Optimal Sets for Muscle Growth: How Many Sets Do You Really Need? Key Takeaways
- Research shows that increasing weekly set volume for muscle growth can lead to modest but real gains, but balance is key—too many sets may stall progress.
- The optimal sets for muscle growth seem to fall within a range where hypertrophy is maximized without impairing recovery.
- If you’ve ever wondered, “Do more sets build more muscle?” the evidence suggests yes—but only up to a point.
Finding the Optimal Sets for Muscle Growth
For decades, lifters believed that the best number of sets for hypertrophy was whatever let them lift the heaviest weights. Intensity was king. But research is now showing that volume—the number of sets you perform each week—plays a crucial role in muscle growth.
A recent study, The Effect of Resistance Training Volume on Individual-Level Skeletal Muscle Adaptations: A Novel Replicated Within-Participant Unilateral Trial (Robinson et al., 2025), tested this very idea. The authors compared low and high weekly set volume for muscle growth and found that increasing sets leads to more muscle—though the increase is modest.
This is exciting because it reshapes how we think about training. Instead of focusing only on the weight on the bar, we now ask: what’s the optimal set volume for muscle growth that builds size without overtraining?
Review of the Literature: Do More Sets Build More Muscle?
The Link Between Volume and Hypertrophy
Studies have consistently shown that increasing weekly set volume for muscle growth leads to greater hypertrophy. Schöenfeld et al. (2019) found that men training with higher volumes saw significantly more gains. A systematic review confirmed that doing more than nine sets per week significantly boosts growth compared to fewer sets (Baz-Valle et al., 2022).
Brigatto et al. (2019) demonstrated that 32 weekly sets for the quadriceps produced much larger increases than lower volumes. Vann et al. (2022) echoed this with similar findings. Clearly, do more sets build more muscle? The answer is yes—up to a point.
Mechanisms Behind the Best Number of Sets for Hypertrophy
When you perform higher volumes, your body adapts. More sets increase ribosomal biogenesis, protein synthesis, and other pathways that support growth (Hammarström et al., 2020). This is why many experts argue that the best number of sets for hypertrophy is often higher than traditional “low volume” programs prescribe.
Volume Versus Intensity
Adding sets isn’t the only way to grow. Research shows that lifting lighter weights to failure can build similar muscle compared to heavy weights (Lasevicius et al., 2019). But while intensity has a cap, volume has a dose-response effect. Adding sets slowly over time seems to offer the best results, making it a critical factor when talking about the optimal sets for muscle growth.
Individual Responses and Weekly Set Volume
Not everyone responds the same way. Some people thrive on higher weekly set volume for muscle growth, while others struggle to recover. Robinson et al. (2025) showed that much of this variability is noise rather than true differences. So while there’s no single magic number, aiming for the best number of sets for hypertrophy—somewhere in that 10–20 sets per week range—is smart for most lifters.
Practical Programming and the Optimal Sets for Muscle Growth
So, what’s the takeaway? For most lifters, 10–20 sets per muscle per week appears to be the optimal set range for muscle growth (Schöenfeld & Grgić, 2018). That balance provides enough stimulus to grow while leaving room for recovery. Periodization models, which cycle between high and low volumes, also help prevent burnout (Bartolomei et al., 2023).
Results: Do More Sets Build More Muscle?
Robinson et al. (2025) tested this by assigning one leg to 8 sets per week and the other to 16 sets per week.
- Muscle size (vastus lateralis cross-sectional area): The high-volume leg grew 1.8 cm² (0.7 in²) more muscle than the low-volume leg.
- Strength (leg press one-rep max): Despite adding about 3.5 kg (7.7 pounds) more strength, the results weren’t conclusive.
- Variability: Although results varied, most of the “spread” came from measurement noise, not actual biological uniqueness.
In short, more sets equal more muscle, but the advantage is modest and not limitless.
The Search for the Best Number of Sets for Hypertrophy
This study reinforces a key point: do more sets build more muscle? Yes. But the difference isn’t massive, and recovery is the limiting factor.
It also shows that strength and hypertrophy don’t always move together. More sets grew muscle, but strength gains stayed flat. That means if your goal is size, chasing load alone isn’t enough—you need to find your optimal sets for muscle growth.
The myth of hyper-individuality is also worth challenging. Many lifters think they need a completely unique plan. But this study suggests that most people respond within the same framework. The weekly set volume for muscle growth matters, but small adjustments matter less than consistent progression.
