The Ultimate List Of Advanced Training Methods For Building Muscle

9 Special Training Methods: From BFR to Rest-Pause

Social media and the internet are full of training hacks and secret training tips guaranteed to build more muscle. It can become confusing and hard to distinguish which are legit and which are nonsense.

We’re going to make it easier to choose what works by listing out the 9 best advanced training methods to help pack on mass; things like drop sets, pyramid sets, and lengthened partials.

This list will be based on a new study published in the Strength and Conditioning Journal, meaning the methods are based on science, not influencers.

The Study: Advanced Resistance Training Strategies for Bodybuilding: Tools for Muscle Hypertrophy (2025)

This article is largely based on information found in a new article published in Strength and Conditioning Journal titled “Advanced Resistance Training Strategies for Bodybuilding: Tools for Muscle Hypertrophy”.

Headed by pro bodybuilder and exercise scientist Dr. Guillermo Escalante, this research team did a favor to the bodybuilding world. They broke down the 9 most popular and effective methods for building muscle and explain:

• How to perform them
• When should they be used
• How effective they are

We will put a link at the bottom so you can check out the entire review yourself. However, as this review is primarily a run-down of these methods, we’re going to jump right into it. Let this be your cheat sheet for training!

1. Supersets

• Who should use:
  • Lifters with limited training time
  • Intermediate/advanced trainees who want more density
  • Bodybuilders seeking a pump without longer sessions
• Benefits:
  • Saves 30–40% training time
  • Maintains hypertrophy and strength when volume is matched
  • Increases workout density and perceived effort
• Quality of evidence: Moderate — multiple studies show similar adaptations to traditional training, especially hypertrophy. However, some studies do show they can negatively impact strength.

A superset is when you alternate between two (or more) exercises with shorter rest periods, usually 20-60 seconds.

These are one of the more common and widely used training methods due to their effectiveness, especially with decreasing training time. The 3 most common reasons you would use these are;

1. Increase your total work volume efficiently. 
2. Decrease training time, making it great for busy lifters.
3. Deliver a component of anaerobic conditioning.

Note that there are several ways to perform these supersets by pairing different groups of muscles:

• Opposite muscles or agonist/antagonist muscles (bench press → row)
• Upper/lower (squat → press)
• Same muscle group with compound and isolation (row → rear fly)

Tri-sets and giant sets are also a version of supersets in which you perform a series of isolation or compound exercises, 3 (tri-sets) or 4 (giant sets), for a muscle group with 5–20 s rest between sets.

Example of Upper Body Superset Workout

• Bench Press + Chin-Ups: 4X6-8 w/ 60s rest
• Bent Over Row + Dips: 4X8-10 w/ 40s rest

Example of Arm Triset

• Biceps Drag Curl + Triceps Pushdown + Cable Lateral Raise: 3X8-12 w/ 20-30s

Check Out More Information Here!

2. Drop Sets

Who should use:

• Bodybuilders chasing a pump or extra stimulus at the end of an exercise
• Time-crunched lifters who want more work in less time
• Best for machines/cables where the load can be changed quickly and safely

Benefits:

• Time-efficient way to increase training volume
• High metabolic stress and pump
• Pushes past failure without long rest

Quality of evidence: Moderate — Research shows no extra hypertrophy when volume is matched, but without volume matching, drop sets can provide additional growth stimulus.)

Drop sets have become extremely popular in the bodybuilding and fitness world. A lifter will first perform a set to failure, immediately reduce the load by ~20–25%, and continue repping to failure again. You can repeat this for one or more “drops.”

Drop sets are usually used with smaller accessory work and isolations to bring a muscle past failure and increase metabolic damage. 

They can be useful to use towards the end of a workout. We would recommend saving them for just the last set of an exercise.

Example Biceps Drop Set:

• Barbell Curl: 10 reps @ 50kg → drop to 40kg, rep to failure → drop to 30kg, rep to failure.

Check Out More Information!

3. Lengthened Partials

Who should use:

• Experienced lifters needing novelty or extra tension
• Bodybuilders aiming for stretch-mediated hypertrophy (especially distal muscle regions)
• Best with single-joint or machine lifts (curls, calf raises, leg extensions)

Benefits:

• Extends time under tension in the most mechanically loaded range
• May promote more growth in the stretched position of the muscle
• Adds intensity without adding full extra sets

Quality of evidence: Mixed/Low-Moderate — Some studies show small regional advantages, others show no difference. No evidence of harm.

