What Exercises Are Best for Building Muscle?

By: Marc Lobliner, IFBB Pro

If you're looking to build muscle, it all starts with smart training. But with so much information out there, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Let’s break it down by experience level, training strategy, and scientific backing so you can maximize your gains, no matter where you are in your fitness journey.

Start with the Basics: What Beginners Need Most

For beginners, the key to building muscle is mastering the foundational movements. Compound exercises—those that work multiple muscle groups at once—are the gold standard. Think squats, deadlifts, bench presses, pull-ups, and rows.

Why compound lifts? They stimulate the most muscle fibers and allow for heavier loads, which means more growth potential. Studies show that multi-joint exercises increase testosterone and growth hormone levels more significantly than isolation exercises (Kraemer et al., 1990).

Beginner Plan Example 1: Full Body 3x/Week (e.g., Monday, Wednesday, Friday)

• Squat – 3 sets of 8–10 reps

• Bench Press – 3 sets of 8–10 reps

• Barbell Row – 3 sets of 8–10 reps

• Overhead Press – 3 sets of 8–10 reps

• Pull-ups or Lat Pulldown – 3 sets of 8–12 reps

Beginner Plan Example 2: Upper/Lower Split (4x/Week)

Upper A (Monday)

• Incline Dumbbell Press – 3 sets of 8–12 reps

• Seated Cable Row – 3 sets of 10 reps

• Lateral Raise – 2 sets of 15 reps

• Dumbbell Curl – 2 sets of 12 reps

Lower A (Tuesday)

• Goblet Squat – 3 sets of 12 reps

• Romanian Deadlift – 3 sets of 10 reps

• Leg Curl Machine – 2 sets of 15 reps

• Calf Raise – 2 sets of 20 reps

Upper B (Thursday)

• Flat Barbell Bench Press – 3 sets of 8 reps

• One Arm Dumbbell Row – 3 sets of 10 reps

• Rear Delt Fly – 2 sets of 15 reps

• Hammer Curl – 2 sets of 12 reps

Lower B (Friday)

• Leg Press – 3 sets of 10 reps

• Walking Lunge – 2 sets of 12 reps per leg

• Seated Calf Raise – 2 sets of 20 reps

Intermediate and Advanced Lifters: Time to Get Precise

Once you’ve built a foundation, it’s time to focus more on targeting specific muscle groups. This is where mind-muscle connection and volume manipulation come into play. As hypertrophy expert Dr. Mike Israetel emphasizes, progressing through mesocycles of increased volume and intensity while focusing on muscle tension and stretch can significantly enhance growth.

Paul Carter takes a different approach: train with extreme intensity in the 4–8 rep range and push to the limit for fewer sets. This can be highly effective for intermediate to advanced lifters looking to break plateaus.

Intermediate Push-Pull-Legs Split (3x/Week or 6x/Week alternating):

Day 1 – Push (Chest/Shoulders/Triceps)

• Incline Dumbbell Press – 4 sets of 6–10 reps

• Dumbbell Shoulder Press – 3 sets of 8–10 reps

• Cable Fly – 3 sets of 10–12 reps

• Skull Crushers – 3 sets of 10–12 reps

Day 2 – Pull (Back/Biceps)

• Barbell Deadlift – 3 sets of 6 reps

• Pull-ups – 3 sets to failure

• Seated Row – 3 sets of 10 reps

• Barbell Curl – 3 sets of 12 reps

Day 3 – Legs

• Squat – 4 sets of 6–10 reps

• Romanian Deadlift – 3 sets of 10 reps

• Leg Press – 3 sets of 12 reps

• Leg Curl – 3 sets of 12–15 reps

4-Day Advanced Body Part Split Example:

