Thread by @BioLayne

Want to build muscle and get strong but don't know where to start? READ THIS 👉

I'm going to break down what you need to focus on so you don't waste your time on stuff that doesn't matter

To build muscle & get strong you must force it to adapt

✅ You must force adaptation → via progressive overload

✅ But Progressive “Overload” isn’t always just adding weight. (PMID: 36199287)

There is more than one way to progressively overload and force adaptation:

✅ Add weight or do more reps with the same weight

❌ But you can’t add weight/reps forever.

✅ You can however, Increase the number of hard sets (quality volume) for progressive overload

✅ Volume (hard sets) becomes the lever. (PMID: 35873210)

What counts as a hard set?

✅ A set taken within a few reps of volitional failure (when you couldn’t complete another rep with good form without assistance)

Higher proximity to failure tends to support hypertrophy. (PMID 30747900)

❌ Going to absolute failure every time is not required, you just need to get close (within a few reps) & training to failure can be very fatiguing

“Why not take every set to failure?”

❌ Not necessary—training to ~1–3 RIR (reps in reserve) builds similar muscle in many cases

❌ Full failure is far more fatiguing and may harm next-session performance. (PMID: 36752989)

If you want to train to failure, save it for your final set of an exercise so that it does not negatively impact performance on subsequent sets

Using RIR/RPE based programming can be helpful

Using RIR/RPE to target intensity:

• RIR = reps in reserve.

• RPE (0-10 scale) = 10 − RIR.

0 RIR = failure = RPE 10

Example: 8 reps at 2 RIR → RPE 8 (you felt you had ~2 reps left).

(RIR-based intensity prescription: 27531969)

That said, using RIR or RPE takes some skill

Reality check: Most beginner/intermediate lifters misjudge proximity to failure unless they have been shown how to properly use it

😬 Meta-analysis (PMID 34542869) shows people under-predict remaining reps when not trained in how to use RIR/RPE

👉 Occasional sets taken to true failure help calibrate your feel & improve your RIR/RPE accuracy

Other truths worth knowing:

✅ Rep range: You can build similar muscle using light or heavy loads if taken close enough to failure (PMID: 28834797)

✅ Rest intervals: Longer rest (~2-3 min+) often yields more growth per set than short rests

✅ Frequency is mostly a tool to distribute volume but there is some evidence training a muscle ~2×/week may beat 1×/week (PMID: 27102172 & 30558493)

Other sh*t you should know:

You need to put tension on the muscle in a stretched position for optimal muscle growth:

✅Full range of motion (ROM) beats partial range of motion training in the shortened position (think half squats vs full squats) (PMID: 34170576)

✅Lengthened partials, however (think doing half reps at the bottom of a squat) produce the same hypertrophy as full ROM (PMID: 33977835)

Other sh*t you should know:
❌Rep tempo doesn't seem to matter much unless it is taken to extremes

✅Rep durations of 0.5-8s produce similar hypertrophy (PMID: 25601394)

❌Rep durations of shorter then 0.5s or longer than 8s produce less hypertrophy and should be avoided

Guideline: Reps should be slow enough to move under control safely but fast enough to use heavy weights

Putting it together:
✔ Set a weekly set count per muscle. The exact number of sets you'll need to optimize growth depend on how advanced you are & your genetics (most studies ~10-20 sets/wk). Use frequency to distribute volume for better training performance

✔ Take most sets to ~1-3 RIR (RPE 7-9) & occasional failure check to improve your RIR accuracy

✔ Choose a rep range & speed you can control well. Rest as long as you need to be ready for next set

Want help applying this to a program?

✅Check out the BioLayne Workout Builder
biolayne.com/workout-builde…

It sets your reps/sets/intensity/frequency based on the latest science, but lets you pick the exercises based on what you have available & what you enjoy

The Workout Builder is no BS, no guesswork, just full access to all my evidence-based programming Let’s build you a plan that works📷