts, your muscles get used to the exercise and they don't work as hard. With lower muscle recruitment, less muscle growth occurs. Progressive overload is the key to keep that muscle growth going!

In other words, progressive overload helps prevent your muscles from getting too used to any particular exercise which helps to continually increase muscle growth.

So how can you implement progressive overload in your workouts? In resistance training, there are a number of ways to introduce progressive overload. Below are some of the most popular methods:

1. Keep changing your exercise intensity – or the weight you use for an exercise.
2. Adjust the volume of work you are doing, or the number of repetitions you perform for an exercise
3. Change the frequency of an exercise, or how many times you perform it in a given week.
4. Change the tempo of how you perform your exercise reps- vary between a faster tempo and a slower tempo every few workouts to keep your muscles guessing
5. Alter your rest between sets and exercises – changing between less rest and more rest will hit your muscles differently

So if you’ve found yourself stalling, you can implement progressive overload by changing one or more of these variables! Whether it's the weight, number of repetitions, frequency, tempo, or rest time, introducing change will force your muscles to adapt and keep growing.

Periodization

The second key to keeping your muscles growing is periodization. 

Periodization is a system you can use to repeatedly introduce progressive overload. You just learned about the variables you would alter to introduce progressive overload – periodization is a system you would use to introduce those variables over time. 

There are three commonly used periodization models that have been proven successful. These models focus primarily on changing the intensity and volume of your workouts:

• Classic Model of Periodization (Fig A, Graph 1) – In this model of periodization, a resistance training program begins with high initial volume (repetitions) and low intensity (weight) and, over time, shifts to a lower volume and higher intensity workout.
• Reverse Model of Periodization (Fig A, Graph 2) – In this model of periodization, initial resistance training is performed at high intensity (weight) and low volume (reps), and gradually is shifted to a low intensity and high volume workout.
• Undulating Model of Periodization (Fig A, Graph 3) – This model of periodization utilizes a variety of volume (reps) and intensity (weight) levels within a given training phase. Instead of focusing on a certain volume or intensity level during a period of time, the undulating model utilizes a range of volume and intensity throughout a workout regimen. Over the course of a year, month, or even a week, you would switch between high volume-low intensity and low volume-high intensity workouts.

Each model of periodization has been shown to be effective when it comes to muscle growth so you can choose whichever model you prefer. By varying the volume and intensity of your training regimen over time, your muscles are forced to constantly adapt to new stimuli, and therefore, continue to grow!

How often should I workout the same muscle group/exercise?

It has been shown that it typically takes at least 48 hours to properly recover from an exercise. Protein synthesis peaks about 24 hours after exercise, so performing the same exercise within a 48 hour window breaks down muscle that has not yet recovered or grown since the last time it was exercised

With this said, it's recommended that you give your muscles 48 hours of rest before exercising the same muscle group again.

For example, if you hit leg day and did squats on Monday, hold off on another leg day until at least Thursday or later.

Should I ever take time off from training? If so, how often? 

Absolutely! Believe it or not, though, stopping to take a rest every once in a while is not only acceptable, it’s recommended if you want to keep your muscles growing as quickly as possible.

It may sound hard to believe, but well-timed rest and recovery are paramount if you want to stay at 100% and stay in your workout rhythm.

Recovery is an important variable in any training plan. Studies show that muscle growth occurs during recovery from resistance training, so adequate rest is essential.

What happens if I never take time off from lifting? 

Without proper recovery time, you risk overtraining. Overtraining is defined as exceeding your body's ability to recover from strenuous training. 

Overtraining is associated with numerous harmful and deleterious symptoms. Studies have shown that someone suffering from overtraining will experience fatigue, decreased physical performance, lower motivation, worsened mood, poor sleep quality, and general disturbances in their hormonal, psychological, and neurological systems.

In serious cases, it can take weeks and sometimes even months to fully recover from overtraining. Milder cases of overtraining (known as "overreaching") usually only take a few days to recover from. 

You can avoid overtraining with proper sleep and nutrition, incorporating deload weeks into your regimen, and making sure to take time off if you begin to feel any symptoms of overtraining. 

Taking a week off may feel unproductive, but in the long run, avoiding overtraining will allow you to maximize your time in the gym and ensure you are making as much progress as possible.

