Blog
Training questions, answered.
Straight answers to the training questions lifters actually search for, from the team behind Stelvo.
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What's the best workout split for 3, 4, 5 or 6 days?
The best split trains every muscle twice a week and fits your calendar. Full body, upper/lower or push/pull/legs — which to run at each number of days.
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Cardio before or after weights?
Lift first, then do cardio — or split them into separate sessions. What the interference research actually shows, and the one case where cardio should go first.
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How long does it take to build muscle?
You'll feel stronger in 2–4 weeks, measure real muscle at 6–8 weeks, and see it in the mirror at 3–6 months. What the timeline looks like and what speeds it up.
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How long should a workout be?
Most lifting sessions should run 45–75 minutes. How your set count, rest periods, and goal decide the number — and what to cut when you only have 30.
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How long should you rest between sets?
Rest 2–3 minutes on heavy compound lifts and 60–90 seconds on isolation work. What the research says, and why resting under a minute can cost you muscle.
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How many days a week should you work out?
Three to five days a week covers most goals. Here's how to pick your number based on your goal, your schedule, and how much you can actually recover from.
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How many sets and reps should you do?
For muscle, 10–20 hard sets per muscle per week in the 6–12 rep range. For strength, 1–6 reps with heavy loads. Why effort matters more than the exact numbers.
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How to start going to the gym (and keep going)
A no-experience guide to your first month: what to do on day one, a six-exercise starter session, how to go alone without the anxiety, and how to make it stick.
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Should you work out when sick?
Use the neck check: symptoms above the neck usually allow a light session; fever, chest symptoms or body aches mean rest. What the evidence says.
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Should you work out when sore?
Usually yes, when it's ordinary muscle soreness. How to tell soreness from injury, when to train around it, and why being sore doesn't mean the workout worked.
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What is progressive overload (and how to actually do it)?
Progressive overload means asking your muscles to do slightly more over time. Six ways to apply it in the gym, the 2-for-2 rule, and a four-week example.