What Exactly Is Training Volume?
Before diving into the debate, let's clarify what 'volume' means in a fitness context. Simply put, training volume is the total amount of work you do. It’s most commonly calculated as: Sets x Reps x Weight. For example, if you bench press 3 sets of 10
reps with 50 kg, your volume for that exercise is 1,500 kg. Traditionally, progressively increasing this volume has been considered the primary driver for getting bigger and stronger. This is why you often see people in the gym performing numerous exercises with multiple sets, aiming to accumulate as much volume as possible in a session.
The 'Minimum Effective Dose' Revolution
The idea that you need to live in the gym to see results is being questioned by a concept known as the 'minimum effective dose' (MED). This refers to the smallest amount of stimulus required to produce a desired outcome. Think of it as the 20-minute workout that delivers 80% of the results. Recent scientific reviews are providing a clearer picture of what this MED looks like for strength. A meta-analysis identified that just 2 to 3 working sets per exercise per week can lead to significant increases in upper and lower body strength. Similarly, for muscle growth (hypertrophy), the minimum may be around 4 sets per muscle group per week. The key is that these sets must be performed with high effort, meaning you train close to momentary failure—the point where you can't complete another repetition with good form.
Strength vs. Size: A Crucial Distinction
Here's where the conversation gets interesting. While lower volumes can be surprisingly effective for building pure strength, building maximum muscle size seems to follow a different rulebook. Research consistently shows a dose-response relationship for hypertrophy, meaning more volume generally leads to more muscle growth, up to a certain point. One major 2018 study found that while strength gains were similar between groups doing one, three, or five sets per exercise, the groups doing more sets gained significantly more muscle mass. This means your ideal training volume really depends on your primary goal. If you want to be as strong as possible without necessarily maximizing size, a lower-volume, high-intensity approach is highly effective. If your main goal is getting bigger muscles, a higher volume of work is likely needed.
So, How Much Is Enough?
The latest research doesn't give a single magic number, but it provides powerful guidelines. For strength, performing even a single, hard set of an exercise 2-3 times per week can produce significant gains, especially for beginners or those short on time. A review found that 2-3 sets per exercise resulted in 46% greater strength gains than just one set, suggesting a sweet spot for many. However, for muscle growth, the consensus leans towards 10-20 sets per muscle group per week, distributed across 2-3 sessions. One study even found that well-trained men doing 12 sets per muscle group per week saw similar gains to those doing 19 or 25 sets, suggesting there's a point of diminishing returns. The takeaway is that you don't need to chase extreme volume; rather, focus on hitting a productive range consistently.
Training Smarter, Not Just Longer
The new wave of research empowers us to be more efficient. Instead of just adding more exercises and sets, the focus should shift to the quality and intensity of the work you're already doing. Prioritising compound movements like squats, deadlifts, presses, and rows gives you the most bang for your buck, as they work multiple muscle groups at once. Ensure each set is challenging and taken close to failure. Spreading your volume for a muscle group across two or more sessions per week is also shown to be more effective than cramming it all into one day. This approach not only saves time but can also improve recovery, reducing the risk of burnout and injury that often comes with excessively high-volume programmes.
