Volume has an inverted U-shaped relationship in which sets can increase muscle growth up to a point. Thereafter, adding further sets won’t increase muscle growth. The research suggests that between 10-20 sets per body part seems optimal. The number of sets you can perform is dependent on your recovery. Increasing sets will work up to a certain point; then, no further increase in muscle mass will occur.
HOW MANY EXERCISES PER WEEK MAXIMIZES MUSCLE GROWTH ARTICLE SUMMARY
- How many exercises per week to stimulate muscle growth is dependent on many factors such as age, training status, current training volume, intensity, ect.
- Volume has an inverted U-shaped relationship in which sets can increase muscle growth up to a point. After that, adding further sets won’t increase muscle growth.
- The research suggests that 10-20 sets per body part seems optimal.
- The number of sets you can perform is dependent on your recovery. Increasing sets will work up to a certain point; no further increase in muscle mass will occur.
9/15 HOW MANY EXERCISES PER WEEK:
How many sets per week is the question all lifters looking to maximally stimulate muscle growth are asking. Adding more sets will increase tension placed on a muscle which has all kinds of beneficial effects, such as increasing muscle IGF-1 levels, myostatin-related muscle hypertrophy, etc. A new meta-analysis found that doing more volume (i.e., sets) won’t necessarily result in more muscle growth.
The researchers analyzed several studies and examined muscle growth responses of: “low” (<12 weekly sets), “moderate” (12-20 weekly sets), and “high” volume (>20 weekly sets). The researchers found no differences between moderate and high training volume responses for the quadriceps and the biceps. However, they found that high-volume training is better for triceps muscle growth.
The researchers concluded that many sets might be needed to stimulate muscle growth because the triceps are activated in many multi-joint exercises such as bench presses and other pressing exercises.
The author concluded that many techniques, such as drop sets, cluster sets, and push/pull, further increase muscle growth.
According to the results of this review, a set range of 12-20 weekly sets per muscle group may be an optimum standard recommendation for increasing muscle hypertrophy in young, trained men.[15]
4/15 UPDATE: HIGH VOLUME WORKOUTS WON’T NECESSARILY RESULT IN MORE MUSCLE GROWTH!
A meta-analysis of resistance training variables affecting muscle growth among individuals. The only significant variable that explained the variance of hypertrophy was the number of sets per workout. Those who performed more sets were a negative predictor of muscle growth. Excessive sets per workout negatively affect muscle growth.[14]
5/6 HOW MANY EXERCISES PER WEEK PER MUSCLE GROUP PER WEEK? IS >20 SETS PER WEEK PER BODYPART OPTIMAL FOR MUSCLE GROWTH?
The current recommendation for set volume is 10-20 sets per week for optimal muscle growth. The response is highly variable among individuals, with some needing more sets and others requiring fewer sets.
Researchers performed a meta-analysis to see if those studies in which subjects performed 12-20 sets per week had less muscle growth than those in which subjects performed more than >20 sets per week. Only six studies met the eligibility criteria in which subjects performed greater than 20 sets per week.
These studies compared low, moderate, and high-volume training. The researchers found that >20 sets per week tended to result in greater increases in muscle mass. These were not large effect sizes for >20 sets per week, but there tended to be minor increases in muscle growth compared to those performing 12-20 sets.
This suggests that after 20 sets, more than likely, you are hitting the threshold in which doing more sets will not result in greater increases in muscle growth.
Of all the muscle groups the study examined, only the triceps had meaningful muscle growth from >20 sets per week, whereas the quad and biceps had a small effect. In sum, greater than 20 sets may produce a small increase in muscle size, but 12-20 sets seem to be the threshold for muscle growth; doing more will probably not give you a huge gain in size, probably a small difference. (15)
HOW MANY EXERCISES PER WEEK PER MUSCLE GROUP FOR OPTIMAL GAINS IN MUSCLE?
Researchers often use volume when classifying how much work has been performed over time. The volume of a workout is commonly referred to as the number of sets x reps you perform; however, the weight you lift also affects the volume.
The time taken to complete the exercise will also affect the volume. For example, rest-pause training can result in more volume in a shorter workout because the rest periods are 20 seconds between sets.
A 2017 study found that rest-pause was more effective than a traditional resistance exercise program for increasing workout volume in a shorter workout.[1] There are many ways to measure training volume, but for gaining muscle, focus on the total training volume, which is the total amount of weight lifted over a period.
VOLUME VS INTENSITY
Volume can be measured in multiple ways, but for gaining muscle, three factors of hypertrophy driven muscle growth need to be tracked:
- The sets must be sufficient in volume to stimulate muscle growth.
- The sets must be of adequate intensity to stimulate muscle growth.
