The SIMPLEST Way To GAIN MUSCLE (ft Dr. Brad Schoenfeld)

[@Dirk_van_Tonder]

Ever since i recently developed triceps tendonitis, early stage tennis elbow and rotator cuff injury from chasing 15-20 sets per muscle per week with high frequency, i learned a humble lesson in the importance of recovery. Nothing wrong with training a muscle group once per week, 6-10 good quality sets. Your joints and tendons will sincerely thank you, and you will have a life outside of the gym

[@philosophyandhappiness2001]

This. It's pointless to focus on the "optimal growth range" if your body can't recover from it. The most optimal routine is one you can stick with and recover from

[@n1ck72]

Injury has nothing to do with volume, u cope so fcking bad. U must ego lift / your technique is probably horrible ( u jerk and jank off the weights up and down, no control what so ever ) / or you use heavier weights than you should. :) So again volume has nothing to do with injuries. I started do to volume back again now after doing HIT (like Mentzer) and you cannot even compare the two. No more pain, no more chronic fatigue, better gains, better pumps, pretty much better in any way possible. I fixed my elbow and knee pains. :)

[@bibastarmedia9650]

​@@n1ck72 Depends on the weights you are lifting, but what you do now is a good training way as well. Most important is the improvement progress, if it gives you some progress.

[@n1ck72]

@@bibastarmedia9650 Oh it is. For the past few weeks I progress from session to session. I don't really manage to hit all muscles twice per week, but it does work wonders. Also the new way of training with better exercise choice for the maximum resistance on the stretched muscle is just mental. It doesn't fck up your nervous system so hard but the gains and the pump. Omg.

[@n1ck72]

@@bibastarmedia9650 About the weights. U don't go with sissy weight, but not with the Ego weights. I pick something that I can do at least 8 good ass reps with 1RIR and go from there to 15. When I reach 15, I go heavier with 2.5 kg or 5 kg depending on what I do.

[@JezzaN1]

The scientists running these experiments really need to get me in the lab, to see just how little gains a human being can acquire on these levels of volume

[@bibastarmedia9650]

These scientists also need someone to show something new vs already known things.

[@joojotin]

What is the minimum volume you can progress on? I would bet if you did low volume 1 set per day, every other day or everyday, that would be more than enough. Have you ever tried either of those? I my self cant recover from higher volumes 10 sets a week is way too much for every muscle group training to failure.

[@cole_p_warren]

@@joojotin 3DMJ has a video with Eric Helms and Jeff Alberts talking about some of the nuance behind why they train with different volumes. A lot of it is based on a hypothesis that high responders to training can also be high responders to fatigue, so while it saves time it kinda cancels out some of the benefits of being a high responder.

[@joojotin]

@@cole_p_warren I have seen that video and I definetely agree there is many individual components. That hypothesis sounds odd. What is meant by high responder to fatigue? That could mean couple different things.

[@cole_p_warren]

@@joojotin good point. I'm guessing connective tissue fatigue since CNS fatigue in a lifting context is more or less debunked. Systemic fatigue seems anecdotally recognized but I've heard some folks on the evidence based space be skeptical of it, like Menno.

[@jaymills1720]

Appreciate you guys interviewing him a lot! Love the individual responses stipulation. For too long I chased 20+ sets a week per muscle and do better on 8-15

[@alexandrekouki4436]

True in fact i feel like anywhere from 6-16 sets IS optimal. 16 more so for Back or weak points and 6 for strong points ( muscles that grow easily ). Keep in mind that these are sets taking close or to failure and also WE gotta keep in mind that most of us work and have a life outside of the gym, a family Friends ... so WE do not have the Time and recovery ability like these fitness influencers whose life revolver around optimizing fitness claiming that you need to do 20+ sets per week to grow. And over the years WE will all come to the conclusion that 3-4 workouts a week work best for majority of people.

[@jaymills1720]

@@alexandrekouki4436 yes I also enjoy running and doing other activities in addition to working 6 days a week. So I’ve overtrained several times and it’s brutal all because I was neurotic chasing “opitmal” volume

[@KevinLuWX]

@@alexandrekouki4436 It's not "optimal" but merely almost as good. The literature still shows that 20+ to failure is better than 10-20 or 5-10.

[@alexandrekouki4436]

@@KevinLuWX i Said optimal given the circumstances of most people. In a perfect World where everyone Can dedicate him/her self to the gym without exterior contraints you would be right. Oh and BTW in a lot of these studies the people used are athletes or have a very heavy sport past so from a young age they développed a way higher work capacity than most average people who were not so active so in that regard the results about training volume are skewed/biased toward those who Can naturaly handle more volume so that tells us that for average people volume requierement might be lower than WE intially tought. And lastly often in these studies the sample sizes are small ( usually around 20-40 people ) and the duration IS short ( 12 weeks usually ) so unless WE have a 5 year long study with a 300 people sample it is hard to draw accurate conclusions. Oh and BTW before i forget these 6-16 sets recommandation Come from a french renouned coach called Rudy coia who coached one on one 2000 people in the last 20 years so make of that what you will. If you want a more "american" example that you Can relate to check out Jeff alberts arguably one the best natural bodybuilders ever and a science based Guy who is a Friend and a mentor of the likes of Eric Helms and yet Jeff alberts did roughly 6-8 sets per week per bodypart in almost his entire carreer and that what Works best for him so i don't think he his far from the truth given his immense expérience.

[@kuba37571]

@@KevinLuWX Are you sure it's to failure and not 0-2 RIR (or even 1-3 RIR)?

[@PoorlySoup]

These minimum effective dose conversations are SO important. Ive only seen Jeff Nippard really talk about it once, and his recommendations on minimalist training are what got me in the gym to begin with. My workouts are a more time consuming and complicated mow, but only because i enjoy chasing marginal gains. Minimalist training can help so many more people get their foot in the door!

[@venturacabecao]

Agree. How many people would receive health gains with this time flexibilization approach...

