GQ speaks to experts including Mathew Welch, MS, CSCS, ATC, USAW-1, exercise physiologist at HSS about the best ways to build muscle. 

When lifting weight, researchers recommend ending each set one or two reps before failure. “This gives you the ability to both stimulate the muscle and train the muscle more frequently, so it’s like the best of both worlds,” said Welch, who generally recommends hitting each muscle group with at least three sets of 4–8 reps, with three minutes of rest between sets. Ultimately, the effective reps you’ll rack up from being able to train more frequently will outweigh the ones you’ll sacrifice from not taking every set to complete failure.

As for how you organize your workouts, according to Welch, it doesn’t really matter as long as the muscles you’re focusing on are getting enough attention each week. “Organizing your workouts into body part splits is a great way to target the muscles you are trying to grow, while managing fatigue and recovery. Full-body workouts, however, can be just as effective for hypertrophy,” he explained. “Which routine is best? This depends on personal preference.”

Read the full article at gq.com.