Training & nutrition
Studies
- Total daily protein matters more than timing
- From 0.5 to 8 seconds per rep, muscles grew about the same
- Light and heavy loads showed similar muscle growth in trained men
- Beyond about 1.6 g protein per kg a day, muscle gains level off
- Caffeine slightly raised maximal strength and jump power
- At equal volume, frequency makes little difference to growth
- Hamstrings grew more with seated than with lying leg curls
- A deficit reduced lean mass gains, with similar strength gains
- On average, cardio did not blunt muscle growth or maximal strength
- Over 20 weekly sets helped trained lifters only for the triceps
- After too little sleep, performance fell by 7.56% on average
- Triceps grew more with overhead than with arms-down extensions
- Going to failure adds little muscle over stopping just short of it
- The medial calf grew more with stretched partial reps
- Heavy loads for strength, multiple sets for muscle growth
- Direct measurements suggest a small extra effect of creatine
- Free weights and machines built similar muscle and strength
- A week off cost no muscle, but some strength gain
- Closer to failure builds more muscle; for strength it barely matters
- Creatine plus training: just over 1 kg more lean mass than without
- Resting longer than 90 seconds added little extra muscle
- More sets build more muscle, but each extra set adds a bit less
- Any resistance training works. For more muscle: 10+ sets a week
Guides
- How many sets per muscle per week?
- Does training at long muscle lengths build more?
- How fast should you perform your reps?
- Does cardio slow muscle growth?
- Do you need a deload week?
- How close to failure should you train?
- How long should you rest between sets?
- How heavy do you need to lift to build muscle?
- Full body, upper/lower or push/pull/legs?
- How do you progress from week to week?
- How much sleep do you need for training?
- Is training a muscle once a week enough?
- How do you start strength training?
- Full range of motion or partial reps?
- Free weights or machines?
- How do you train when short on time?
- Slept badly: train anyway?
- Building muscle at home with light weights?
- Is strength training worth it after 50?
- How much protein do you need?
- How many calories do you need?
- What should you eat before training?
- Do you need carbohydrates during training?
- How much should you drink around training?
- Is creatine worth taking?
- When should you eat protein?
- How do you lose fat without losing muscle?
- Does caffeine before training help?
- How do you read a study properly?
- How to import a plan into SetCtl
Training plans
- Full body · 3 days
- Upper / lower
- Full body · 2 days
- Push / pull / legs
- Push / pull / legs · 6
- Strength focus · 3 days
- Dumbbells · 3 days
- Minimal · 2 days
- Anterior / posterior
Summaries by SetCtl, not medical advice.