[@bradseidl357]

He hit the nail on the head when he said that science has made things more flexible. Before I found the good science, I always had the "bro" science mindset of "always to failure" and thinking that muscle gains is all about the weight on the bar. And also thinking the "squeeze" of the muscle is where the growth is. Sure, I made good gains for my genetics but was still frustrated through the years, thinking I had more potential. When I discovered the science, the nerd in me got really excited, so I implemented a program focusing on certain things like the "stretch," volume, and lengthened partials,etc. I also used rep ranges up to 30, which made certain muscles respond really well. Before, i would never consider going more than 12 reps. My mind is blown that at 43, I gained 5 lbs of muscle in 8 months. I love science!

[@rudiarius]

Hi bradseidl357, could you tell me which muscles responded well to higher rep ranges? And if you do high reps you do only one set or more like 3x30?

[@organiced9805]

👋

[@bradseidl357]

@@rudiarius Sure! Everyone will respond differently, but I'll tell you what is working for me. I found that my biceps, triceps, and side delts respond really well within a rep range of 10 to 20 reps. My calves and forearms respond well to a rep range of 20 to 30 reps. The amount of sets I do doesn't depend on the rep range. I typically do at least 8-12 sets per week for a giving muscle group spread between 3 to 5 sessions. Even up to 20 sets per week for ones I'm prioritizing. Another thing I do that is really working well for me is what's known as double progression. Every week I try to get at least one more rep for a given exercise. This could be 1 more rep on the first set or any downstream sets. Once I get to a certain amount of reps on my first set, then I will increase the weight. Example: Last week Monday my bicep curl sets looked like this 1. 14 reps 2. 9 3. 8 4. 7 This week I managed to get 15 reps on the first set. 15 reps is at the top of my rep range so next week I will increase the weight and use the new weight until I can get 15 reps, then repeat. 1. 15 2. 10 3. 8 4. 7 Another benefit I found for using certain rep ranges for certain muscles groups is joint health. When we use load to stress and stimulate a muscle, by consequence connective tissues like joints, tendons, etc. are also stressed. This is where playing with different rep ranges is important. I'm sure my forearms would respond really well if I did wrist curls for sets of 12. However, the load required to fatigue my forearms with 12 reps is too much for my wrist joints. While my forearms may recover in time for the next session, my wrist joints won't, and this can lead to injury and even chronic issues. However, when I use a lighter load where it takes between 20 and 30 reps for my forearms to fatigue, the load is not too heavy for my joints and they can remain healthy. This is a similar situation with my biceps. If I use a load that fatigues my biceps in 8 or less reps, my bicep tendon feels like it's going to tear and I develop things like golfers elbow. But if I use a lighter load where I can get at least 10 reps, my tendons feels great while also getting a really good bicep stimulus.

[@Shatter84]

​@@bradseidl357 We sound like we're in similar places, maybe for different reasons. Recently turned 40 and I am returning from knee surgery so I have decided to reset everything. Taking the weight off the bar and increasing reps would've been a massive ego check ten years ago but now I couldn't care less. I want to build something good but sustainable. I reckon I'm doing about 60% of the load but a lot slower and a lot deeper. My joints are much happier and I'm getting the newbie DOMS.

[@bradseidl357]

@@Shatter84 Great to hear! An injury I had last year made me do a reset too. For the last decade or so, I focused mainly on weight of the bar, trying to get as strong as possible. That was cool and all until I injured my SI joint squatting about a year ago. Luckily, I came across Mike Israetel and Milo Wolf which broke down the newer science of hypertrophy. That was a game changer. Now I'm just going to focus on hypertrophy while keeping loads as light as possible to keep the rest of my body healthy. I have to remind myself that I'm in my 40s now and heavy loads are more risky and not worth it in my case.

[@PeteKona]

I went from training every body part 12-16 sets per week, to training it once every 10 days and down to 6 sets to all out failure. I've had more muscle growth in the last 6 months doing low volume high intensity training than I did in a year of high volume medium to high intensity training. The bigger and stronger you are, the more recovery time you need (if you're a natty). Yes it's really that simple..

[@MSEDable]

That's interesting, thank you for sharing. Could it be possible that you give more info on your program please? I would like to reduce the volume I am doing to save a bit of time during my week..

[@merogaro7197]

Remember recovery is a big part of gains.

[@ognjenvesic9515]

Well said. But for me 6 sets to failure is still to much. I do one or two. Usually once a week. My joints thank me.

[@MSEDable]

@@ognjenvesic9515 But how many sets per muscle do you do per week?

[@Borderbeach]

I dropped from 10-20 sets a week to 6-8 every 4-7 days and haven't been sick as much as before and got better strength gains too. A lot better for natties.

[@UkeMaster9000]

When is the Brad Schoenfeld piano recital

[@Spreadlove5683]

I want to get the joke

[@TheGreektrojan]

@@Spreadlove5683 Its referring to the piano in the background with sheet music on it.

[@davidthomas9960]

He used to post stuff on his Instagram stories all the time. I think his sister is a musician too

[@soofitnsexy]

@@TheGreektrojan lmaoooooo

[@Flint9250]

This is even more important to keep in mind as a generalist athlete. I always feel my best with a nearly 1:1 ratio between lifting and running. Whenever I swing too far in one direction, I either don’t feel as energized (not enough running), or I more easily accumulate wear and tear (not enough lifting). Maintaining my balance entails time and fatigue management. I can’t accommodate 20 sets per muscle group or 50 weekly miles without some serious sacrifices. I’d rather reap 80% of my gains by halving that volume and being consistent. :)

[@Mikey__R]

Isn't that the truth! It's all a compromise, especially when you want to do a bit of everything and especially especially if you don't want to be falling asleep at your desk at work.

[@katarh]

Exactly - the caveats in there are that if you are a bodybuilder and gains > anything else, then chasing those margins are important. The vast majority of us are not competitive bodybuilders. I'm just a middle aged woman who was tired of being weak so picked up serious lifting a few years ago. 8-10 sets a week is what my coach has me doing, and it's been enough to skyrocket my gains such that I've double the numbers year over year. Now I'm late intermediate and the newbie gains are gone, but I'm still seeing nice progress without hammering at super high volumes, except on whatever specific exercise I'm specifically trying to get hypertrophy on for the moment (shoulders right now. He thinks my delts are too narrow for the rest of my frame. So I have higher volume shoulder homework, just an extra set on the weekend. Easy enough to do at home.)