Lengthened partials refer to isolating the part of a rep where the muscle is stretched to its longest position. This occurs at the end of the eccentric/beginning of the concentric. 

• Extension exercises (Triceps, quads)- Occurs when the joint is flexed or closed
• Flexion exercises (curls, rows)- Occurs when the joint is extended or open

Because the muscle is lengthened, it generates the most amount of stretch and tension, which plays a crucial role in muscle hypertrophy. For this reason, lifters will sometimes exaggerate this and perform half reps to take advantage of this phenomenon.

You can perform these by;

• Only performing lengthened partials
• Use a full ROM until you reach failure, then continue with lengthened partials

Example Calves with Lengthened Partials:

• Seated Calf Raise: 3×12 full reps → after the last full rep, add 6–8 short pulses at the bottom position.

Check Out More Information Here!

4. Pre-Exhaustion

Who should use:

• Bodybuilders with lagging muscles (e.g., chest, quads)
• Lifters with joint issues who want to use lighter multi-joint loads
• Advanced lifters seeking variety or “mind–muscle” focus

Benefits:

• Pre-fatigues a target muscle so the next compound lift hits it harder
• Can shift stress away from stronger assisting muscles
• Useful for targeted hypertrophy or rehab scenarios

Quality of evidence: Low–Moderate — Mixed findings; some studies show added muscle activation, but long-term hypertrophy evidence is weak.

Pre-exhaustion is a bit like a super set, but has you flip the usual order of exercises.  You start with an isolation move to fatigue a muscle, then immediately perform a multi-joint lift.  This is usually done to target the major working muscle, but can be done to synergist muscles as well.

Another version of pre-exhaustion is to simply do all the sets of your isolation exercises before your compound. In this way, you’re simply reversing exercise order as a whole.

Example Chest Pre-Exhaustion:

• Pec Deck: Perform 20-50% 1RM to  failure → immediately perform Bench Press @ 70% 1RM

Example Chest Pre-Exhaustion (Exercise Order):

• Pec Deck: 3X10-12
• Bench Press: 3X8-10

5. Rest-Pause

Who should use:

• Advanced lifters needing intensity in a short time
• Bodybuilders training with heavier loads with limited time
• Great for machine work where form is stable

Benefits:

• Allows multiple near-failure bouts with short rests (10–20s)
• Maximizes recruitment of high-threshold fibers
• Very time-efficient while keeping the load heavy

Quality of evidence: Moderate — Research shows similar hypertrophy to traditional sets when volume is matched, with occasional strength/endurance benefits.

Rest-pause was popular in the early days of bodybuilding, promoted by proponents of minimalist training such as Mike Mentzer. It has recently regained popularity. 

It’s performed by taking a set to failure, resting briefly, then squeezing out extra “mini-sets” with the same weight. It’s a bit like dropsets except it’s usually performed with larger compound exercises, and you use the same weight. 

There are two ways you can perform these;

1. Rest-Pause - The original method spoken of above. 
2. Extended Sets - Let’s say you would usually perform an exercise using a 3X8 rep scheme or 24 total reps. Extended sets have you use rest-pause, but continue until you reach 24 reps.

Example: Chest Press Rest-Pause

• 8 reps @ 80% 1RM → 20s rest → 4 reps → 20s rest → 3 reps (total 15 reps at heavy load).

Example: Chest Press Extended Set

• Planned 24 reps @ 80% 1RM 
• 8 reps → 20s rest → 4 reps → 20s rest → 3 reps → continue until 24 reps

Check Out More Information Here!

6. Forced Repetitions

Who should use:

• Advanced lifters with reliable training partners
• Athletes in short intensification blocks
• Not recommended for beginners or solo lifters

Benefits:

• Extends sets past failure for maximal effort stimulus
• May enhance training motivation and push tolerance

Quality of evidence: Low. Mostly acute studies; no consistent long-term hypertrophy benefits. Higher fatigue and injury risk.

Forced reps are a bit of an umbrella term referring to using assistance to perform 2-5 reps after failure. The most common way is to use a partner to assist in performing more reps after failure.

An important feature is that there is no rest. It’s one fluid set that has the partner jump in when needed.

Failure reps are extensively used in the gym, but research is surprisingly limited on their use. There seems to be only one longitudinal study, and the use of forced reps did not result in significant differences in muscle growth.

Example (Chest-Supported Row Forced Reps):

• Perform 8–10 reps to failure → partner assists 2–3 more reps immediately.