- The sets must be close to muscular failure (i.e., not to complete failure, but close to failure).
Two workouts can simplify the relationship between volume, tension, and muscle growth. A.) A classic bodybuilding program, B.) A traditional powerlifting program.
A.) 3 sets x 10 reps x 225 (weight on the bar) =total workout volume 6,750
B.) 3 sets x 5 reps x 315 (weight on the bar) =total workout volume 4,725
Workout A has a greater potential for muscle growth because it results in a greater workout volume. Now, if the powerlifter in Workout B increased his sets to 4, his workout volume would go up to 6,300, and the chances of muscle growth are much greater in the bodybuilding protocol because his volume is now higher.
HOW MANY EXERCISES PER WEEK: REPS VS LOW REPS RESULT IN THE SAME MUSCLE GROWTH WHEN VOLUME IS EQUAL
When researchers compared a bodybuilding workout (i.e., 4 sets of 8-12 reps to failure) to a max strength testing group (i.e., 5 sets with a 1 RM), the bodybuilding group gained more muscle. However, the bodybuilding group performed more volume (sets x reps), resulting in larger increases in muscle growth.[2]
Studies have shown that muscle growth is identical when workout volume is equated or similar between powerlifting and bodybuilding workouts. Volume is related to muscle growth up to a certain point; after that, too much volume is counterproductive for muscle growth.
Workout volume has an inverted U-shaped curve, meaning that as volume increases, there is a point at which doing more volume will not further increase muscle growth, and decreases in muscle growth will occur.
HOW MANY EXERCISES PER WEEK FOR HYPERTROPHY? DID YOU SAY 30 SETS PER WEEK??
As you will see from numerous research studies, doing more sets does not always lead to greater muscle growth. For example, in a 6-week study by Haun et al., researchers increased weekly sets from 10 to 32 per week. That is not a typo; they did 32 sets per week of squats; this is an example of high volume training! The average increases in lean mass plateaued at 20 sets, and no further increases in muscle growth occurred after week 3.[3] This shows that performing those Arnold Schwartneggar-hypertrophy leg workouts won’t necessarily produce more muscle growth.
HOW MANY EXERCISES PER WEEK FOR HYPERTROPHY IS OPTIMAL?
Other studies have shown that muscle growth will plateau between 6-18 sets and no further increases in muscle growth with additional sets.[4,5] The increase in volume you can tolerate in a training cycle depends on the current training volume one uses.
It’s important to slowly increase the sets over a training cycle rather than just adding multiple sets per workout. When trying to increase volume, it’s easier to add sets rather than increase the weight of each workout. You can read about a new study that found that you can either add volume vs weight, and muscle growth will be the same.
With strength training, frequent and monotonous training performed at high intensity seems to be the variable that most often leads to overtraining.[6] This suggests that periods of heavy lifting (i.e., high-intensity exercise) for a sustained period can lead to systemic fatigue and overtraining syndrome.
Those that embrace the high-intensity lifestyle of lifting heavy all year are often plagued with nagging injuries. There is certainly nothing wrong with periods of high-intensity lifting; it’s just very difficult to sustain this for prolonged periods.
Cycling periods of heavy, moderate, and light weight training result in similar muscle growth. At the same time, lighter weight training can give the tendons and joints a recuperation period while also giving psychological recuperation.
VOLUME VS INTENSITY FOR MUSCLE GROWTH?
Most lifters keep thinking the amount of weight lifted is the most critical driver of muscle growth; the volume of sets is a better driver of muscle growth than the amount of weight used when exercise intensity is sufficiently high up to a certain point.
A study found that when subjects increased their volume by an average of ~20% compared to their previous self-reported volume resulted in greater muscle growth.[7] However, there is a point at which adding more sets will no longer contribute to muscle growth; it’s an individual adaptation process.
Muscles grow by escalating the overall tension placed on the muscle, which can be accomplished by modifying any of these variables. One must ask how much total workload I can put on my body without fatiguing it to the point when I can no longer recuperate from my workouts.
Dr. Mike Israetel has termed maximum recoverable volume the highest training volume an athlete can do during the training cycle and still recover. I recommend reading his book, “How Much Should I Train?” An Introduction to Training Volume Landmarks.[8] It should be mentioned that there is a direct relationship between training volume (sets) and muscle growth up to a certain point; however, further volume increases will cause diminishing returns.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE DOING TOO MANY SETS?
Researchers have looked at hormones such as testosterone, cortisol, IGF-1 levels, and other factors for predicting overtraining, but strength loss is valuable for assessing performance and muscle damage.[9]
If your strength decreases with each training session, it’s a valuable indicator that you are not recovering properly and need a deload (i.e., a period of reducing training volume).