Practical Applications: How to Find Your Optimal Sets for Muscle Growth
- Start at 10 sets per muscle per week. Track your progress.
- Gradually increase to 12–16 sets per week. This is often the best number of sets for hypertrophy for trained lifters.
- Avoid the trap of “more is better.” Beyond 20 sets per week, recovery becomes a problem for most people.
- Listen to your body. If fatigue, soreness, or plateaus set in, drop sets rather than adding them.
Balance strength and size goals. Remember, volume builds size; intensity builds strength.
The Optimal Set Range for Muscle Growth
The evidence is clear: increasing weekly set volume for muscle growth provides a modest but real benefit. The optimal sets for muscle growth likely sit in the 10–20 sets per week range. More than that, and you risk overtraining. Less than that, and you may be leaving gains on the table.
The lesson is simple: do more sets build more muscle? Yes, but only to a point. Aim for the sweet spot, train consistently, and let recovery fuel your progress.
FAQ:
Q: What are the optimal sets for muscle growth?
A: Research suggests the optimal sets for muscle growth are between 10–20 sets per muscle per week, balancing stimulus with recovery.
Q: What is the best number of sets for hypertrophy?
A: The best number of sets for hypertrophy falls within that 10–20 weekly set range. Beginners may see growth with fewer sets, while advanced lifters may need the higher end.
Q: Do more sets build more muscle?
A: Yes—adding more sets generally boosts growth. But the effect is modest, and excessive volume may stall recovery or even blunt progress.
Q: How much weekly set volume for muscle growth is enough?
A: For most lifters, weekly set volume for muscle growth should start at 10 sets per muscle per week and can be progressed to around 20. Going beyond that often adds fatigue more than results.
Q: Can too many sets hurt muscle growth?
A: Yes. Training with very high volumes can lead to fatigue, soreness, and stagnation. More isn’t always better—the optimal sets for muscle growth balance effort with recovery.
References
Bartolomei, S., Zaniboni, F., Verzieri, N., & Hoffman, J. (2023). New perspectives in resistance training periodization: Mixed session vs. block periodized programs in trained men. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 37(3), 537–545. https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000004465
Baz-Valle, E., Balsalobre‐Fernández, C., Alix‐Fages, C., & Santos‐Concejero, J. (2022). A systematic review of the effects of different resistance training volumes on muscle hypertrophy. Journal of Human Kinetics, 81, 199–210. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2022-0017
Brigatto, F., Lima, L., Germano, M., Aoki, M., Braz, T., & Lopes, C. (2019). High resistance-training volume enhances muscle thickness in resistance-trained men. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 36(1), 22–30. https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000003413
Damas, F., Angleri, V., Phillips, S., Witard, O., Ugrinowitsch, C., Santanielo, N., … & Libardi, C. (2019). Myofibrillar protein synthesis and muscle hypertrophy individualized responses to systematically changing resistance training variables in trained young men. Journal of Applied Physiology, 127(3), 806–815. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00350.2019
Hammarström, D., Øfsteng, S., Koll, L., Hanestadhaugen, M., Hollan, I., Apró, W., … & Ellefsen, S. (2020). Benefits of higher resistance‐training volume are related to ribosome biogenesis. The Journal of Physiology, 598(3), 543–565. https://doi.org/10.1113/jp278455
Robinson, Z. P., Steele, J., Helms, E. R., Trexler, E. T., Hall, M. E., Huang, C.-J., … & Zourdos, M. C. (2025). The effect of resistance training volume on individual-level skeletal muscle adaptations: A novel replicated within-participant unilateral trial. bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.07.24.666533
Schöenfeld, B. J., Contreras, B., Krieger, J., Grgić, J., Delcastillo, K., Belliard, R., … & Alto, A. (2019). Resistance training volume enhances muscle hypertrophy but not strength in trained men. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 51(1), 94–103. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0000000000001764
Schöenfeld, B. J., & Grgić, J. (2018). Evidence-based guidelines for resistance training volume to maximize muscle hypertrophy. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 40(4), 107–112. https://doi.org/10.1519/ssc.0000000000000363
Vann, C., Sexton, C., Osburn, S., Smith, M., Haun, C., Rumbley, M., … & Roberts, M. (2022). Effects of high-volume versus high-load resistance training on skeletal muscle growth and molecular adaptations. Frontiers in Physiology, 13, 857555. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.857555
