The Dr. Layne Norton Podcast How to Build Muscle Masterclass with Professor Brad Schoenfeld
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Sep 8, 2025 
Join Professor Brad Schoenfeld, a leading researcher in muscle hypertrophy, as he shares his wealth of knowledge on building muscle effectively. He discusses the non-negotiables for muscle growth, including the pivotal roles of mechanical tension and training volume. Schoenfeld also debunks common myths in fitness, emphasizing the importance of balancing training intensity and volume to avoid overtraining. His insights provide a fascinating look into the science behind muscle development and the health benefits of resistance training.
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Intensity Is The Core Driver
- Intensity of effort is the single most important driver of hypertrophy; train within a couple reps of failure.
- You can achieve similar growth across wide rep ranges if effort is high.
Use Failure Selectively
- Train close to failure but reserve absolute failure for sparing use, especially on compound lifts.
- Reserve failure mostly for last sets and single-joint exercises to reduce systemic fatigue.
Mechanical Tension Is Multifaceted
- Mechanical tension initiates hypertrophy via mechanotransduction and has magnitude and time components.
- Both active and passive (stretch) tension matter and interact in complex ways.