{"id":965514,"date":"2026-11-10T15:30:13","date_gmt":"2026-11-10T15:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/965514\/"},"modified":"2026-11-10T15:30:13","modified_gmt":"2026-11-10T15:30:13","slug":"review-of-30000-people-reveals-what-really-builds-muscle-and-strength-7-lessons-for-your-own-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/965514\/","title":{"rendered":"Review of 30,000 People Reveals What Really Builds Muscle and Strength \u2013 7 Lessons for Your Own Training"},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes to building muscle<\/a> and strength, you’ll find no shortage of conflicting advice. From the optimal number of sets and reps to whether training to failure is necessary, the finer details of resistance training are constantly debated in forums and comment sections.<\/p>\n

But a substantial review of the existing research may help settle some of those arguments.<\/p>\n

Published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the American College of Sports Medicine’s latest position stand<\/a>brings together evidence from 137 systematic reviews involving more than 30,000 participants, examining which training variables make the biggest difference to muscle growth, strength and power.<\/p>\n

Exercise scientist Dr Mike Israetel has broken down the findings in a recent YouTube video<\/a>, explaining what the research means for anyone looking to get more from their training.<\/p>\n

\u201850 participants is already a big study. 30,000 lets us make very strong claims about how it’s best to train and not train,\u2019 he says.<\/p>\n

What Did the ACSM Research Review Find?<\/p>\n

The review examines the effects of different resistance training protocols on muscle hypertrophy, strength, power and physical performance. Rather than analysing individual trials, the researchers conducted an \u2018overview of reviews\u2019, also known as an umbrella review.<\/p>\n

\u2018This study was what’s called an umbrella review, which means it took not individual studies to review, but took systematic reviews themselves and folded them in to one giant analysis,\u2019 explains Israetel.<\/p>\n

The aim was to identify which elements of resistance training consistently improve results, and which variables may matter less than previously thought.<\/p>\n

The Methods<\/p>\n

The researchers analysed 137 systematic reviews involving more than 30,000 healthy adults, drawn from six scientific databases. The studies compared different resistance training approaches over six to 52 weeks, examining variables such as training frequency, volume, load, exercise order and training to failure.<\/p>\n

However, much of the evidence came from relatively inexperienced lifters, meaning the findings may not apply equally to advanced lifters.<\/p>\n

What Does the Research Say About Building Muscle and Strength?<\/p>\n

The review found that resistance training improved muscle size, strength, power and physical performance, but relatively few training variables consistently influenced results.<\/p>\n

\u2018The basics still cover almost all of training,\u2019 says Dr Israetel.<\/p>\n

The key findings were:<\/p>\n

For muscle growth, higher weekly volumes of at least 10 sets per muscle group proved beneficial.For strength, heavier loads of at least 80% of one-rep max<\/a> (1RM), training twice weekly and prioritising key lifts early in a session produced better outcomes.For power, moderate loads of 30\u201370% 1RM, lower training volumes and explosive movements produced better results.Other factors, including training to failure, rep tempo and periodisation, had less consistent effects.\"mid<\/p>\n

FG Trade Latin\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

7 Lessons for Your Own Training1. More Weekly Sets Can Build More Muscle<\/p>\n

Training volume was one of the clearest variables associated with muscle growth. The review found that performing at least 10 sets per muscle group each week was more effective for muscle growth than lower volumes.<\/p>\n

\u2018Higher weekly volumes, numbers of sets you do per muscle group cause more growth,\u2019 explains Israetel.<\/p>\n

However, increasing volume doesn’t mean gains continue rising at the same rate indefinitely.<\/p>\n

\u2018You go from 5 to 10 sets, you’re going to grow way more. You go from 10 sets to 20 sets, you’re going to grow more, but not as much as from 5 to 10,\u2019 he says.<\/p>\n

Israetel suggests increasing weekly sets gradually, provided recovery, sleep and nutrition can support the additional workload. His discussion of 30-plus sets is a coaching interpretation beyond the review’s headline recommendation, rather than a requirement for maximum muscle growth.<\/p>\n

2. You Don’t Need to Train to Failure<\/p>\n

The review found that reaching failure did not consistently produce better hypertrophy<\/a> compared with stopping short.<\/p>\n

According to Israetel, \u2018Going to failure produced no better gains than staying about 1-2 reps shy away from failure in the average situation in your program.\u2019<\/p>\n

His recommendation is to begin around three reps in reserve, progressively adding reps or load as training progresses. The takeaway is that your working sets should be challenging, but grinding out every final rep isn’t essential for building muscle.<\/p>\n