What should I do outside of training to build as much muscle as possible?

Building muscle requires optimal training, nutrition, and sleep. 

For the big picture on how to build muscle, head on over to our Muscle Growth Journey page. We built this so you have absolutely all of the information you need to build muscle in one place. 

References and Useful Research

1. Baechle, Thomas R.; Earle, Roger W., eds. (2008). Essentials of strength training and conditioning (3rd ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. ISBN 978-0-7360-5803-2. Link
2. Schoenfeld BJ. The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. J. Strength Cond. Res. Oct 2010;24(10):2857–2872. Link
3. Mccall GE, Byrnes WC, Dickinson A, Pattany PM, Fleck SJ. Muscle fiber hypertrophy, hyperplasia, and capillary density in college men after resistance training. J Appl Physiol. 1996;81(5):2004-12. Link
4. Staron RS, Karapondo DL, Kraemer WJ, et al. Skeletal muscle adaptations during early phase of heavy-resistance training in men and women. J Appl Physiol. 1994;76(3):1247-55. Link
5. Fry AC. The Role of Resistance Exercise Intensity on Muscle Fibre Adaptations. Sports Medicine. 2004;34(10):663-679. doi:10.2165/00007256-200434100-00004 Link
6. Cureton KJ, Collins MA, Hill DW, Mcelhannon FM. Muscle hypertrophy in men and women. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1988;20(4):338-44. Link
7. Kraemer WJ, Ratamess NA. Fundamentals of resistance training: progression and exercise prescription. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004;36(4):674-88. Link
8. Anderson T, Kearney JT. Effects of three resistance training programs on muscular strength and absolute and relative
   endurance. Res Q Exerc Sport. 1982;53(1):1-7. Link
9. Campos GE, Luecke TJ, Wendeln HK, et al. Muscular adaptations in response to three different resistance-training regimens: specificity of repetition maximum training zones. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2002;88(1-2):50-60. Link
10. Stone WJ, Coulter SP. Strength/Endurance Effects From Three Resistance Training Protocols With Women. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 1994;8(4). https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/1994/11000/Strength_Endurance_Effects_From_Three_Resistance.5.aspx. Link
11. Weiss LW, Conex HD, Clark FC. Differential Functional Adaptations to Short-Term Low-, Moderate-, and High-Repetition Weight Training. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 1999;13(3). https://journals.lww.com/nsca jscr/Fulltext/1999/08000/Differential_Functional_Adaptations_to_Short_Term.10.aspx. Link
12. Tran QT, Docherty D, Behm D. The effects of varying time under tension and volume load on acute neuromuscular responses. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2006;98(4):402-10. Link
13. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med
    Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708. Link
14. Figueiredo VC, De salles BF, Trajano GS. Volume for Muscle Hypertrophy and Health Outcomes: The Most Effective Variable in Resistance Training. Sports Med. 2018;48(3):499-505. Link
15. Wernbom M, Augustsson J, Thomeé R. The influence of frequency, intensity, volume and mode of strength training on whole muscle cross-sectional area in humans. Sports Med. 2007;37(3):225-64. Link
16. Ferreira DV, Gentil P, Soares SRS, Bottaro M. Recovery of pectoralis major and triceps brachii after bench press exercise. Muscle Nerve. 2017;56(5):963-967. Link
17. Ogasawara R, Yasuda T, Ishii N, Abe T. Comparison of muscle hypertrophy following 6-month of continuous and periodic strength training. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2013;113(4):975-85. Link
18. Dankel SJ, Mattocks KT, Jessee MB, et al. Frequency: The Overlooked Resistance Training Variable for Inducing Muscle Hypertrophy?. Sports Med. 2017;47(5):799-805. Link
19. Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2016;46(11):1689-1697. Link
20. Aragon, A. (2018). AARR | Alan Aragon. [online] Alanaragon.com. Available at: https://alanaragon.com/aarr/ [Accessed 26 Jul. 2018]. Link
21. Butt, C. (2011). The WeighTrainer – Your Maximum Muscular Bodyweight and Measurements. [online] Weightrainer.net. Available at: http://www.weightrainer.net/potential.html [Accessed 26 Jul. 2018]. Link
22. Garthe I, Raastad T, Refsnes PE, Sundgot-borgen J. Effect of nutritional intervention on body composition and performance in elite athletes. Eur J Sport Sci. 2013;13(3):295-303. Link
23. Helms, E. (2014). What Can be achieved as a Natural Bodybuilder? [online] Alanaragonblog.com Available at: http://www.alanaragonblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Aug-2014-AARR-Eric-Helms-Article. Accessed July 26, 2018. Link
24. McDonald, L. (2009). What’s My Genetic Muscular Potential?. [online] Bodyrecomposition. Available at: https://bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/whats-my-genetic-muscular-potential.html/ [Accessed 26 Jul. 2018]. Link
25. Vanderburgh PM, Batterham AM. Validation of the Wilks powerlifting formula. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1999;31(12):1869-75. Link
26. Ogasawara R, Yasuda T, Ishii N, Abe T. Comparison of muscle hypertrophy following 6-month of continuous and periodic strength training. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2013;113(4):975-85. Link
27. Dankel SJ, Mattocks KT, Jessee MB, et al. Frequency: The Overlooked Resistance Training Variable for Inducing Muscle Hypertrophy?. Sports Med. 2017;47(5):799-805. Link
28. Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy:
    A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2016;46(11):1689-1697. Link
29. Gentil P, Soares S, Bottaro M. Single vs. Multi-Joint Resistance Exercises: Effects on Muscle Strength and
    Hypertrophy. Asian J Sports Med. 2015;6(2):e24057. Link
30. De frança HS, Branco PA, Guedes junior DP, Gentil P, Steele J, Teixeira CV. The effects of adding single-joint exercises to a multi-joint exercise resistance training program on upper body muscle strength and size in trained men. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2015;40(8):822-6. Link
31. Gentil P, Fisher J, Steele J. A Review of the Acute Effects and Long-Term Adaptations of Single- and Multi-Joint Exercises during Resistance Training. Sports Med. 2017;47(5):843-855. Link
32. McCaw ST, Friday JJ. A Comparison of Muscle Activity Between a Free Weight and Machine Bench Press. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 1994;8(4). https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/1994/11000/A_Comparison_of_Muscle_Activity_Between_a_Free.11.aspx. Link
33. Mazzetti SA, Kraemer WJ, Volek JS, et al. The influence of direct supervision of resistance training on strength
    performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000;32(6):1175-84. Link
34. Willoughby, Scott D, Gillespie J. A Comparison of Isotonic Free Weights and Omnikinetic Exercise Machines on Strength.; 2018. Link
35. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708. Link
36. Mccurdy KW, Langford GA, Doscher MW, Wiley LP, Mallard KG. The effects of short-term unilateral and bilateral lower-body resistance training on measures of strength and power. J Strength Cond Res. 2005;19(1):9-15. Link
37. Mujika I, Padilla S. Detraining: loss of training-induced physiological and performance adaptations. Part II: Long term insufficient training stimulus. Sports Med. 2000;30(3):145-54. Link
38. Spreuwenberg LP, Kraemer WJ, Spiering BA, et al. Influence of exercise order in a resistance-training exercise session. J Strength Cond Res. 2006;20(1):141-4. Link
39. Miranda H, Simão R, Dos santos vigário P, De salles BF, Pacheco MT, Willardson JM. Exercise order interacts with rest interval during upper-body resistance exercise. J Strength Cond Res. 2010;24(6):1573-7. Link
40. Simão R, De salles BF, Figueiredo T, Dias I, Willardson JM. Exercise order in resistance training. Sports Med. 2012;42(3):251-65. Link
41. Soncin R, Pennone J, Guimarães TM, Mezêncio B, Amadio AC, Serrão JC. Influence of exercise order on electromyographic activity during upper body resistance training. J Hum Kinet. 2014;44:203-10. Link
42. Romano N, Vilaça-alves J, Fernandes HM, et al. Effects of resistance exercise order on the number of repetitions performed to failure and perceived exertion in untrained young males. J Hum Kinet. 2013;39:177-83. Link
43. Dias I, De salles BF, Novaes J, Costa PB, Simão R. Influence of exercise order on maximum strength in untrained young men. J Sci Med Sport. 2010;13(1):65-9. Link
44. Pinto RS, Gomes N, Radaelli R, Botton CE, Brown LE, Bottaro M. Effect of range of motion on muscle strength and thickness. J Strength Cond Res. 2012;26(8):2140-5. Link