[@horednaxela6919]

What I really admire about Dr. Brad is that he follows the data and the evidence even if it may overturn conventional thinking as in the case of rep ranges for hypertrophy and failure training for example

[@Darknight526]

Great video, Dr. Schoenfeld always has amazing insights as he is the go to man for this type of knowledge. Thanks Dr. Pak for interviewing him, shout out SBS Crew.

[@ramon6754]

I did find that going from 120sec rest to 90sec was hard at first but within a few weeks was back to doing same reps with that reduced recovery time

[@honeybrew5063]

Most of the time 8-12 Sets/week gives me the best results. But a few times per year I go up to 18-22 Sets. Always doing up to 20 Sets is just crazy. Either you compromise technique, intensity or you just don't recover and beat a dead horse over and over

[@JimWestrich]

Thank you Dr. Lecter

[@craiglyall4632]

I have trained for over 30 years last 8 weeks kept to one all out set and stopped adding extra sets some partials to finish and definitely have more energy able to do more one legged exercises etc and some weights actually gone up for first time in long while. I throw in a 100 rep set end of each bodypart light weight obviously and defo noticing a difference

[@midnite1235]

That is an interesting workout! The 100 reps at the end are Awesome!

[@craiglyall4632]

​Gives that burn and pump to finish and actually towards the end able to squeeze muscle more​@@midnite1235

[@GUITARTIME2024]

100 rep chick weight BS. Hit the Smith machine chief. I bet im your age. Smith machine gives best gains.

[@craiglyall4632]

I do Smith machine squats last leg exercise 15 reps 70 kilos a side medium pace train naturally 55 years old so bet you can't do more than that. OK ​@@GUITARTIME2024

[@craiglyall4632]

Quads that is for last post​@@GUITARTIME2024

[@christoph4977]

This is extremely helpful information also for people like me, who not only go to the gym but also do other types of sports. In my case, I do Jiu Jitsu twice a week and can only do two more gym sessions, before I run out of time and would have to sacrifice work or family time. So I need to get the best out of those two gym days for maintaining muscle and maintaining/gaining strength. Thank you for addressing this.

[@feelingthislife]

Id like to see an example, visually, with measurments and tests regarding the differences in a "slow responder" vs a "quick responder"

[@grottphd9090]

It's all in these studies already. Just compare the outliers

[@johncalla2151]

Couple of studies: _High responders to resistance exercise training demonstrate differential regulation of skeletal muscle microRNA expression_; Peter K. Davidsen, et al (2011) _Physiological Differences Between Low Versus High Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophic Responders to Resistance Exercise Training: Current Perspectives and Future Research Directions_; Michael D. Roberts, et al (2018) Of course the training programs used can influence the results. Low responders might do better with a different training style. But you could also say that high responders might do better with a more optimized program than what's used in the studies. Here's a new study without any measurement data about low vs. high responders but does fish out quite a few of the genetic SNPs involved in the differences: _Genome-wide association study of exercise-induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy and the construction of predictive model_; Xiaolin Yang (2024) It seems that there could be quite a large variance if there's a favorable (or unfavorable) combination of the several SNPs. And these are just the ones that were identified. The Davidsen study above used 56 college-aged men and compared the bottom 9 and top 8 responders after 12 weeks of a 5x / week full-body resistance training program. In terms of LBM gains, the average for low responders was 1.2 kg and the average for high responders was 4.5 kg. The lowest responder was just above 0 kg and the highest just above 6 kg. And this is a very small subject size of course, and different training methods could have different results. Figure 3 shows the LBM gains for each of the 17 subjects studied. The Roberts review of studies has a nice Table 1 summarizing some of the other studies. It's good to see some studies trying to find the genetic factors involved.

[@Psilocin-City]

Yeah it just means someone that sees the results in any given study quickly versus not at all or much later

[@johncalla2151]

I wrote a reply for you with some studies but for some reason it was deleted.

[@stevedarbouze4369]

It’s intensity, time under tension, and moderate to high volume that grows muscle and depending on the muscle and excercises partials and eccentrics as well. The question is just how much of all of these things do you need and how frequent should you be doing them. In theory we can probably create a hypertrophy program that puts on muscle much faster if we can just isolate the few keys that grow muscle faster and just do that We really don’t know the exact answers We have good estimates. But We still don’t have super definitive studies that just isolate a couple things super definitively.

[@styx85]

This is super important stuff, perhaps especially for the neurotic perfectionists like myself. I've been trying way too hard to maximize gains, which always leads me down the path of spending too much time in the gym, spending too much effort tracking my diet, and eventually burning out on the whole thing because it's not compatible with having much of a real life. Only to take it up again the next year or whatever. I'd be _much_ stronger and fitter if I'd just been consistently mediocre.

[@bradreid6057]

A Two docs question. So, let's assume that a healthy 18 year old male who weighs 185 lbs., athletic in the "PE class" sense but never weight trained per se, that he could likely do a strict barbell curl with 100 lbs. within 12 weeks of training. But, for 999 out of a 1000, a subject will NEVER be able to advance to a 200 lbs. strict curl if training continues indefinitely. So, I mention curl because it's essentially an isolated muscle contraction (biceps) with a simple execution learning curve. But, no amount of ANY sort of exercise program will ever result in a 100% gain beyond the 12 weeks result. *** So, do your comments on making progress training, one way or another, more accurately mean pulsing up to and backing off repeatedly from strength and/or muscular peaks? You are not suggesting rather endless progress in strength and/or size are you?

[@katarh]

They refer to "genetic potential" a lot of times in the podcast. There is always a maximum upper limit to force output on any given individual human. But to use your own terms, 999/1000 people won't ever reach that maximum because they either don't train, or they don't know how to train to reach it.

