If you’ve lifted long enough, you know the frustration. The weight that used to move now feels bolted to the floor. Your bench press won’t budge. Your biceps look the same week after week. Those extra reps you promised yourself? They never come.

That’s when people start looking for tricks. One worth knowing is the 3/7 method. It’s not new, but it’s earned a reputation in strength circles for shaking people out of plateaus.

The 3/7 method flips regular training on its head. Instead of doing four sets of 8 reps with long breaks, you do five quick mini-sets back to back:

Set 1: 3 reps → rest 15 seconds
Set 2: 4 reps → rest 15 seconds
Set 3: 5 reps → rest 15 seconds
Set 4: 6 reps → rest 15 seconds
Set 5: 7 reps → rest 3 minutes

Then repeat this whole sequence 1-2 more times.

What weight should you use? Start with about 60% of the heaviest weight you can lift once. That’s probably lighter than you think. Once you get the hang of it, you can work up to 70-75%.

Here’s what the research shows.

The study that made this method famous happened in 2019. European researchers had participants perform bicep curls in two different ways. One group used the 3/7 method. The other did regular sets.

The results? The 3/7 group saw their strength jump by about 22%, compared to 12% in the regular group. Their biceps grew nearly twice as much, and they were done in a fraction of the time.

Now, to be fair, the “regular” group in that study wasn’t training to failure. And other research shows that if you crank up the volume on traditional training, results can be just as good. So is 3/7 magic? Probably not. But it is a clever way to work harder in less time.

This is what researchers think is happening.

Your muscles get starved for oxygen. Those tiny 15-second breaks aren’t enough time to fully recover. By the fourth mini-set, your muscles are working like your lungs at high altitude, gasping without enough oxygen. This harsh environment might be forcing them to adapt.

You pack a lot of work into less time. You end up doing 50-75 total reps (depending on how many rounds you complete). But it feels completely different from regular training.

Though it's worth noting that researchers still debate the exact mechanisms. Whether it's truly metabolic stress or simply another way to create the mechanical tension that drives muscle growth.

STOP HERE if any of these apply to you:

• You’re new to lifting (less than 6 months of experience).
• You have joint problems or injuries.
• You struggle to keep good form when you get tired.

This method is brutal, which is why it works. But it can also chew you up if you’re careless. Your form will start to slip once fatigue sets in. The moment that happens, rack the weight or lighten it. Don’t push through sloppy reps. That’s where injuries live.

Pick safe exercises only. Stick to movements like bicep curls, tricep pushdowns, or leg extensions. Never try this with squats, deadlifts, or bench press. The fatigue makes proper form nearly impossible on compound exercises.

Start ridiculously light. Use about 60% of your max for the first few sessions. Sharp pain means stop immediately. Muscle burn is normal; joint pain isn’t.

How to put the 3/7 method into your routine.

Select one exercise that you’ve been struggling with for several weeks. Bicep curls or tricep pushdowns work best.

Follow the 15-second rest periods exactly. When you can do all the reps with perfect form, add 2.5 pounds.

Important limits: Use this method 2-3 times per week total, never more. Keep in mind that similar results might be achievable by simply increasing your training volume with traditional methods. Run it for 2-6 weeks maximum, then return to regular training. Only do one exercise this way per workout.

Keep doing your main lifts (squats, deadlifts, bench press) the usual way. Use the 3/7 method as a finisher for smaller muscle groups.

Plateaus happen, and often they’ve got nothing to do with the program. Poor sleep, not eating enough, or just needing more time can all make progress stall. If those basics aren’t in place, no training trick will save you.

If you’re genuinely stuck despite good habits, this method might give your muscles the shock they need. Use it carefully, stick to safe exercises, and treat it as a short-term tool, not your primary approach to training.

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Reference Links:

Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training Using the 3/7 Resistance Training Method on Metabolic Stress in People with Heart Failure and Coronary Artery Disease: A Randomized Cross-Over Study

Alexis Gillet, Kevin Forton, Michel Lamotte, Francesca Macera, Ana Roussoulières, Pauline Louis, Malko Ibrahim, Céline Dewachter, Philippe van de Borne, Gaël Deboeck
Journal of Clinical Medicine, Published 2023 Dec 17;12(24):7743. doi: 10.3390/jcm12247743

Click Here for the Study: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10743906/

 

Examining the Effect of 3/7 Strength Training Method on Various Maximal Strength, Fatigue and Body Composition Parameters

Behnam CÜCÜ, Mert AYDOĞMUŞ, Mehmet Ali ÖZTÜRK, Mustafa Nurullah KADI
Turkish Journal of Sport and Exercise, Published 2024 - Volume: 26– Issue 3 - Pages: 537-548

Click Here for the Study: https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/3996759

 

Loading Recommendations for Muscle Strength, Hypertrophy, and Local Endurance: A Re-Examination of the Repetition Continuum

Brad J Schoenfeld, Jozo Grgic, Derrick W Van Every, Daniel L Plotkin
SPORTS, Published 2021 Feb 22;9(2):32. doi: 10.3390/sports9020032

Click Here for the Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33671664/

 

Efficacy of a new strength training design: the 3/7 method

Séverine Stragier, Stéphane Baudry, Alain Carpentier, Jacques Duchateau
European Journal of Applied Physiology, Published 2019 May;119(5):1093-1104. doi: 10.1007/s00421-019-04099-5.

Click Here for the Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30756168/

 

Effect of a strength training method characterized by an incremental number of repetitions across sets and a very short rest interval

C. Laurent, F. Penzer, B. Letroye, A. Carpentier, S. Baudry, J. Duchateau
Science & Sports, Published October 2016, Pages e115-e121

Click Here for the Study: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scispo.2016.04.004

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8/13/2025
Updated 9/5/2025