45. Massey CD, Vincent J, Maneval M, Johnson JT. Influence of range of motion in resistance training in women: early phase adaptations. J Strength Cond Res. 2005;19(2):409-11 Link
46. Mcmahon GE, Morse CI, Burden A, Winwood K, Onambélé GL. Impact of range of motion during ecologically valid resistance training protocols on muscle size, subcutaneous fat, and strength. J Strength Cond Res. 2014;28(1):245-55. Link
47. Dudley GA, Tesch PA, Miller BJ, Buchanan P. Importance of eccentric actions in performance adaptations to resistance training. Aviat Space Environ Med. 1991;62(6):543-50. Link
48. Farthing JP, Chilibeck PD. The effects of eccentric and concentric training at different velocities on muscle hypertrophy. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2003;89(6):578-86. Link
49. Hather BM, Tesch PA, Buchanan P, Dudley GA. Influence of eccentric actions on skeletal muscle adaptations to resistance training. Acta Physiol Scand. 1991;143(2):177-85. Link
50. Komi PV, Kaneko M, Aura O. EMG activity of the leg extensor muscles with special reference to mechanical efficiency in concentric and eccentric exercise. Int J Sports Med. 1987;8 Suppl 1:22-9. Link
51. Bonde-petersen F, Knuttgen HG, Henriksson J. Muscle metabolism during exercise with concentric and eccentric contractions. J Appl Physiol. 1972;33(6):792-5. Link
52. Schaefer LV, Bittmann FN. Are there two forms of isometric muscle action? Results of the experimental study support a distinction between a holding and a pushing isometric muscle function. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2017;9:11. Link
53. Lindh M. Increase of muscle strength from isometric quadriceps exercises at different knee angles. Scand J Rehabil Med. 1979;11(1):33-6. Link
54. Jackson A, Jackson T, Hnatek J, West J. Strength Development: Using Functional Isometrics in an Isotonic Strength Training Program. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. 1985;56(3):234-237. doi:10.1080/02701367.1985.10605368 Link
55. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708. Link
56. Rhea MR, Alderman BL. A meta-analysis of periodized versus nonperiodized strength and power training programs. ResQ Exerc Sport. 2004;75(4):413-22. Link
57. Ploutz LL, Tesch PA, Biro RL, Dudley GA. Effect of resistance training on muscle use during exercise. J Appl Physiol.1994;76(4):1675-81. Link
58. Stone MH, Potteiger Ja, Pierce Kc, et al. Comparison of the Effects of Three Different Weight-Training Programs on the One Repetition Maximum Squat. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 2000;14(3). https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2000/08000/Comparison_of_the_Effects_of_Three_Different.15.aspx. Link
59. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708. Link
60. Stone MH, Potteiger Ja, Pierce Kc, et al. Comparison of the Effects of Three Different Weight-Training Programs on the One Repetition Maximum Squat. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 2000;14(3). https://journals.lww.com/nsca jscr/Fulltext/2000/08000/Comparison_of_the_Effects_of_Three_Different.15.aspx. Link
61. Baker D, Wilson G, Carlyon R. Periodization: The Effect on Strength of Manipulating Volume and Intensity. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 1994;8(4). https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/1994/11000/Periodization__The_Effect_on_Strength_of.6.aspx. Link
62. Jones EJ, Bishop PA, Richardson MT, Smith JF. Stability of a practical measure of recovery from resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2006;20(4):756-9. Link
63. Zourdos MC, Jo E, Khamoui AV, et al. Modified Daily Undulating Periodization Model Produces Greater Performance Than a Traditional Configuration in Powerlifters. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(3):784-91. Link
64. Jones EJ, Bishop PA, Richardson MT, Smith JF. Stability of a practical measure of recovery from resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2006;20(4):756-9. Link
65. Korak J, Green J, O’Neal E. Resistance Training Recovery: Considerations For Single Vs. Multi-Joint Movements And Upper Vs. Lower Body Muscles. Vol 8.; 2015. doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000493760.95261.f6 Link
66. Kuipers H, Keizer HA. Overtraining in elite athletes. Review and directions for the future. Sports Med. 1988;6(2):79-92. Link
67. Fry AC, Kraemer WJ. Resistance exercise overtraining and overreaching. Neuroendocrine responses. Sports Med. 1997;23(2):106-29. Link
