The time commitment typically associated with hypertrophy-focused training can deter many would-be gym-goers. This perception of needing to spend countless hours in the gym prevents them from starting their fitness journey.
On Sept. 28, 2024, exercise scientist Dr. Milo Wolf challenged the notion that building muscle requires a second home in the weight room. He reveals 10 evidence-based strategies to accelerate muscle growth while minimizing training time.
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1. Drop Sets
“Drop sets can offer the same muscle growth as traditional sets in a whopping 30 to 70 percent less time,” Wolf said. However, to achieve similar results, you might need to increase your training volume by roughly 30 percent. If you typically do three straight sets, you would do four sets.
Wolf suggests picking a weight you can lift for five to 15 reps with two reps in reserve (RIR). Then, reduce the weight by 20 percent and perform at least five more reps, pushing to within one rep of failure. Drop the weight by 20 percent again and continue lifting until you can no longer perform a full range of motion (ROM) repetition.
Wolf recommends four drop sets total for most exercises. The advantage of drop sets is that you train close to failure on each mini-set, which can help max out muscle pumps and growth. (1)
2. Paired Supersets
Supersets can help you reduce your workout time by up to 40 to 50 percent while delivering the same muscle-building benefits as straight sets.
Wolf advises employing antagonistic supersets, which involve exercises that target opposing muscle groups, such as the chest and the back. This approach helps you save time as one muscle works while the other recovers. (2)
3. Rest Times
Wolf prescribes resting for one minute between sets of isolation movements and two minutes between sets of compound movements to maximize hypertrophy. “This will reduce your workout time significantly,” he added.
4. Improve Your Warm-Up
A single set of one to three repetitions with 70 to 90 percent of your maximum working weight is effective in prepping the target muscles, joints, and tendons. Consider doing four to eight reps at around 40 percent of your max at the beginning of the training session for a more thorough warm-up. (3)
5. Focus On the Stretch
Prioritize exercises that deliver a good stretch on the target muscle while under resistance. “This can increase your muscle growth without costing any additional time,” Wolf explained.
6. Make Each Set Count
Make each set count by training to momentary muscle failure. Pushing harder could boost growth substantially without any additional time. Taking a set to mechanical failure can increase muscle growth by around 30 percent compared to stopping with four RIRs. (4)
7. Go Heavier
Wolf suggests doing between five to 12 reps per set, as aiming for more may compromise training intensity. Consider lifting heavier to train near mechanical failure without overshooting this rep range. Additionally, this approach allows for more sets in the same timeframe, as each set will be relatively shorter.
8. Pick Time-Efficient Exercises
Compound exercises like squats and bench presses are more time-efficient than isolation exercises as they target multiple muscle groups in a single movement.
Dumbbell and selectorized machine movements are generally more time-efficient than their barbell and plate-loaded machine counterparts.
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9. Exercise Snacks
Exercise snacks involve breaking down traditional longer workouts into bite-sized mini-workouts. Wolf suggests squeezing in a set of push-ups or squats whenever you have a spare minute during the day.
10. Workout Structure
Opening a workout with a demanding exercise like high-rep squats can lead to early fatigue, resulting in longer rest periods throughout the workout and potentially hindering your performance on subsequent exercises. Instead, Wolf advises saving the most challenging exercises for last.
References
- Coleman, M., Harrison, K., Arias, R., Johnson, E., Grgic, J., Orazem, J., & Schoenfeld, B. (2022). Muscular Adaptations in Drop Set vs. Traditional Training: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Strength and Conditioning, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.47206/ijsc.v2i1.135
- Burke, Ryan & Hermann, Tom & Piñero, Alec & Mohan, Adam & Augustin, Francesca & Sapuppo, Max & Coleman, Max & Androulakis-Korakakis, Patroklos & Wolf, Milo & Swinton, Paul & Schoenfeld, Brad. (2024). Less time, same gains: Comparison of superset vs. traditional set training on muscular adaptations. 10.51224/SRXIV.419.
- Ribeiro B, Pereira A, Neves PP, et al. The Role of Specific Warm-up during Bench Press and Squat Exercises: A Novel Approach. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(18):6882. Published 2020 Sep 22. doi:10.3390/ijerph17186882
- Robinson, Z. P., Pelland, J. C., Remmert, J. F., Refalo, M. C., Jukic, I., Steele, J., & Zourdos, M. C. (2024). Exploring the Dose-Response Relationship Between Estimated Resistance Training Proximity to Failure, Strength Gain, and Muscle Hypertrophy: A Series of Meta-Regressions. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 54(9), 2209–2231. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-024-02069-2
Featured image: @wolfcoach_ on Instagram
