It's a classic fitness myth: to build muscle, you must do sets of 8 and 12 reps. New science has established that is not the case. Researchers have determined it's possible to build muscle within a wide range of rep schemes, from sets as low as 5 reps per set all the way up to 30 reps in a set.

Discover post-workout foods that provide the perfect balance of protein, carbs and nutrients to maximize muscle growth and speed recovery after exercise.

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You need a calorie surplus of about 200 to 400 calories to be able to build muscle. For reference, that's about an extra serving of pasta or fiveounces of steak. These extra calories provide the much needed energy you need to push through grueling workouts and heavy sets. They also power the bodily processes that generate muscle synthesis.