Everyone has a bad workout now and then. Still, if your strength is consistently dropping, of all the markers of overtraining you can monitor, a decrease in performance is the most accurate indicator of overtraining.
If your strength is not progressing with each workout, this could indicate that your muscles or nervous system have not yet recuperated between workouts. A week-to-week progression of muscle overload is one of the predominant forms of increasing muscle growth.
HOW MANY EXERCISES PER WEEK RESEARCH STUDIES
A person seeking to use a structured, progressive overload resistance training program may wonder: Should I add more weight to the bar each week, add more repetitions, or add sets to provide the best hypertrophy-specific overload?
I would highly recommend the article by Dr. Israetel. He discusses the pros and cons of volume and intensity for hypertrophy titled “Mesocycle Progression in Hypertrophy: Volume Versus Intensity.” In sum, Dr. Israetel concludes, “Based on the current literature, the likely answer is “some of all 3 (sets, reps, and weight),” but with a progression in set numbers (volume) probably being the most well-supported.[10]
ADDING VOLUME TO QUICKLY
You should combine various sets, reps, and weights to maximize muscle growth. A counterargument to the article by Minor, Helms, and Schepis suggested that adding volume too quickly is not optimal for muscle hypertrophy.
Continuously adding sets is not the best way to achieve muscle growth. They suggested that muscle overload can be accomplished by keeping sets constant but increasing the repetitions and weight once the desired repetition rep ranges are achieved. The group recommended ~8-12 sets per muscle group.[11]
HOW MANY EXERCISES PER WEEK: SHOULD YOU ADD STRENGTH CYCLES TO YOUR BODYBUILDING ROUTINE?A great example of why bodybuilders should add some strength phases to their workout was a 2020 study. Subjects were assigned either a combination of strength and bodybuilding training or bodybuilding training alone for eight weeks.The strength and bodybuilding training group performed three weeks of strength training using 1-3 reps for three weeks, then switched to a bodybuilding-style program in which they trained with 8-12 repetitions.The other group used a bodybuilding-style program for eight weeks (8-12 reps). At the end of the study, the strength and bodybuilding group gained more muscle than the bodybuilding group.[12] This study is unique because one to three reps is traditionally considered strength training.
Most bodybuilders would never think of incorporating low-rep training into their routine, yet this may build more muscle. Again, this is one study. More studies replicating this study need to be conducted to duplicate these results to confirm its validity.
Still, it suggests that a wide range of stimuli, including heavy and light weight, with various repetitions, may be optimal for increasing muscle. I would not recommend singles and doubles for bodybuilding. The risk associated with this type of training is too high for injury.
HOW MANY EXERCISES PER WEEK
I would recommend a 5-6 rep range for the strength phase. If building muscle is your primary goal, most of your training should be spent on bodybuilding-style workouts; adding a strength phase can result in greater strength gains.
If you are stronger, then technically, you should be able to handle a greater weight (more tension) once you switch back to your bodybuilding protocol. To further emphasize the importance of changing repetitions, an earlier study by the same author found that lifters who varied weight and rep ranges grew more than those that just used 10-12 reps.
In this study, subjects either used a constant 8-12 RM three days a week or a various protocol that consisted of 2-4 RM on Day 1, 8-12 RM on day 2, and 20-30 RM on Day 3. The varied group tended to increase muscle size more than the constant group.[13]
Using a variety of sets, reps, rest periods, and changing weight can make workouts more challenging while giving the lifter motivation. Based on the research, between 10-20 sets seems to be the threshold for the maximum number of sets per week for muscle growth.
HOW MANY EXERCISES PER WEEK FOR MUSCLE GROWTH IS THE MINIMUM YOU NEED TO DO PER WEEK?
Dr. Schoenfeld, one of the leading experts in muscle growth, was quoted as saying, “10+ sets per week is necessary to maximize the hypertrophic response to resistance exercise. Again, this represents a minimum threshold. We must determine the maximum upper threshold for volume lies to promote the greatest increases in muscular gains.”
Sample Workout from Strength/Hypertrophy Study:
Strength Training Weeks 1-3: 4 Sets × 1-3 RM
Hypertrophy Training Weeks 4-8: 4 Sets × 8-12 RM
HOW MANY EXERCISES PER WEEK POINTS
· Volume has an inverted U-shaped relationship in which sets can increase muscle growth up to a point. After that, adding further sets won’t increase muscle growth.
· The research suggests that 10-20 sets per body part seems optimal.
· The number of sets you can perform is dependent on your recovery. Increasing sets will work up to a certain point; no further increase in muscle mass will occur.
REFERENCES
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