68. Kreher JB, Schwartz JB. Overtraining syndrome: a practical guide. Sports Health. 2012;4(2):128-38. Link
69. Hortobágyi T, Houmard JA, Stevenson JR, Fraser DD, Johns RA, Israel RG. The effects of detraining on power athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1993;25(8):929-35. Link
70. Jespersen JG, Nedergaard A, Andersen LL, Schjerling P, Andersen JL. Myostatin expression during human muscle hypertrophy and subsequent atrophy: increased myostatin with detraining. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2011;21(2):215-23 Link
71. Hwang PS, Andre TL, McKinley-Barnard SK, et al. Resistance Training-Induced Elevations in Muscular Strength in Trained Men Are Maintained After 2 Weeks of Detraining and Not Differentially Affected by Whey Protein Supplementation. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 2017;31(4). https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2017/04000/Resistance_Training_Induced_Elevations_in_Muscular.1.aspx. Link
72. Kadi F, Thornell LE. Concomitant increases in myonuclear and satellite cell content in female trapezius muscle following strength training. Histochem Cell Biol. 2000;113(2):99-103. Link
73. Gundersen K. Muscle memory and a new cellular model for muscle atrophy and hypertrophy. J Exp Biol. 2016;219(Pt 2):235-42. Link
74. Kadi F, Schjerling P, Andersen LL, et al. The effects of heavy resistance training and detraining on satellite cells in human skeletal muscles. J Physiol (Lond). 2004;558(Pt 3):1005-12. Link
75. Bellamy LM, Joanisse S, Grubb A, et al. The acute satellite cell response and skeletal muscle hypertrophy following resistance training. PLoS ONE. 2014;9(10):e109739. Link
76. Petrella JK, Kim JS, Mayhew DL, Cross JM, Bamman MM. Potent myofiber hypertrophy during resistance training in humans is associated with satellite cell-mediated myonuclear addition: a cluster analysis. J Appl Physiol. 2008;104(6):1736-42. Link
77. Costill DL, Fink WJ, Hargreaves M, King DS, Thomas R, Fielding R. Metabolic characteristics of skeletal muscle during detraining from competitive swimming. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1985;17(3):339-43. Link
78. Mujika I, Padilla S. Detraining: loss of training-induced physiological and performance adaptations. Part I: short term insufficient training stimulus. Sports Med. 2000;30(2):79-87. Link
79. Mujika I, Padilla S. Cardiorespiratory and metabolic characteristics of detraining in humans. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001;33(3):413-21. Link
80. Knuiman P, Hopman MT, Mensink M. Glycogen availability and skeletal muscle adaptations with endurance and resistance exercise. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2015;12:59. Link
81. Fisher, James & Steele, James & Smith, Dave. (2013). Evidence-Based Resistance Training Recommendations for Muscular Hypertrophy. Medicina Sportiva. 17. 217-235. 10.5604/17342260.1081302. Link
82. Ogasawara, Riki & Kobayashi, Koji & Tsutaki, Arata & Lee, Kihyuk & Abe, Takashi & Fujita, Satoshi & Nakazato, Koichi & Ishii, Naokata. (2013). MTOR signaling response to resistance exercise is altered by chronic resistance training and detraining in skeletal muscle. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985). 114. 10.1152/japplphysiol.01161.2012. Link
83. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20847704/ 
84. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8941522 
85. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17326698/ 
86. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27677913 
87. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15705051 
88. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20508461 
89. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22292516 
90. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8045847 
91. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19204579 
92. https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1653&context=ijes 
93. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3062735 
94. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23016079 
95. http://www.alanaragonblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Aug-2014-AARR-Eric-Helms-Article.pdf 
96. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228830087_Evidence-Based_Resistance_Training_Recommendations 
97. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02701367.1982.10605218