The Core Question: How Much Is Enough?
For years, bodybuilders and casual fitness enthusiasts alike have debated the ideal training volume. Volume, in this context, usually refers to the total number of hard sets performed for a muscle group each week. The logic seems simple enough—stress
the muscle, let it recover, and it will grow. The more stress, the more growth. However, new research is refining this view. A consistent finding across multiple studies is that while increasing volume from low to moderate levels yields significant benefits, the gains start to level off dramatically as you push into very high volumes. The relationship is not a straight line; it is a curve with a clear plateau.
The 'Sweet Spot' for Muscle Growth
So where is that sweet spot? Most recent meta-analyses and studies converge on a similar range. For individuals who have been training for at least a year, the optimal volume for muscle growth appears to be between 10 and 20 sets per muscle group per week. Within this range, most people experience the majority of the muscle-building benefits. Beginners can often see significant progress with even less, starting with as few as 6 to 10 sets per week, because their muscles are highly responsive to any new stimulus. The key takeaway is that a dose-response relationship exists—more volume generally does lead to more growth, but only up to a certain point.
The Point of Diminishing Returns
The phrase from the headline, "very high weekly volumes," refers to training that goes beyond this optimal range, often exceeding 20-25 sets per muscle group per week. One recent study specifically found no significant difference in muscle size gains between groups doing a moderate 12 sets per week versus those doing a much higher 25 sets. In fact, the first few sets of an exercise provide the biggest stimulus for growth. Each additional set provides progressively less benefit while adding more fatigue. This is what experts call the law of diminishing returns. Pushing far beyond 20 weekly sets for a single muscle group often means you are investing a lot more time and energy for very little, if any, extra muscle.
The Hidden Costs of Excessive Volume
The problem with very high-volume training isn't just that it's inefficient; it can be counterproductive. When fatigue outpaces the muscle-building stimulus, you enter the realm of 'junk volume'. This can compromise the quality of your sets, increase your risk of injury, and impair your ability to recover between workouts. Overtraining is a real risk, leading to burnout, decreased performance, and a weakened immune system. Your body has a finite capacity to recover. Exceeding that capacity by piling on endless sets means you are not just wasting time, you may actually be hindering your long-term progress. The goal should be to find the minimum effective dose that stimulates progress, not the maximum volume you can possibly tolerate.
Smarter Training Takeaways
Instead of simply adding more sets, focus on quality and consistency. Aim for the 10-20 weekly set range per muscle as a general guideline and adjust based on your experience and recovery. Remember that compound exercises like squats, bench presses, and rows count as sets for multiple muscle groups, making your training more efficient. Rather than chasing extreme volumes, ensure every set is a 'hard set'—meaning you train close to muscular failure, where you only have a few reps left in the tank. This ensures the volume you are doing is productive. Listen to your body. If you are constantly sore, tired, or your performance is stalling, it might be a sign to reduce your volume, not increase it.