[@bradreid6057]

@@katarh I do get your point about their use of genetic potential in their discussion. But, no, I mean out of people who train specifically to maximize their 1 rep max curl, few people ever achieve a 200 lbs. curl. I don't know what the actual percentage is but I am sort of guessing that it is less than 1% could be less than .1%. For sure, the few who manage it are likely genetically gifted. What my curl example does is sort of dial in expectations of gains and how long one might be able to achieve them. Most lifters w/ or w/o drugs, will peak VERY young and all the magical training in the world won't allow them to make additional gains. So, after a certain age, what we really do is pulse up to and retract from peak form. None of the super designed programs overcome this reality. Oh! When one does see "gain," it is almost always accompanied by weight gain.

[@therehastobesomethingmoore]

62, started HIT a la mike Mentzer/Dorian Yates about 18 months ago...I'll never do volume again. My gains have been way better thsn I hoped for with about 45 minutes 4 days a week. I also walk sbout 5 miles a day.

[@NikoHL]

Hi.. I'm 62 too and decided I want to be around to see my grandkids grow..! What was your programme? I've never been in a gym.. They say "never too late..." 😂...

[@therehastobesomethingmoore]

if you watch videos by mike mentzer and dorisn yates you will see HIT training. it is very intense by not lots of time. I love it.

[@TheOlzee]

Full body 2x/week, compound movement and make them different each work for example leg press Monday, barbell squats Friday etc. Throw in an “odds & ends” day if you so care for lagging muscles (isolations).

[@slapnutz1]

That's exactly what I do in my late 50s. I am making better progress now than I did in my forties when I was grinding 5 days

[@Psilocin-City]

How long are you in the gym on a full body day?

[@TheOlzee]

@@Psilocin-City as long as it takes to perform 1-2 sets of each exercise and how long you take between exercises because there’s no rush between exercises so I base this on how good I feel that day. But roughly 1h. FYI a full body workout is as simple as 1. Leg press 2. Incline chest press 3. Rows If I feel good I’ll throw in 1-2 smaller movements at the end.

[@GRmasterpiece]

@@TheOlzee this exactly. everyone thinks you have to do so many exercises in a workout and it's not true. a few movements and go to failure and you're good.

[@brum293]

40M here and I do something similar and it works great for me. Going hard and then plenty of time in between sessions for the body to build and recover. 2x/week, 30 min each. 3 compound exercises per session: legs or hip hinge, push, pull. 2 warm up sets per exercise and then 2 hard sets around 3-6 reps range going 1-2 RIR. So more strength oriented. But I do some blocks throughout the year where it’s more hypertrophy focused. I’m surprised myself it works so well. I used to strength train 3-5 days/week before and 10-15 sets/muscle group. Btw, I’m not a body builder. Just looking to build and maintain an above average strength and physique + doing other sports as well.

[@giovannisoave9634]

Lower volume and more intensity has worked best for me.

[@askerzie]

What worked for you is intensity. And lower volume is because of recovery. Recovery and intensity of exercise dictates the volume. Some people, especially beginner women, can genuinely recover from high volume with high intensity

[@giovannisoave9634]

@@askerzie 100%

[@MSEDable]

What is your volume of training now?

[@giovannisoave9634]

@@MSEDable Very low now. Two sets per exercise. 3 for calves and biceps as they are my weakest points. And I don't feel dead over the weekend now. But the biggest difference for me was eating more calories and protein.

[@MSEDable]

​@@giovannisoave9634thank you for your answer, could it be possible that you share your program please? I am interested in this approach as I don't have that much time these days By curosity, how many calories are you eating, and your macros ? And what are your stats?

[@jeffroudebush7617]

I do 2-3 sets to failure per exercise 1-2 exercises per body part. I do this once per week. 2 days per week. One Upper and one lower. Done this for over 40 years and still make progress in terms of hypertrophy at 55 yo. According to my DEXA scans, I’ve made muscle tissue gains this year at 55. It depends how hard you train. All sets are to concentric, static, and eccentric failure.

[@megasailoor]

I used to unload containers of alloy wheels. I got jacked as heck from that. So yeah, thousands of reps a day works.

[@BGeezy4sheezy]

Basically everything works. Low volume, high volume, whatever. Just doing anything build your body

[@richspizzaparty]

It's either volume or intensity, both work.

[@papaspaulding]

both together even better

[@davidcohen26]

@@papaspaulding yep !

[@citrix123]

For beginners tho they should commit to volume lower intensity and practice form and control recovery and consistency , after 12 months with steady progression then hit high intensity lower volume and recover , you need both but everyone out here looking for that magical one set range or program , variety is the spice of life

[@papaspaulding]

@@citrix123 I disagree myself when it comes to beginners. I think its important beginners learn to train to failure as default, and learn to keep good form whilst pushing themselves hard. low volume per workout and more frequency so they re practising those movements more and perfecting such as they progress fast week to week. and getting used to training hard and what that 'discomfort' feels like as well as then learning their true RIR count on any given lift and what that feels like I think RIR is better reserved as a more advanced technique when as an intermediate or advanced lifter you want to increase and push volume whilst staying below your overall weekly fatigue threshold.

[@citrix123]

​@@papaspauldingI'm new enough to bodybuilding crossing over from endurance athletics using the above , and I'm seeing huge gains, could be as volume was my endurance style with athletics ,but interesting insight you have and will keep in mind if I see any plateus too soon

[@CharlesOffdensen]

4:03 That's why my split is upper/lower. For the upper, I only do super sets, and it saves me so much time.

[@stanblackburn700]

Great takeaways, and Pak's beard is on point.

[@Two_Names]

Majority can get the majority of their muscle doing single set training a few times per week? That's kind of wild.

[@martinw245]

Mike Mentzer wasn't far off the mark then? Or Arthur Jones.

[@XTheSpartanX7]

To clarify, it is 1 HARD Set. Most people do half assed sets.

[@caiooliveira2338]

awesome interview! it always a pleasure learning about resistance training with Dr Schoenfeld.

[@jonathansmith8006]

Love the video. 🧐Can we just get people to do Myorep training, 1 area at a time, instead of Supersetting? so they stay out of the walkways all tired as fuck, swaying and sweating everywhere while taking up 2 lifting areas?

