What is the best way to build muscle?

I’ve heard 1 gram protein per kilogram. Natural food protein is perfectly good and if eaten from a few soures contains all the essential amino acids. Few North Americans don’t get enough protein in their diet; if you work out a lot it is probably beneficial.

Can you get all the benefits of several sets from a single set? I would suggest the answer is “no”. It is important to warm-up when using heavy weights; not only tretching but several reps at e.g. 50% of the maximum which many not be included in the actual number of sets. Such a regime will not build any endurance and I suspect it would be useful only in very advanced lifters already. What was the study population?

Agreed. If you work out a lot, it IS beneficial, within reason. BTW, my sample size for that anecdotal observation is one–me. (But I’ve also seen good research that underscores this point again and again.) Of course, some people are just plain genetically endowed to build muscle easily. Ectomorphs generally–especially females.

Solution? Get fake boobs. No one will even notice your scrawny legs!

As for 1 vs. 2 or 3 sets, I don’t have time to find the study, but I read about it in the Washington Post about 3-4 months ago. That said, I still do two sets.