7. Pyramidal Training

Who should use:

• Lifters who enjoy variety in training
• Those wanting to train across multiple rep ranges in one session
• Useful in both novice and advanced settings as a progression tool

Benefits:

• Combines hypertrophy and strength zones in one exercise
• Acts as a built-in warm-up when ascending
• Adds novelty without extra equipment

Quality of evidence: Moderate. Studies show similar hypertrophy to straight sets when volume is equal.

Pyramid sets have you increase the weight, thus decreasing the reps across sets to a peak set, and then reversing the order. A common method is to perform a planned number of reps up to the peak, and then perform the descending sets to failure.

Similar to ladder sets, except you perform just the ascending part.

Example Squat Full Pyramid:

• Set 1: 12 reps @ 65% 1RM
• Set 2: 10 reps @ 70% 1RM
• Set 3: 8 reps @ 75% 1RM
• Set 4: 8RPE @ 70% 1RM
• Set 5: 9RPE @ 65% 1RM

Example Squat Ascending Pyramid

• Set 1: 12 reps @ 65% 1RM
• Set 2: 10 reps @ 70% 1RM
• Set 3: 8 reps @ 75% 1RM

8. Interset Stretching (ISS)

Who should use:

• Bodybuilders chasing novel stimuli
• Lifters targeting stubborn muscles (arms, calves)
• Useful if you want to keep rest periods productive

Benefits:

• Adds extra mechanical/metabolic stress without lengthening workout
• May boost growth in certain muscles (e.g., calves, triceps)
• Doesn’t seem to impair strength gains

Quality of evidence: Low–Mixed. Small, mostly short-term studies; some show muscle-specific benefits, others show no difference.)

ISS means holding a passive or loaded stretch of the working muscle during the first 20–45 seconds of your rest interval, then resting the remainder. There are several suggested mechanisms as to why this might help improve muscle hypertrophy.

• Maximizes the time the muscle is stretched and under tension
• Restricts blood flow, which might increase metabolic stress and swelling

Example (Chest Press + ISS):

• After a bench press set, grab a light cable fly and hold a deep stretch for 30s → rest 60s → next set.

9. Blood Flow Restriction (BFR)

Who should use:

• Injured athletes or lifters with joint pain
• Bodybuilders during deloads or high-frequency phases
• Anyone needing muscle stimulus with lighter weights

Benefits:

• Hypertrophy comparable to heavy lifting at 20–50% 1RM
• Joint-friendly; reduces load on connective tissue
• Very time efficient and can reduce muscle pain temporarily (hypoalgesia)

Quality of evidence: High (in niche contexts). Supported in both trained lifters and rehab populations, though more long-term bodybuilding-specific trials are needed.)

BFR comes from the rehab world and involves placing a cuff or wrap at the top of a limb to allow blood flow into the muscle, but not out. This causes the pooling of blood, which results in more swelling and metabolic stress.

Using BFR allows you to lift very light loads (30-40% 1RM) to failure and still see significant muscle growth.

This is very useful for the elderly, rehab, or lifters who are traveling and have limited access to weights.

Example BFR Leg Extensions:

• Apply cuff to upper thigh (≈40–50% limb occlusion pressure)
• 30 reps @ 30% 1RM → 30s rest (cuff still on) → 15 reps → 30s rest → 15 reps → 30s rest → 15 reps

Check Out More Information Here!

How To Use These Advanced Training Methods To Build Muscle?

Above, we went over 9 advanced training methods to use in the gym to build more muscle. 

Before you use these, keep in mind that none of them are magic bullets, and the basic principles of hypertrophy still apply:

• Applying progressive overload 
• Increasing total training volume over time

Keeping that in mind, many of these can be useful when used in the proper scenario. Perhaps the most practical method that can be used on a regular basis, and even built an entire program around, is supersets.

Other than these, perhaps the biggest rule is not to overuse these! Notice that many of the methods work by training past muscular fatigue to push out more reps. This must be managed appropriately, or a trainee could possibly suffer from burnout or mitigated benefits.

The best way to do this is to save them for the last set of an exercise. This ensures you cover your basics for resistance training and then throw the special methods on top – almost like using a supplement.

References

1. Gonzalez, Adam M.1; Escalante, Guillermo2; Varovic, Dorian3; Schwarz, Antonella V.4; Rolnick, Nicholas5; De Souza, Eduardo O.6. Advanced Resistance Training Strategies for Bodybuilding: Tools for Muscle Hypertrophy. Strength and Conditioning Journal ():10.1519/SSC.0000000000000929, August 15, 2025. | DOI: 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000929