[@SHREKISMYLOVE-l9x]

I use antagonistic superset, using myo reps. So after Superset compound movements (DB press into, DB Chest supported Rows), then do iso movements - DB curls, into overhead extension, into chest flys, into chest supported flys, into dumbell press, into forearm curls as myo reps and takes 45 mins including warm up....best change to my program. Think majority looking for solid gains can maximize their training in much shorter time period.

[@kraagnjilwulf1413]

I go to the gym 5-6 days per week, push/pull/legs type of split and in the beginning I used to do every other day and do a full body workout, but the end result so far is that I'm in the top 1% for bench press and damn near elite in terms of running/cardio according to statistics. I started by reading up on body building and diet, whicbseems to have worked.

[@Col-iy5sl]

What exactly is volume that we truly need? What should we count as effective volume? Example: - standard set 3x12 (RIR 0) = 36 reps total > more volume. Lets say 9 out of 12 reps are more like trash volume which would mean we actually did 9 "effective reps" total out of 36. - myo set 1x12 (RIR 0) + 3 myos (3 reps, RIR 0) = 21 reps total < less volume. In this scenario we did 4x3 at RIR 0, which would mean 12 "effective reps", just less trash volume. Which one of these two set would be more beneficial according to science?

[@GUITARTIME2024]

First choice

[@Col-iy5sl]

@@GUITARTIME2024 Are you sure? And why? Any source?

[@GUITARTIME2024]

@Col-iy5sl your overthinking. Do mostly compound exercises (6-8 reps), get great technique, raise weight over time,pay attention to recovery.

[@xCQj2MwJ]

I'd be interested in a video of confounding variables the scientific community look for; that might really help people focus on the most important variables. For example: Volume: Longer rest intervals increased hypertrophy, until volume was controlled for and then it showed no difference. Training to failure improved hypertrophy, until volume was controlled for and then it showed no difference. Protein: Post workout nutrition improved hypertrophy, until daily protein was controlled for and then it showed no difference. Low carb diets improved fat loss, until protein was controlled for and then it showed no difference. Would we add training at longer muscle lengths to that list??

[@crucifixgym]

One day I gotta hit the gym and see if it does anything.

[@Kyle111]

I’ve had a gym membership for 2 years now and I haven’t seen any change at all. If anything I look a little worse. I’m gonna head down there one of these days and see what the issue is.

[@SchrödingersMath]

😳😆....ok.......​@@Kyle111

[@memos106]

​@@Kyle111did u follow low volume High intensity program?

[@Kyle111]

@@memos106 I couldn’t tell ya

[@geo5291]

@Kyle111 Best that ass

[@powskier]

Surem if you train heavy and maximum failure. Mike Metzler style. One super intense heavy set to failure followed by drop sets.

[@ComeOnPeopleThink]

This video answered a lot of things i was wondering about my own training, like was twice a week enough for each muscle, was 3 sets enough, was 15 to 18 rep range ok and should i go to failure or not and it came from Brad Schoenfeld himself...P.S i'm 60 been training for 7 years and my goal is a muscular physique..

[@varbaek]

Straight and simple to the point ❤

[@s.wilson5675]

Thanks guys. Great chat. Subscribed.

[@250txc]

Great info that I pretty much live by ... Brad chooses his words carefully to fit each persons needs for their goals ...My hat is off to him..

[@herbertvonsauerkrautunterh2513]

My main goal is health and not to be fat. Being jacked for me is not something I'm interested in. I do have the time and can put in the effort. I just don't need it. Being toned is enough. And yes, i did a lot of super sets previously. Hard and intense

[@jmass4207]

Supersets are crucial. With a well programmed full body routine where muscles get worked fresh for the most part or after getting a break before they’re hit again and you’re supersetting with unrelated movements… You can be VERY efficient and give tons of muscle groups TLC multiple times a week. If you want to do only one or two sets I’d recommend you go all the way to failure. At least until you get a feel for it and actually know when to stop 1-3 reps shy (MANY lifters never go all the way to failure and grossly overestimate how close they are getting).

[@danielreverter7453]

Here were told single set training can produce 50% of potential hypertrophy. BUT less than 2 weeks ago Dr. Wolf stated on Dr. Isratel's channel that "we now know that TEN SETS gets about 40% of maximum hypertrophy stimulus" that's a HUGE descrepency

[@Dr__Pak]

There's a new meta-analysis that will be coming out which may change some of the current MED recommendations but at the time of this interview, the formal literature shows what's been stated.

[@danielreverter7453]

thank you for responding. though it's really something to see 2 respected and knowledgeable doctors stating such wildly contradictory "facts". you stand by your statement and he stands by his. who's right? who's knows? I'd love to see a video of you and Dr Wolf discussing the research and meta-analyses on the relation between hypertrophy and sets per week to see if some kind of concensus could be reached. Until then we have your video saying 1 set can stimulate 50% of a person's hypertrophic potential while the other claims that it's takes TEN sets to get just 40%......

[@midnite1235]

This is my workout for the Gym 1 day per week. 1-Military press 2-Bench press 3-Seated Row 4-Barbell curls 4 sets each, but only 20 seconds rest in between sets. Then 2 sets of partials, at the end of the 4 sets Reps are 10-15 for full sets, and 20-30 on partials At end of this workout, 1 do 50-100 reps , on the Leg press. I pause every time I can't do more, catch my breath, and continue. Not looking to add leg size, just tone and some cardio. For the rest of the week at home, I do pushups, kettlebell swings, and light weight, High rep sets a couple times a day, , in between work. just 5 minutes at a time. I have some weight to lose, but getting stronger and putting on some muscle. 😀😀😀 Any Ideas how I can improve on this, with only going to the gym 1x per week? THANK YOU!!!

[@jjhbball]

Strange program, but if weight loss is your primary goal, it’s not terrible in my opinion because microdosing like you are will help you burn a lot more calories each day. I would add in something for your hamstrings like an RDL or hamstring slides. However, I would really consider if you are training hard enough. You need to assess your progress from week to week.

