Top 3 Ways to Build Muscle Faster: A Deep Dive into Science-Backed Training Strategies
Let’s face it—building muscle can feel like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded while wearing oven mitts. You scroll through social media and see 100 different influencers telling you to do 100 different things. “Just lift heavy!” “No, do high reps!” “Go keto!” “Eat six meals a day!” “No, wait, do intermittent fasting!” It’s enough to make your head spin faster than a drop set of squats. But here’s the deal: underneath all the noise, the bro-science, and the fitness fads, there are a few foundational principles that the smartest lifters and coaches swear by. These aren’t hacks or magic bullets—they’re real, evidence-based strategies that work. Period.
This blog isn’t going to tell you to take some unregulated supplement or spend $500 on a magic foam roller. Nope. We're cutting through the B.S. and zooming in on the top three ways to build muscle faster that are actually supported by science. We're talking about how to structure your workouts so you stop wasting time and start seeing results that actually show up on your frame (and maybe even get noticed by that one person at the gym who always seems to be deadlifting in jeans).
So if you're tired of spinning your wheels and ready to get serious about packing on size without adding unnecessary fluff to your program—or your waistline—you're in the right place. Let’s break down three critical concepts that could be the difference between making slow, frustrating gains and lighting your muscles on fire in the best way possible. Enter: exercise order, rest intervals, and training to failure. Let’s go.
PS: Did you know Harvesting Strength is an online platform for training clients to becoming stronger? Don’t believe me? Click HERE to hear more!
1. Exercise Order: Why Compounds Come First
Overview: Exercise order is not just a matter of preference or convenience—it's a fundamental programming element that can dramatically influence your results. Starting your workout with compound lifts before isolation exercises isn’t just common sense; it’s science.
What Are Compound and Isolation Exercises?
Compound exercises involve multiple joints and large muscle groups (e.g., squats, deadlifts, bench press).
Isolation exercises target a single muscle group and involve one joint (e.g., bicep curls, leg extensions).
The Science Behind Exercise Order
Studies consistently show that the muscles worked first in a training session are trained with more intensity and better performance. This means more mechanical tension and muscle fiber recruitment—two crucial factors for muscle growth.
When compound exercises are placed first, the body is fresh, and you're able to lift more weight with better form. Since compound lifts recruit the most muscle mass, they serve as a hormonal and neuromuscular trigger to set the tone for the rest of the workout.
Fatigue and Motor Unit Recruitment
Starting with isolation work can fatigue muscles needed for compound lifts, decreasing your performance. Research from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research shows that pre-fatiguing a muscle reduces your ability to recruit high-threshold motor units during compound lifts—the very units responsible for hypertrophy.
Practical Application
Begin your session with heavy compound lifts (e.g., squat, deadlift, bench press).
Follow up with isolation exercises to target specific muscles that may need extra work or are lagging behind.
Example Leg Day:
Barbell Back Squat (Compound)
Romanian Deadlift (Compound)
Walking Lunge (Compound)
Leg Curl (Isolation)
Leg Extension (Isolation)
2. Rest Intervals: The Overlooked Metabolic Driver
Overview: How long you rest between sets isn’t just a matter of catching your breath. Rest intervals play a massive role in determining your hormonal response, energy system utilization, and ultimately, your muscle growth.
The Three Types of Rest Intervals
Short Rest (30–60 seconds): Ideal for hypertrophy, increases metabolic stress, produces lactate.
Moderate Rest (60–90 seconds): Balances recovery and muscle growth.
Long Rest (2–5 minutes): Best for strength and power development.
Why Short Rest Intervals Work for Muscle Growth
Short rest periods create more fatigue within the muscle and force the body to rely more heavily on anaerobic energy systems. This leads to greater accumulation of metabolites like lactate, hydrogen ions, and inorganic phosphate, all of which are believed to play a role in stimulating hypertrophy.
Increased time under tension combined with minimal rest also keeps your muscle fibers engaged longer, enhancing the muscle-building signal.
Hormonal Impact
Short rest periods can lead to higher acute increases in anabolic hormones such as growth hormone and testosterone. While the long-term significance of these hormone spikes is still debated, there's no denying the positive environment they create for muscle growth.
Practical Application
Hypertrophy sets: Stick with 30–60 seconds rest.
Supersets or circuits: Use minimal rest to keep the intensity high.
Example Chest Workout:
Bench Press: 2 sets x 8 reps (120 sec rest)
Incline Dumbbell Press: 5 sets x 10 reps (60-90 sec rest)
Cable Chest Fly: 3 sets x 12 reps (30 sec rest)
3. Training to Failure: The Growth Threshold
Overview: Training to failure means performing repetitions until you can’t complete another rep with good form. While controversial, it’s one of the most powerful tools for pushing your muscles beyond their comfort zone.
The Science Behind Failure Training
Muscle fibers are recruited according to the size principle: low-threshold fibers are recruited first, followed by high-threshold motor units as intensity increases. Training to failure ensures the full spectrum of muscle fibers is activated.
A 2016 study by Schoenfeld et al. found that training to failure can be especially beneficial when using lighter loads. It increases muscle activation to match heavier loads by recruiting those last-resort high-threshold motor units.
Risk vs Reward
Going to failure does increase fatigue and can prolong recovery. That’s why failure training should be used strategically. It works best in accessory movements or the final set of a compound lift when fatigue management is easier.
When (and When Not) to Train to Failure
Use for: Isolation exercises, bodyweight movements, final set of a compound lift.
Avoid for: High-skill lifts like heavy squats or deadlifts, especially under fatigue.
Practical Application
Push your last set of an exercise to failure.
Try rest-pause sets: Perform a set to failure, rest 15 seconds, then go again.
Use failure sparingly: Incorporate it 1–3 times per workout, not every set.
Example Bicep Finisher:
Barbell Curl: 3 sets x 10 reps, final set to failure
Hammer Curl: 2 sets x 12 reps
Cable Curl: 1 set to complete failure + drop set
How to Combine All 3 for Maximum Gains
Let’s bring it all together into a sample hypertrophy workout that puts these strategies into action.
Push Day Example:
1. Barbell Bench Press – 2 sets x 6-8 reps (compound first, 120 sec rest)
2. Dumbbell Shoulder Press – 3 sets x 8-10 reps (compound, 90 sec rest)
3. Incline Dumbbell Press – 5 sets x 10 reps (compound, 60 sec short rest)
4. Cable Chest Fly – 3 sets x 12-15 reps, last set to failure with 60 sec rest
5. Tricep Pushdown – 3 sets x 12-15 reps, final set rest-pause to failure with 30 sec rest
This session emphasizes compound movements up front while using short rest intervals to boost metabolic stress. It finishes with targeted isolation work pushed to failure to fully exhaust the muscles and spark growth.
Final Thoughts: Train Smarter, Grow Bigger
Muscle doesn’t grow from randomness. It grows from consistency, strategy, and understanding how to manipulate variables like exercise order, rest intervals, and effort level. The science is clear: to build muscle faster, you must train with intention.
Start with big, compound lifts to maximize recruitment.
Keep rest short to increase stress and hormone response.
Use failure wisely to push your limits and activate dormant fibers.
Put these three strategies into your program today and watch your progress take off.