No matter if you use a pyramid, go to failure, or stick to a normal routine, your muscle fibers don’t change their angle or how they’re packed together any more with one method than another—when you do the same total work.

Your muscle fibers don’t get longer with one training method over another—whether you go to failure, use pyramids, or stick to the basics—as long as you do the same total amount of work.

When people who already lift weights train with different methods—like starting light and going heavy, or doing sets to failure—all of them get about the same muscle growth if they do the same total amount of work.

If you’re already strong and trained, you don’t need fancy workout tricks like pyramids or going to failure to get the best results—just do the same total work with any method.

When men who don't usually exercise start lifting weights, the angle of their muscle fibers changes by about 9% in 12 weeks. It doesn't matter if they lift heavy or light weights, or if they push until they can't do any more reps or not.

If you're a young man who already trains regularly, doing more sets with lighter weights for 6 weeks can make your thigh muscle grow a little bigger — but doing fewer sets with heavier weights won't make it grow at all.