[@GUITARTIME2024]

Drop those 4 sets to 3 and forget those partials....Allow 2 minutes between each set. 20 seconds is not nearly enough....Concentrate on great technique, and look at an 8-10 rep range, except for curls. Youre lifting too light i bet. Also, lift twice a week and forget that stuff you kentiined at the end. ... Best gains I've made is on the Smith machine, by tye way. Dumbells just don't cut it after awhile.

[@theyetti90]

Oh my God, the exact 2 people I want to see talking about this, who have no idea who I am😂 I have been teaching the minimum dosage to my soldiers in the gym so the rest of our lifestyle doesn’t overwhelm them. They make continuous progress.

[@TheHybrid350]

Great, love seeing the docs together

[@jonwick5824]

I'm so glad I watched this video 1 hour after it came out. With all the studies and knowledge coming out about fitness you hear "2-3 minutes rest is best" and "3-4 sets per exercise is best". I quietly bet myself $1 that the "new" info would say the contrary; that 60 seconds-90 seconds rest would be comparable to 2-3 minutes rest and that 2 sets per exercise is comparable to 3 sets per exercise.

[@HarmonicGrunt]

Do You Go Out Much?

[@papaspaulding]

rest times really are not that important at all. At my biggest and strongest I was only ever counting 60 seconds rest in my head. I trained that way for years and to start with it took a lot of restraint as 60 seconds felt 'too long lol' as when i started lifting I was only ever counting 30 seconds in my head between sets for several years lol. 30 seconds obviously with hindsight s a bit too short unless you're using super light weights and wanting to get closer to effective reps quicker each set of course, But my point being at 60 seconds rest (or as I have done for the past few years 2-3 minutes rest) there is no difference, it's more about what your body gets used to and adapts to

[@Jafmanz]

@@papaspaulding I'll go with the advice from the worlds strongest man Mitch Hooper over advice from you... the NOT strongest man anywhere....

[@papaspaulding]

@@Jafmanz 🤣🤣 Id go with his advice too if it's just about strength as obviously you want to be resting a whole lot longer if powerlifting or strongman is the only concern, then yes, you want to be taking a whole lot longer rest between sets lol

[@jonwick5824]

@@papaspaulding I"m going to start doing 90 seconds or so as opposed to 2.5-3 minutes that I typically do. I'm willing to do anything to get out of the gym quicker as long as my workout is quality.

[@DroppingBearVictim]

Is this a good hypertrophy workout for a beginner? I’m 30yo male 6ft and 117lbs, I have mild chronic fatigue syndrome. 3 sets chin ups, 3 sets of push ups, 3 sets goblet squats, 3 supersets of Bicep/Triceps on Monday and Friday. Then on Wednesday 4 sets cable rows, 4 sets push ups (or should I do overhead press), 4 sets goblet squats. Thank you

[@fogfog8388]

Consider including the cable rows in the Monday and Friday routines, make the Wednesday routine the same as Mon and Fri. Consider replacing pull-ups, which are difficult, with pulldowns, which are functionally identical but can be done with lighter weights. If you have chronic fatigue, just do two sets of each, as hard as you can without losing perfect form. Don't ego lift. Deliberately keep things 'too' easy for the first couple of weeks so you don't surprise yourself with Newby injuries.

[@biblicaldefense]

Do any number of sets. Just try to enjoy working out, do things that you enjoy.

[@WhopperCheeseDota]

Youd probably be better off doing dumbbell/barbell/machine chest press than push-ups imo if you have the equipment for it. Wednesday overhead press is a good idea. Most important thing for you to see progress tho would be to make sure you are eating a lot more

[@suntzu7727]

117 lbs? Your worry shouldn't be the number of sets but to start eating right now. And when I talk about eating, with your bodyweight and given how small your appetite is, you're gonna eat to the point you'll feel like throwing up and you won't even be half way through. And that's on every single meal. Start now.

[@pgs4870]

117lbs at 6ft is not healthy might want to check on that I have cronh disease (basically i shit myself) and at the worst point of my disease i was still at 150lbs i also have the same age and height as you

[@WhopperCheeseDota]

Really good video guys editing the studies in works nicely

[@ninjapirate47]

calvin & hobbes & Junji ito. love it

[@JTD33]

Pak talks a lot about going very near failure even using half reps so I'm curious why that is if the science doesn't support it? Would also like to hear more about wether drop sets make sense since they cause quite a lot of fatigue.

[@The_Patbey]

Maybe Pak just likes to train to failure Regarding the drop set fatigue: I watched some other videos from Milo etc, and essentially: drop sets make sense when you're short on time and when long-term fatigue isnt gonna be a problem anyway (maybe you only train 2 times a week)

[@matt009817]

So everybody’s threshold is different, and most people underestimate how many reps they truly are from failure, so going all the way to failure, where you can’t possibly do another rep, with proper form, guarantees the best results (with proper rest)-even if that means you did a couple extra reps. Long length partials are showing to be more beneficial to growing the muscle than full range of motion reps, so ending with them is a good way to increase myofibril contraction. As far as drop sets, while they can be fun, taking the full weight close to failure will lead to equal if not better muscle adaptation (but the pump may not be as good)

[@Aquapumpkin]

Hello Sirs. Can you please tell me if hitting a 3g Leucine Threshold is still a valid concept or is it outdated? I am asking because as a whole food vegan, I would like to know if this is something I should be paying attention too. Some foods have more overall protein than others, yet less leucine (eg, 150g of Oats only has 15g of protein but 1926mg of Leucine, yet 150g of Quinoa has 21g of protein but only 1260mg of Leucine)

[@davidcohen26]

you are lost brother 🤗

[@Aquapumpkin]

@@davidcohen26 Why Sir? What advice can you give me? I am open minded.

[@g1987x1]

You need some grass fed grass finished beef.​@@Aquapumpkin

[@adhardino9781]

I don't know either, but why don't you try it out and share the experience?

