The Old 'More Is Better' Mindset
For decades, the path to muscle growth seemed straightforward: lift heavy and lift a lot. Bodybuilders and gym enthusiasts alike have often operated under the assumption that the more sets you grind out, the more growth you will stimulate. This thinking
led to marathon workout sessions, with lifters chasing the burn through countless sets of curls, presses, and squats. The logic feels intuitive; if three sets are good, five must be better. If you can survive ten, you must be on the fast track to gains. This high-volume approach became a badge of honour, a sign of dedication and toughness.
What New Research Reveals
The latest body of evidence, including several large-scale reviews of training studies, paints a more nuanced picture. Scientists have confirmed a 'dose-response' relationship between volume and muscle growth—meaning, up to a point, more sets do lead to more muscle. However, the key phrase is 'up to a point.' The relationship is not linear. Instead, it follows a curve of diminishing returns. The first few hard sets you perform for a muscle group provide a powerful growth signal. But each additional set you add provides progressively less benefit, while still adding to your fatigue and recovery needs. This means the tenth set in a workout is far less impactful than the third.
Finding the 'Practical Ceiling'
This point of diminishing returns is what we can call the 'practical ceiling.' It's not a hard stop where all gains cease, but rather the point where the cost—time, fatigue, and injury risk—begins to outweigh the minimal extra benefit. So where is this ceiling? Most recent analyses suggest the sweet spot for a majority of lifters is between 10 to 20 hard sets per muscle group per week. Gains are still possible below 10 sets, and some advanced individuals might benefit from pushing past 20, but the 10–20 range appears to be the zone of maximum efficiency for hypertrophy. Importantly, this is a weekly total. Research also suggests there is a per-session limit, often estimated around 6 to 8 effective sets per muscle. Cramming all 20 sets for your chest into a single Monday workout is a recipe for poor performance and wasted effort.
Are You Performing 'Junk Volume'?
Any set performed beyond this practical ceiling can often be classified as 'junk volume.' This is a term for exercise that feels productive but doesn't meaningfully contribute to your goals of building muscle or strength. It's the work that primarily just makes you tired. Signs you might be accumulating junk volume include your form breaking down on later sets, being unable to maintain intensity, or feeling excessively sore and run-down between workouts, which then impacts your next session's quality. Junk volume isn't just ineffective; it can be counterproductive, hindering recovery and increasing the risk of overtraining or injury.
How to Train Smarter, Not Harder
The goal is to maximise the number of high-quality, stimulating sets while minimising fatigue-inducing junk volume. Instead of adding more and more sets to a single workout, a better strategy is to increase your training frequency. If your goal is 16 sets for your back per week, you will get far better results from two workouts of 8 sets each than from one gruelling 16-set session. This allows you to perform every set with higher intensity and better form. For beginners, even fewer weekly sets (under 10) can produce fantastic results. As you become more advanced, you can gradually work your way into the 12-20 set range, always prioritising the quality of each repetition. Listen to your body, track your performance, and ensure you're getting stronger over time in your target rep ranges. Progress is the best indicator that your volume is effective.