3. You Don’t Have to Stick to 8-12 Reps<\/p>\n

Despite the popularity of the traditional 8-12 rep range for muscle growth, the review found that hypertrophy could be achieved across a broad spectrum of training loads.<\/p>\n

\u2018Roughly even growth is seen from sets of 5 reps that are hard close to failure, sets of 15 reps, and sets of all the way to 30 reps or so,\u2019 says Israetel.<\/p>\n

While heavier loads are more effective for maximal strength, lighter weights can still stimulate hypertrophy when sets are sufficiently challenging.<\/p>\n

This gives you flexibility to adjust your rep ranges according to exercise selection, joint comfort and fatigue.<\/p>\n

4. Training Frequency Matters Differently for Muscle and Strength<\/p>\n

The review found that training frequency did not consistently affect muscle hypertrophy when total weekly volume was matched. However, strength was positively influenced by training frequency, with the research supporting at least two sessions per week.<\/p>\n

\u2018There’s no magic gains from higher frequency,\u2019 says Israetel when discussing hypertrophy.<\/p>\n

For strength, however, he says, \u2018Twice weekly training for strength beats once weekly training. Why? Because your nervous system gets more practice, literally more practice doing the lifts and getting better at them.\u2019<\/p>\n

In practice, spreading your weekly training volume across multiple sessions can help manage fatigue, while practising specific lifts more frequently may help improve maximal strength.<\/p>\n

\"muscular<\/p>\n

Hirurg\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

5. Lift Heavy and Early to Build Strength<\/p>\n

The review found that loads of at least 80% 1RM were more effective for improving maximal strength. Exercise order also mattered, with movements performed earlier in a session generally producing better strength improvements.<\/p>\n

\u2018Training over 80% one rep max is notably better for strength than training under 80% one rep max,\u2019 explains Israetel.<\/p>\n

He recommends performing much of your heavy strength work between 80% and 90% 1RM, typically for sets of 3-6 reps.<\/p>\n

\u2018Earlier exercises in a session get the best strength gains compared to later exercises in a session,\u2019 he adds.<\/p>\n

If increasing your deadlift is the goal, for example, it makes more sense to perform it before accessory exercises rather than after several demanding sets.<\/p>\n

6. You Don’t Need Endless Heavy Sets to Get Stronger<\/p>\n

The review identified 2-3 sets per session as an effective prescription for strength development.<\/p>\n

Israetel says, \u2018As few as two heavy sets per session can boost strength meaningfully in very many people.\u2019<\/p>\n

He suggests performing between 2-5 heavy sets per exercise, depending on experience, recovery and training goals.<\/p>\n

Rather than filling a workout with heavy compound movements, prioritise a small number of important lifts and use the remainder of the session for accessory or hypertrophy work.<\/p>\n

7. Train Explosively to Develop Power<\/p>\n

For power development, the review found that moderate loads of 30-70% 1RM, low-to-moderate volumes and lifting with an intentionally fast concentric phase were beneficial.<\/p>\n

\u2018Every time you are training for power effectively, you want to push or pull the bar as hard as you can on each concentric of every single rep,\u2019 says Israetel.<\/p>\n

Unlike hypertrophy, where higher volumes can produce greater growth, power training benefits from keeping fatigue relatively low.<\/p>\n

\u2018Low to moderate volumes are better than high volumes. Sessions of 2-5 sets of 2-5 reps per set are going to be how you gain the most power,\u2019 he explains.<\/p>\n

Whether you’re performing jump squats or Olympic lifting variations, the emphasis should be on explosive movement while maintaining control and technique.<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s one thing Kori Sampson knows, it\u2019s how to optimise your body composition for performance. To tap into his knowledge as an elite athlete and coach, we asked him to create a 4-week plan to help you move faster, recover quicker and keep pushing when the fatigue sets in \u2013 all while improving your muscle-to-fat ratio.<\/p>\n

Ready to build muscle, burn fat and come out the other side looking, feeling and performing better? Click here<\/a> to get 14 days of free access to the plan via the Men\u2019s Health app.<\/p>\n

\"kori<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When it comes to building muscle and strength, you’ll find no shortage of conflicting advice. From the optimal…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":965515,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[49,48,782,329323,784,407,84,237154,783,329322,273948,185266],"class_list":["post-965514","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fitness","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-content-type-news","tag-contentid-2664b5f7-fae4-4b6c-b936-337e7b99589a","tag-displaytype-standard-article","tag-fitness","tag-health","tag-issyndicated-false","tag-locale-gb","tag-shorttitle-major-review-reveals-what-really-builds-muscle","tag-sponsored-false","tag-subsection-train-smarter"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/965514","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=965514"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/965514\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/965515"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=965514"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=965514"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=965514"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}