[@davidcohen26]

@@Aquapumpkin do not stress yourself - stress is the main cause of most diseases? Science works for big pharma. Get it ? 😘

[@jurajturansky413]

The first set is the most important one 2-4 sets per muscle group twice per weak is plenty for most people

[@KateWandless]

Just last week, new study shows you need more volume, this week you don’t need as much volume… both guys barely look like they lift, just do what feels good and suits you

[@martinw245]

The research is a hypothesis generator only. Not definitive. I see the same contradictions in the research that existed 20 years ago

[@KateWandless]

@@martinw245 it’s all 💩, you have bodybuilding champions where one has trained 6 days a week twice a day and another who does 3 x 45 mins a week, both maxed out to full potential… do what feels good to you

[@martinw245]

@@KateWandless We need to be our own scientists and figure out what works for us. 🙂

[@andrec.136]

The lower tendon on my right bicep got a little damage months ago and I am still recovering from that. That is because I was going to failure with the curls.

[@DroningaboutIreland]

In a vast ocean of online fluff it's so refreshing to hear that doing the basics right at a good intensity will make a significant difference for the vast majority.

[@AIK.1891]

Martin Berkhan (Leangains), just gonna put that out there, since talking about “minimalism training”….. :)

[@ineedstuff8286]

In a "perfect scenario", I'd like to be 65.00%-jacked. What would be the best course to streamline the attainment of this physique goal?

[@K4R3N]

I was always a "B" student, this sounds good enough for me.

[@srconrad]

This is great. I’ve been doing minimalistic training for a while now and let’s just say this, it’s WAY better than doing nothing. I’ve got good definition and strength from three 30 minute workouts a week and they aren’t even full body. Monday: chest/back, Wednesday: arms/shoulders/calves, Friday: legs/lower back (deadlifts). I used to do just one set of each exercise to near failure. I now do supersets for a little more volume in the same time.

[@tvaldez6655]

Stimulate muscle beyond it's normal level, proper nutrition and plenty of rest/recovery time. Rinse and repeat.

[@AbuDurum]

Pak, do you think that things such as drop sets, rest pause etc., can help in increasing sarcoplasmic hypertrophy due to the increased metabolic stress you expose the muscle to?

[@davidcohen26]

of course it does !

[@kl0ppih]

No. Metabolic stress does not cause hypertrophy and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy happens in tandem with (and as a result of) myofibrillar hypertrophy, and it can't be targeted. Do straight sets with 2-3 minutes of rest.

[@davidalger5625]

So Arthur Jones was right

[@burntgod7165]

No, didn't you listen? They're talking about minimal dose for those not intending to be bodybuilders, and for those who want to look decent. Also, failure not always required.

[@fadingship935]

@@burntgod7165 Arthur Jones was wrong about some stuff, but he was absolutely correct in majority of his claims. This guy is the same guy who defended multiple set, high volume training for years and now he is saying that 1-2x week single set training can give you majority of your results.

[@PorkchopExpression]

If you're cutting, I don't think anything past 2 sets does anything. I got to a 255x5 bench press doing 1 just work set. Was eating a lot though.

[@jojoja1947]

Opinions on rest pause workouts?

[@temporaryname8905]

Man it's almost like whether you do 1 set of 10 reps or 3 sets of 10 reps or 5/4/3 or 5/3/1 or 1/3/5/3/1 or trapezoid rectangle p90X omega zetron gammie-mead as long as your lifting shit whether it's metal or your own fat ass with calesthenics you're gonna look better. Almost like the question isn't "can I get shredded" or "can I get huge" or "can I get stronger" but "how shredded/huge/thin do I want to be?" :)

[@Tobiastollefson1]

Great stuff guys.

[@serberious]

You wouldn`t believe the number of opposing statements that I`ve read or heard and they all are the " correct " way ! I just do what suits me - and that`s IT !.

[@davincibz1]

Please do a study on me and why I am not getting any gains even though I am still training on a regular basis

[@randyduane5370]

I’m 61 and have always responded well to strength training. I enjoy intensity and pushing for gains. I was finding it difficult to recover adequately doing multiple sets on muscle groups 3x a week. I noted tendencies for tendonitis injuries. I started to do single set work of 10-15 reps, 20 seconds rest then moving up weight and another 6-7 reps, and then another 15 seconds with increased weight with a final max set of 4-6 reps to failure. I feel great with lots of strength increases, no recovery issues, no new injuries. I’ve been surprised!

[@MSEDable]

So you are doing a x freq ? With how many sets per muscle per week?

[@wread1982]

Excellent video thank your good sirs 🫡

[@oscarl.3563]

Doing 1 set once per week, 2 times per week on lagging muscles. Gonna do 1 set every other week for maintenance when I've made the gains I want.

[@jfro5867]

Think the main issue is age, when young you can do lots of training (naturally) and recover very well, very quickly. As you get older your energy levels drop, interest drops, recovery time increases a lot. At 55 I find an hour three times a week as much as I want to do nowadays and I have tended to do more cardio type stuff rather than weights, because I can’t lift what I used to, don’t feel like pushing myself so hard anymore and I suppose, it’s just not as important as it used to be.

[@steve4633]

I'm 50 and been training for 25 years. I find Dorian Yates style training to be the best for me.

[@paulw5759]

What do you mean by ‘real doctor’ and how does that qualify you to be the know all expert on training volume?

[@johnrobinson4445]

What about the issue of fast twitch fibers deteriorating faster (as we age) than slow twitch because fast twitch responds best to full-effort exercise?

[@SirAlexanderdeLarge]

The man, the legend!

[@burtnation1357]

For the super sets technique do u rest between the two exercises or only after

[@PTwrestling55]

For the study they're talking about, they rested after the two exercises but theirs no specific way you need to adhere to. You can rest a little longer between the 2 exercises if you want. Just might take a bit more time

[@TheHumbleDiet]

Good talk. Shame you had the point of camera focus on Pak and not on Brad who is the guest.