Day 1 – Chest and Triceps

• Flat Barbell Bench – 4 sets of 6–10 reps

• Incline Dumbbell Press – 3 sets of 10–12 reps

• Dips – 3 sets to failure

• Rope Triceps Pushdown – 3 sets of 12–15 reps

Day 2 – Back and Biceps

• Pull-ups – 3 sets to failure

• T-Bar Row – 3 sets of 8–10 reps

• Dumbbell Curl – 3 sets of 12 reps

• Preacher Curl – 3 sets of 15 reps

Day 3 – Shoulders and Abs

• Overhead Barbell Press – 4 sets of 8–10 reps

• Lateral Raise – 3 sets of 15 reps

• Rear Delt Machine – 3 sets of 15 reps

• Hanging Leg Raise – 3 sets of 15 reps

Day 4 – Legs

• Front Squat – 4 sets of 8 reps

• Leg Curl – 4 sets of 12–15 reps

• Walking Lunge – 3 sets of 20 steps

• Standing Calf Raise – 3 sets of 20 reps

5-Day Split for Max Volume and Focus:

Day 1 – Chest Day 2 – Back Day 3 – Legs Day 4 – Shoulders and Abs Day 5 – Arms Use 3–4 exercises per muscle group, 3–4 sets per exercise, and mix rep ranges (6–15 reps) for maximum hypertrophy.

Advanced Muscle Targeting: The Mind-Muscle Connection

Research by Schoenfeld (2018) suggests that developing a mind-muscle connection and emphasizing the full range of motion and stretch phase (as in Dr. Israetel’s principles) can significantly enhance hypertrophy. Focused, high-tension reps with proper stretch and control can lead to better gains than just “lifting heavy.”

Paul Carter's Heavy Hit Strategy Example:

• Incline Barbell Press – 2 sets of 4–6 reps (train to failure)

• Dumbbell Fly – 1 set of 12–15 reps (slow eccentric)

• Lateral Raises – 3 sets of 12 reps

• Triceps Dips – 2 sets to failure

Mike Israetel Style High Volume Split (Advanced):

Day 1 – Chest/Back

• Incline Dumbbell Press – 4 sets of 10–12 reps

• Cable Crossover – 4 sets of 15 reps with deep stretch

• Pull-ups – 4 sets to failure

• Cable Row – 4 sets of 12 reps (3-4 second negatives)

Day 2 – Legs

• Back Squat – 4 sets of 8–10 reps

• Bulgarian Split Squat – 3 sets of 12 reps per leg

• Seated Leg Curl – 4 sets of 12–15 reps

• Calf Raise – 4 sets of 20 reps

Day 3 – Shoulders/Arms

• Dumbbell Lateral Raise – 4 sets of 15 reps

• Overhead Press – 3 sets of 6–10 reps

• Cable Curl – 4 sets of 12 reps

• Overhead Rope Triceps Extension – 4 sets of 15 reps

Rep Ranges and Sets: What the Science Says

• Beginners: 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps per exercise

• Intermediate: 3–5 sets of 6–12 reps with progressive overload

• Advanced: 2–4 sets of 4–8 reps (intensity focus) or higher volume periods with 3–5 sets of 10–15 reps

A 2017 meta-analysis by Schoenfeld et al. confirms that while multiple rep ranges can build muscle, moderate (6–12) to high (12–15+) reps work best when paired with high volume and intensity.

Final Tips for Success

• Choose a plan you can stick with.

• Focus on progression—add weight, reps, or sets over time.

• Don’t neglect recovery. Muscles grow outside the gym.

• Eat enough protein and calories to support muscle growth.

The Bottom Line

Start simple. Master the basics. As you progress, play with intensity, rep ranges, and volume to see what works best for your body. Whether you're training with the high-volume stretch-focused strategy of Dr. Mike Israetel or the all-out low-rep intensity of Paul Carter, the key is consistent, smart training and a solid plan tailored to your level.

References:

• Kraemer WJ et al. (1990). Hormonal responses to resistance exercise.

• Schoenfeld BJ et al. (2017). Effects of different volume-equated resistance training loading strategies on muscular adaptations.

• Schoenfeld BJ (2018). Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy.