Fit and Fine by Kamal Singh CSCS: How to maximise muscle size

If you’re thinking of building and working on your muscles, here’s how you should be going about it instead of believing myths about it

I was asked recently what does the latest research reveal about increasing muscle size. Earlier the secrets to gaining muscle was limited to bodybuilding gyms. Hypertrophy or increasing muscle size is being vigorously researched these days. Surprisingly enough what we use to dismiss as “bro-science”, is now being put under the scientific microscope and a lot of the old theories are proving to be right! Most of the information in this column comes from the research of Brad Schoenfled and Andrew Vigotsky et al. As of now, the recommendations that I list in this column are from the most current research. Here goes:

Muscles should be worked from as many planes as possible, so, in your workout, three sets of squats are enough (Shutterstock)

Types of exercise to do

Research shows that muscles should be worked from as many planes as possible. Thus, a wide variety of exercises should be used while training to increase muscle size. Using different angles of pull stimulates the musculature and leads to greater hypertrophy. A well-designed training program would use free weight as well as machines so that the entire musculature is worked and greater growth occurs.

Load or the amount of weight used

Moderate loads, where the trainee can get 8-15 repetitions per set are ideal. There is research to show that light loads can also increase muscle size but that would mean getting lots of repetitions – at least 30 in a set and hence light weights are not considered time efficient.

Volume or the total number of sets per body part

This came as a surprise but doing 10 total sets per muscle group per week is adequate for improving the size of the muscle. If a muscle is very undeveloped, then research shows that more volume can be beneficial but 10 sets is a good start. Let me break this down for you. If you are training Pectorals/Chest once a week, then 3-4 sets of dumbbell bench press, 3 sets of cable flyes, 3 of push-ups should be enough. If you train chest twice a week, then doing 4 sets in one session and 6 sets in the next session should be the way to go. All those guys doing set after set for each body part are unnecessarily overloading their joints.

The number of sets can be increased slightly but most trainees should try to stick to the upper limit of 10 sets per body part per week (Shutterstock)

Frequency or total sessions per week

Training a muscle once per week has shown to result in significant hypertrophy as long as 10 sets were done. In case increasing the number of training sessions per week, then number of sets can be increased slightly but most trainees should try to stick to the upper limit of 10 sets per body part per week.

Rest or the time taken between sets of the same exercise

The general guidance, which bodybuilders have been following for ages, works here. At least 120 seconds between sets for multi joint exercises like squats, deadlifts, barbell Presses and 90 seconds between single joint exercises like bicep curls, tricep extensions, knee extensions etc.

Going to momentary muscular failure or not

Where should a set be terminated is probably the most hotly discussed element in any exercise regimen. Entire training methodology like Mike Mentzer’s Heavy Duty revolve around going to complete failure on each and every set. By failure we mean that you cannot move that weight any more.

Current research says training to failure is good for the novice or the beginner, but as the trainee advances, intensity/load goes up, training to failure should be sparingly done, as recovering from such sessions becomes difficult. Older trainees should stay from going to failure as much as possible.

Also going to failure to multi joint exercises like squats, front squats, deadlifts etc. can be dangerous. Going to failure is preferable on single joint exercises like curls, laterals and on machine-based exercises like pull downs and leg presses.

To summarise

To help the reader easily assimilate all the above information, let me write a small exercise program for the chest – since everybody who lands up in a gym wants to train the chest the first thing. The following program can be done once a week or can be broken into twice a week.

Chest

Flat Dumbbell Press: 4 sets x 12 repetitions, 120 seconds rest between each set.

Standing Cable Flyes: 3 sets x 15 repetitions, 90 seconds rest between each set. Go to failure on each set.

Push Ups: 3 sets x As Many Reps as Possible per set.

The above program can be done once a week or can be broken into two parts and done twice a week.

Now go and do it.

Kamal Singh is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist who has been coaching for 15 years

From HT Brunch, November 28, 2021

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