[@MSJV]

10 set per week would bury me into the ground

[@stevenzak199]

For a serious but not too serious lifter like myself, this was an extremely valuable insight. There is, though, another benefit to what might be viewed as "over-complicating" techniques, which is just that the continued learning curve makes lifting interesting. If it's too simple, it may not keep your interest. That said, there was one thing Dr. Schoenfeld said that I wasn't clear on. He emphasized that when he talked about "two days a week," he meant "two days per muscle group." I thought: huh? There are probably at least 7 or 8 muscle groups, depending on how you count them, so does "at least two days a week" actually mean "at least 14 days a week"? Is he saying that if you hit every muscle group in a single session, then doing that twice might be enough for more casual lifters? I assume the latter, but would like to see some clarification of his thought.

[@jordanthecat]

The latter, surely. That's the way I interpreted it, to the point where I actually can't quite understand your 14 day interpretation.

[@OmarsGym]

Is this from a podcast episode?

[@geneharrogate6911]

Very informative. I actually thought his name was Dr Schoenfeld Et al.

[@ew-zd1th]

Next time, what should you do for absolut maximum growth

[@PonderDuke]

I am still waiting for the newbie gains

[@charleswalton5132]

Using high reps is ridiculous and a total waste of time….ESPECIALLY for older lifters! All it does is aggravate tendons, and I KNOW wtf I’m talking about at 64 years old and about 54 years experience in weight training. I agree that full range of motion is best though.

[@Yupppi]

The B-roll showing Dr. Schoenfeld maximising Dr. Pak's hypertrophy and strength by injections.

[@Dheethrone]

Mike Mentzer

[@BR-lq6fc]

Dr. Schoenfeld seems to be talking about the neural adaptation phase and initial hypertrophy, and subjects with quite modest goals. I'm not sure how much relevance this has an audience of experienced gym-goers looking to 'get jacked'. As an alternative, Dr Mike recently uploaded a video on a similar topic but took into account 'training age'. That might be more useful for those looking to optimise hypertrophy

[@ctiradctirada2775]

Great t-shirt!

[@anthonytran4942]

Listen to your body. There’s no one size fit all.

[@TheOlzee]

@@anthonytran4942 true this is key but it takes a few years experience to know what’s up

[@Thad91]

Still no clue how much sets per week per muscle i should do. I always take every set to failure.

[@grottphd9090]

Find the minimum amount required for consistent progression and then add volume when progression stalls. I'm getting freakishly strong doing literally one set of most exercises 1.5-2x a week on average. For a lot of things there's just no reason to do more

[@Thad91]

​@@grottphd9090 i will try this. Currently doing 10 sets per week (every set to failure). But my progression stalled on most lifts. But im 2 years into lifting. So no more newbie gains. Its difficult. What is ur bench? and how many reps? Curious.

[@grottphd9090]

@@Thad91 It's been a long time since I benched but if it tracks with my weighted dip strength increase, it could be a conservative 350. I first started experimenting with one set protocols while doing a harsh cut two years ago. I planned to shorten my workouts and just try to maintain some muscle - it was a surprise when, even with a calorie deficit of 1500 per day, every lift increased consistently week over week like clockwork. For me, there's no dogma in this; if doing two sets or ten sets per exercise for some reason increases it more, then that's great. But almost always in my experience, a single hard set seems to offer the most consistent strength increase. It's a strange thing

[@BobbyJ529]

@@Thad91 do you know for sure that you're recovering on the 10 sets per week? If you're stalled, you're either, probably, not recovering(not enough sleep or bad diet or need more time between workouts) or not taxing enough(probably to low volume if you are actually going to failure). I'd also make sure that your supporting muscles in your lifts are getting attention. for ex, poor core strength can limit your squat/deadlift progress.

[@Thad91]

@@BobbyJ529 i eat,drink, sleep etc perfectly. I dont even squad or deadlift. I just need to track well and change accordingly then

[@willmcgregor7184]

Non scientists may get frustrated because they don’t understand Science Evolves and info is confirmed, refuted etc. Just how it is

[@tbx59]

How to get buff/get good at piano/paint well, etc: Show up. --- can get pretty good over a couple years Have a plan to do a little bit more over time. ---- can get quite good here Have a genetic proclivity for it --- can be great

[@grasshopper3918]

20% effort for 80% result.

[@billabonewow]

If every variable was capable of a 20% increase in muscle growth some people who did it all “right” would be gaining muscle over 300% faster than others, this doesnt exist which is a clear indicator that each variable has a minimal effect. Many minimal effects can create a marginal effect but they are not all marginally effective variables. (Bar PEDs)

[@TypicallyUniqueOfficial]

There’s studies that show 3 days per week is substantially better than 1 day per week at the exact same volume level. Within subjects design, and muscle growth was measured with MRI (the gold standard). Frequency is the true king for naturals.

[@brum293]

Can you link to the studies?

[@User57655]

@@brum293search for the paper ‘Comparison of 1 Day and 3 Days Per Week of Equal-Volume Resistance Training in Experienced Subjects’ by John McLester

[@martinw245]

Nope. The studies state that if volume is the same, then once, twice or three times per week generates the same hypertrophy

[@spurzo-thespiralspacewolf8916]

@@martinw245You have to account for atrophy that starts after 48 hours

[@martinw245]

@@spurzo-thespiralspacewolf8916 Nope. Atrophy doesn't necessarily start after 48 hours. I've gone a week without training and come back stronger. Many train each bodypart once per week and make gains. The so called "bro split" is each bodypart once per week.

[@JoshuaTMagee]

But what do you need, Dr. Pak?? WHAT DO YOU NEED?!

[@oscarl.3563]

If you go to failure or close to you may need a long rest period. 60-90 secs is good if you didn't push yourself, but if you did it's exhausting and you probably need 5 minutes.

[@TheOlzee]

You only need one set when going to failure so the rest period is irrelevant. Better to come back 2-3 days later and do another failure set. Etc

[@NervylHraje]

false ​@@TheOlzee

[@TheOlzee]

@@NervylHraje if you say so boss

[@TonyMontananana]

Less is more. I cut my volume by 25% and make better progress with less time than ever. I’m doing only 6 direct sets per week for example for triceps and biceps, and guess what? They are exploding. Same with deadlifts, rowing, everything I can think of. 6 sets per muscle per week and it’s perfect.

[@LinusWilson]

Define “supersets”