People are always looking for some kind of a "new" and "hi tech" training method that really makes your muscles grow real fast.
But the truth is, if you want to grow muscles fast, the old fashioned heavy weights is by far the best method.
Heavy weights are the most basic stimulus that causes the muscles to grow.
You have the most potential for muscle growth if you go to failure in the 6-12 rep range.
100% of the chest muscle fibers come in to play when you go to failure for example using 175 pounds on the 9 rep in a bench press.
But if you only use some 125 pounds and complete the 9 repetitions you will not recruit all the muscle fibers of the chest, even if you do multiple sets.
So choose a weight that is heavy enough that prevents you from exceeding 12 repetitions, yet is not too heavy so you can do at least 6 repetitions.
This ensures maximum gains.
You are guaranteed optimum muscle growth if work in the 6-12 rep range with maximum weights you can handle and fail on the final rep.
It doesn't matter if it is 7, 9, or 12, if it is in the 6-12 rep range you will make gains.
Using lighter weights does not make you go to failure.
Light weights do not recruit 100% of the muscle fibers to work.
Those who avoid using really heavy weights, always compensate it by doing an abundance of sets.
Doing a lot of sets is certainly not the key to build muscle.
This one mistake that so many people make and wonder why they are unable to make any gains.