Stop doing random sets of 8 -10 reps for your most important lifts! Yes, volume is good, but taking time to increase the weight and lift heavy stuff is beneficial too. Combining high intensity lifts and volume training is going to be the way you build the most muscle possible.

Different types of methods can be used to achieve the goals you want. Whether it is strictly size, size AND strength, brute strength, or increased power output, there are different set structures that will make you a beast. A lot of these high intensity set structures are going to be based around different types of percent modulation so it’s important to know your true one rep maxes.

In this article we will be taking a look at what it takes to build muscle and different types of methods to use percentages to increase strength and size of muscles. We will also give you examples of workouts that you can take into the gym with you right away. Let’s dig in.

Building muscle takes stimulus. Most of the time when meatheads or people that are new to the gym think about building muscle, they think reps on reps on reps. That shouldn’t be the case as you start to become more competent in the gym. Especially after a certain point when your “newbie gains” start to slow down and you’re no longer a newb to the gym.

To build muscle and make consistent progress, you eventually need to establish a true one rep max in each major compound lift: squat, bench, and deadlift. If you are an athlete, you may want to test maxes at snatch, cleans, and potentially overhead movements like jerks or overhead press.

Building muscle takes stimulus. Most of the time when meatheads or people that are new to the gym think about building muscle, they think reps on reps on reps. That shouldn’t be the case as you start to become more competent in the gym. Especially after a certain point when your “newbie gains” start to slow down and you’re no longer a newb to the gym.

To build muscle and make consistent progress, you eventually need to establish a true one rep max in each major compound lift: squat, bench, and deadlift. If you are an athlete, you may want to test maxes at snatch, cleans, and potentially overhead movements like jerks or overhead press.

That first approach to building muscle with unique set structures is going to be the 1/6 approach. This is going to be the first example of percent modulation that will require you to know your 1RM.

You will do this structure in 3-4 segments. Work up to a single at 90% of your 1RM, wait 2 minutes, then do a set of 6 at 70%. For the second segment you will bump that single up to 93% and do the set of 6 at 75%. Finally you will do 95% for the single and 80% for the set of 6.

The goal of this type of structure is to actually push the sets of 6 rather than the single. The single is just used to potentiate the drop sets. Over time and over the course of the few weeks that you do this, you should be able to get up to around 85% for your last set of 6.

The second unique approach to set structure is going to be waves. This is going to be one of the best structures for technical coordination and absolute strength. The cool thing about this rep scheme is that it is not just a test on the body, but also a test on the mind.

Using waves in your training is going to encourage you to hit serious weights for reps you don’t usually touch.

You will be doing a 3/2/1 rep scheme and increasing the percentages every wave until you are doing a triple between 88-90%.

For the third set structure, we will be highlighting the Sam Mattis Cluster Set. This is a specific way of doing cluster sets that is aimed toward his goals of adding weight, increasing muscle size, and gaining strength.

This version of cluster sets is actually going to involve two sets of clusters at 83% of your 1RM.

The first cluster is going to be 5 sets of doubles at 83% of your one rep max. The rest period will be 30 seconds rest between sets. So as soon as you finish that last rep, the timer starts on the 30 second clock. And 30 seconds rest does not mean prepare and start getting set for your lift after 30 seconds.

The rest period means you should be taking the first rep of the next set exactly 30 seconds after you finish the last rep of the previous set. No messing around here, the timing has to be perfect.

Once the first cluster of doubles is finished, take 5-6 minutes rest. The rest will allow your body to recover from the fatigue, but then it’s back to work with the back half cluster. The second cluster will consist of 5 singles, starting at 80%.

This is where you can start to increase weight depending on how the lifts are feeling. If you see and feel like the lifts are shooting up, you can start to add 10 pounds each set. You want to really push the second set since you are starting at a lower percentage.

By this point, you have potentiated the body to handle a good medium weight at volume. Now you can start slightly easier then work up to 90 or 92%. Finish the cluster hard to build the muscle you want.

The fourth muscle building method in this list is going to be the king of pumps. Pyramid sets. Yes, using pyramids as part of your training will give you the ultimate combo of volume and high weight intensity to build thick muscles. Although, volume is going to be your best buddy here.

Considering this is going to be all about chasing the pump, we won’t be going above 80% and will be taking more than 2 minutes of rest.

Your sets will look at 9/7/5/7/9 then finish with a FAT set of 17… yes you heard me right. 17. You want to chase the pump and get big, then you need to do the 17 rep finisher. Check below to see how your percentages should play out:

The last muscle building method list is the method that we use the most here with the athletes at Garage Strength. This is going to be the static-ramo compliment. This is what we use with our weightlifters, throwers, and even football players for long term periodization.

You can use it for technical movements as well as absolute strength movements to introduce the muscle to a variety of loads over a 4 week period.

The static-ramp complement is also meant to reinforce technique before a high percentage attempt. Start with around four doubles at 80% and focus on the technique. Once you establish that neural drive and the technique in place, then you can start ramping without thinking about the technique.

Before you know it, you’ve ramped up to a double at 92% of your 1RM which means your max is probably higher than it used to be.

If you want to build muscle, you need to change up the way you workout every now and then. By using dynamic programming and different types of set structures, you have the ability to achieve adaptations with variation.

If you are doing the same rep scheme for months and months on end, the only thing that will really change is the weight. I theory that sounds good, but the weight may not be increasing at the rate as if you were diversifying your training portfolio.

As your progress slows down or you want to try something away from the norm, feel free to try one of these methods and see how you fare over a 4 week span. To get more examples and specific instructions for long term programming, check out the Peak Strength app. The Peak Strength app is going to give you custom programming catered to your goals with specialized levels of variation that will target muscle building and other adaptations you want to achieve.

Let us know if you try one of these methods and how you’re incorporating them into your weekly training!