After 15 years of lifting, Dr. Joey's biggest myths as a beginner included believing you need to bulk to build muscle, that exercises must be constantly switched up, that barbells are superior to machines, that a specific rep range is best, and that every set needs to reach absolute failure. None of these hold up under closer scrutiny.
After 15 years in this health and fitness space, Dr. Joey looked back and reflected on the myths he believed as a beginner lifter, myths that are still widely repeated by people newer to building muscle. Here's what he got wrong, and what actually matters instead.
Myth: You Need to Bulk to Build Muscle
Research shows you can build substantial muscle even at maintenance calories, or in a slight deficit. There are plenty of variables that influence how much muscle is possible under these conditions, but a calorie surplus is not a strict requirement, optimizing training, sleep, stress management, and protein intake matters more.
Myth: Muscle Confusion Is Important for Growth
The idea that you need to constantly switch up exercises to keep muscles "guessing" was popular in the early 2010s, and it's backwards. Sticking with the same core exercises for 6 to 8 weeks lets you become proficient at the movement, which is exactly what allows you to maximally fatigue the target muscle. Switching exercises constantly means you're never proficient enough to stimulate growth effectively.
Myth: You Need Protein Immediately After Training
The "anabolic window" idea, that you have roughly 30 minutes post-workout to eat or waste your session, doesn't hold up. What actually matters is total daily protein and calorie intake. As long as you're eating adequate protein across 3 to 4 meals a day, the exact timing after training makes little meaningful difference.
Myth: More Volume Is Always Better
More training volume is associated with more growth, but only up to the point your body can recover from it. Pushing beyond your recovery capacity stops producing better results and starts working against you.
Myth: Barbells Are Superior to Machines
Muscles don't know whether they're contracting against a barbell or a machine, only that they're contracting against force. Machines offer a real advantage in stability, letting you push closer to failure with better technical consistency, since you don't have to manage balance the way you do with free weights.
Your muscles don't know if you're using a barbell or a machine. What they know is that they're contracting against force.
Myth: There's One Ideal Rep Range for Muscle Growth
Anywhere from roughly 5 to 30 reps can effectively build muscle in the research literature, as long as sets are taken close to failure with similar relative effort. The exercise itself often determines what rep range feels natural, heavy compounds like squats suit lower reps, while isolation movements like curls suit higher reps, but no single range is inherently superior for growth.
Myth: Every Set Needs to Reach Absolute Failure
Training to absolute failure does produce slightly more hypertrophy per set, but it's also significantly more fatiguing, which limits how much total volume you can perform. Leaving one or two reps in reserve on most sets often allows for more total training volume across a session, which can produce equal or better results.
Myth: Training Each Muscle Once a Week Is Optimal
The old-school "chest Monday, shoulders Tuesday" bodybuilding split isn't supported by the research. Muscles typically recover within 2 to 4 days for most lifters, meaning training each muscle group twice a week produces better results than concentrating all volume into a single, highly fatiguing session.
The Common Thread Across These Myths
- A calorie surplus isn't required to build meaningful muscle, especially for newer lifters.
- Sticking with consistent exercises for 6-8 weeks builds proficiency that drives better muscle stimulation.
- Total daily protein and calories matter more than eating protein within a narrow post-workout window.
- No single rep range or piece of equipment is universally superior for muscle growth.
- Training each muscle twice a week generally outperforms concentrating volume into one weekly session.
Most of these myths share a common thread: an obsession with finding the one perfect variable, when muscle growth actually responds to consistent effort across many variables working together. Fifteen years in, the fundamentals matter more than the specifics people obsess over.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to bulk in order to build muscle?
No. Research shows you can build substantial muscle and improve body composition even at maintenance calories, or in a slight deficit, as long as training, sleep, stress management, and protein intake are optimized.
Is there an ideal rep range for building muscle?
Not really. Research shows anywhere from 5 to 30 reps can effectively build muscle, as long as sets are taken close to failure with similar relative effort. Rep range matters less than proximity to failure and total volume.
Do you have to train every set to absolute failure to build muscle?
No. Training to absolute failure produces slightly more hypertrophy per set, but it's also more fatiguing, which can reduce how much total volume you can perform. Leaving one or two reps in reserve often allows more total training volume, which can be equally or more effective.
Is training each muscle once a week the best way to build muscle?
No. Research generally shows training each muscle group twice a week is more effective than once a week, since muscles typically recover within 2 to 4 days, and splitting total volume across two sessions helps maintain better performance per set.
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