Most guys believe that more sets = more muscle mass (this is wrong).
They are simply training too much.
Here’s the basic equation of muscle mass.
Muscle Mass = Rate of Protein Synthesis – Rate of Protein Breakdown
- You GAIN muscle when protein synthesis is greater than breakdown.
- You LOSE muscle when protein breakdown is greater than synthesis.
- You MAINTAIN muscle when these rates match.
You want JUST ENOUGH muscle protein breakdown.
Because, as a natural, you won’t be able to synthesize protein like a steroid user.
Most guys train in a way that causes excessive breakdown.
*Things like forced reps may make guys sore and feel like they are getting a great workout, but a natural is unlikely to gain muscle from that.
Too much breakdown means muscle gain is unlikely.
A beginner can possibly get away with this type of training.
Anything works when you are untrained.
But guys that train like this inevitably will hit a sticking point, sometimes for 5+ years (or get stuck forever).
Many guys who get stuck, turn to steroids.
Their high-volume workouts begin to work again because they are now drug-enhanced.
*Steroids increase the muscle cell’s ability to absorb amino acids.
They are able to do those long, high-volume workouts with a lot of muscle breakdown… because their muscle protein synthesis is super-charged.
- These are the actors who gain 30 pounds of muscle for a movie role.
- These are the guys able to eat 4,000+ calories per day, gain muscle, and not get fat.
- These are the majority of fitness influencers
They are only able to do these workouts due to pharmaceuticals.
Do NOT copy their workouts.
It won’t go well for you.
I find that 3 workouts per week is best for rapid growth.
I’ve been teaching this for 10 years, and the recent research[1] back this.
This was published in October 2024 and analyzed data from 67 different studies involving over 2,000 participants.
The findings?
For muscle growth, between 4-10 “fractional weekly sets” per muscle group is ideal.
What are fractional weekly sets?
These sets are calculated by counting direct exercises as 1 full set for a muscle group and indirect exercises as 1/2 sets.
Take the bench press, for instance.
If you did 4 sets of bench press, it would count as…
- 4 fractional sets for chest (direct exercise)
- 2 fractional sets for shoulders (indirect exercise)
- 2 fractional sets for triceps (indirect exercise)
So you would really only need 2 sets of a direct exercise for shoulders (seated shoulder press)… and 2 sets of a direct exercise for triceps (triceps pushdowns).
This is why the Thor Workout is set up the way it is.
It’s a shoulder specialization program.
- We are hitting the upper end of fractional sets on the shoulders: over 10 fractional sets per week.
- We are on the lower end for muscle groups like lats: 4 fractional sets per week.
I’ve used this setup many times with success.
This WILL increase the size of your delts.
And 4 sets can still build size in other muscle groups, but the gains will be accelerated in shoulders.
And remember…
Muscle growth occurs when you are resting, not when you are working out.
In my setup, you get 4 full rest days to encourage muscle growth.
This 3 day per week workout is the perfect sweet spot.
If you are making slow progress, it is likely you are following a routine that only works if you are drug-enhanced.
You need a different approach…
Give this Thor setup a try.
I guarantee you will be pleased with the results.
Talk Soon,
Greg O’Gallagher
P.S.
In the next email, I want to discuss individual sets in more detail.
Too many guys are just going through the motions.
In this Thor workout, each and every set matters.
I’ll give you tips on getting the most out of each set to ensure your shoulders grow quickly.
