How to Get MORE Growth In Less Time (3 Gym Hacks)

What’s the fastest way to build muscle? Can you work out half as much as you are right now, do just a few 30-minute workouts per week, and get the same or potentially even more gains? According to the latest science, you most definitely can build muscle fast. There are 3 time-saving strategies that have been shown to be most effective to help grow muscle fast. I’ll show you how to build muscle fast by applying them to your workouts, and at the end, I’ll also give you some done-for-you time-saving workout plans you can start using right away to build muscle fast and get more gains in less time.

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To save time in the gym and build muscle fast, you want to do the least number of sets that still get you a solid return in gains. Based on current research, it seems likely that 3 sets per muscle weekly are probably enough to maintain your gains and maybe even build a little muscle depending on how inexperienced you are. But 4-7 sets per muscle per week is likely the sweet spot to get the most gains with the least amount of time and effort.

However, if you are going to go with this minimal volume, there are 3 things you need to start applying to your workouts to continue to build muscle or possibly get even more gains than you were before. First, you should be pushing at least 1-2 reps to failure and even going all the way to failure on exercises where it’s safe to do so every single set. Second, since you’re only doing a limited number of exercises, it’s crucial you pick the ones that are most likely to give the most gains. There’s a really exciting area of research called “long muscle length” training. Basically, it seems like some muscles may respond better to exercises that challenge them the most when they’re in a stretched position. And lastly, to really ensure you build muscle fast, you need to dial in your form.

Now, what if you want to make my minimalist workout even more time efficient and take it from 30 minutes down to just 20 minutes? This is where the next 2 time-saving strategies come in handy. First, supersets. These can help you grow muscle fast by cutting your workout time in half. But the key is to use what’s known as antagonist supersets. how long it takes you to catch your breath between the two exercises seems to be important. Keep the transition time as short as possible, no longer than a minute. But that said, supersets will only work if you’re still pushing your muscles close to failure every set.

But if there are any exercises you can’t end up super-setting or would just prefer not to and you'd still like to build muscle fast, this is where the next method can come in handy. 

Drop sets. It’s where you do your first set until you can’t do any more reps, decrease the weight, then immediately do as many reps as you can, and continue dropping the weight until you complete about 2 or 3 “drop sets” in total. Now, you may be thinking, “Won't this reduce the amount of weight and reps I can do?” Let’s say you’re doing a set of 10 reps to failure. The first few reps you do contribute very little to muscle growth. It’s only during the last few reps, when the muscles are being pushed to their absolute limit, that the most growth happens. So even though you’re lightening the weight during each drop set, they’re already exhausted from your previous set to the point that every additional rep it does is now far more effective for growth. This is the likely mechanism behind why research has found that drop sets could possibly be the fastest way to build muscle. Now as for what exercises to use this method with, keep in mind during every set you’re training to failure. So you need to use exercises where it’s safe to do so and also really quick to decrease the weight for each drop set.

Now as for how many drop sets to do to build muscle fast, I’d say try to at least match the total number of sets, including your drop sets, with how many normal sets you’d usually do. Lastly, as for how much to lower the weight during each drop set, the study protocols usually decreased it by 20% at a time.

[JeremyEthier]

LEAST NUMBER OF SETS FOR MUSCLE GROWTH

DOSE DEPENDENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VOLUME AND HYPERTROPHY

LONG MUSCLE LENGTH TRAINING

OPTIMAL TRANSITION TIME DURING SUPERSETS

EFFECTIVE REPS

DROP SETS PROVIDE SAME OR MORE GROWTH IN LESS TIME

HOW MANY DROP SETS AND HOW MUCH WEIGHT:

[juliafloridausa]

00:20 Strategy 1 Minimal volume
04:30 Strategy 2 Supersets
05:56 Strategy 3 Dropsets

[FeralVyrux]

Hey Jeremy! With all the new studys and science research, I’d love a new “best” workout split along with videos on what workouts to do like you’ve made in the past!!

[CyanChrys]

Thanks for the plans Jeremy always coming in clutch!

[renamoda]

Other fitness channels ask a hundred bucks for their programs and Jeremy is giving it for free? The guy is a legend!!!

[Erydanus]

This is really good to know and matches with what I've been doing. I'm older and only started working out a year ago and once I really got into challenging weights I found that I couldn't sustain a double push-pull legs cycle and went to a 5-day split and really cut back on volume. But I could see in my records that I was still making slow steady progress. I just had to be very mindful of recovery times and avoiding further injuries.

[nohariad]

Thank you so much for the free workout plans and precious information!!! Very very appreciated.
Wish you all the best 🤲🏽

[ChrisPTY]

Time saving strategy 1: Reduce workout volume

Doing 3-7 sets per muscle group per week is the sweet spot to get the most gains with the least amount of time and effort.
If you're short on time, you can reduce your volume to as low as 3 sets per muscle group per week and still maintain your gains or even build a little muscle.
Time saving strategy 2: Use antagonist supersets

Antagonist supersets involve doing two exercises back to back with no rest, one for each opposing muscle group.
This way, one muscle group is resting while the other is working, which can cut your workout time down in half.
Keep the transition time between exercises as short as possible (no longer than 1 minute) to get the most benefit.
Time saving strategy 3: Use drop sets

Drop sets involve doing a set of an exercise to failure, then decreasing the weight and immediately doing as many reps as you can, continuing to drop the weight until you complete 2-3 drop sets in total.
This takes advantage of "effective reps, " which are the last few reps of a set when the muscles are being pushed to their absolute limit and where the most growth happens.
Other tips for making your workouts more time efficient

Push your muscles close to failure on every set.
Choose exercises that challenge your muscles in a stretched position.
Dial in your form.
Examples of antagonist supersets

Bench press with calf raises
Chest flies with lateral raises
Leg extensions or leg curls with pretty much any nearby upper body exercise
Exercises to avoid using drop sets with

Deadlifts
Squats
Overhead press
Bonus tip: If you're short on time, you can focus on compound exercises. Compound exercises work multiple muscle groups at the same time, which can help you get more done in less time.

[monicagarner]

Thank you so much for the free workout programs and wisdom! I’ve been struggling with losing motivation before my workout ends because it just takes too long…. You put so much effort into them for the bettering of others, thank you! One of my favorite workout channels by far

[jamaallewis]

Some of my best progress was in a home gym doing about 8-15 sets per week focusing on progressive overload (generally adding a rep if possible or 2.5-5 lbs per week). I also used super sets and drop sets

[jerrymorals]

Love Your Channel.Its always informative.Keep Up the Great Work!!

[Reygram]

I work out using the 3/7 method you explained months ago here.
It works fine for me.
I can exercise fast and grow at my own pace

[VitalityFitnessScience]

Having a well-structured workout plan is key. Breaks not too long, nor too short; intensity high, but not too high.

[sltechtamil]

Thanks for your time saving workout plan bro! 🎉🎉🎉

[juansebastianlombanarussi]

Thank you for the video Jeremy, useful and great content as always. Watching from Colombia 😀

[Rise_Md]

Thanks for the great video, as always. Jeremy, we would like to see next testing for arm exercises that are best for growth.

[sabirelk]

Great content Jeremie, keep going bro

[Valentinazs]

Hi Jeremy, first of all I want to thank you for your valuable content, so accurate and easy to understand. I just want to ask you if you can do your minimalist programs focused on lower body. Appreciate it, greetings from Colombia ❤

[ayhobbyist]

thanks for researching and sharing such great content 💡

[dawnpoint]

I’ve been doing Myo Reps lately and that’s been fantastic in saving time and making gains. My back in particular has responded great. Jumped from 8 to 12 pullups in just a few weeks! My triceps also seem to be growing much faster with this method