Minimum and the best number of sets for muscle mass - Based on science

@latestnews I know this is and old post but in case anyone sees this:
Say I do 12 sets per muscle group per week. Does it make a difference whether I have the 12 sets in a one workout with nothing else or would it be better to divide it and have workouts with say 2 muscle groups (6 sets for both) 2 times a week?
 
@latestnews Point 5 “The more advanced we are, the more sets we need.” That’s dead solid wrong. More advanced the trainees need high intensity briefer workouts. The stronger one gets the more likely higher volume will lead to overtraining.
 
@nusue If your goal is muscle hypertrophy you have to do more in time. E.g. in your 5 year of training you should do more than in your first year of training. That's a general rule of progressive overload which can be applied everywhere. The main thing driving muscle hypertrophy is mechanical tension applied on high treshold motor units. That occurs in a few last reps (around 5). That's why you need to do more and more of them.
 
@latestnews Wrong. You have to achieve sufficient time under tension (or time under load) to reach the larger type II muscle fibers. That doesn’t equate to more reps. It can be slower reps done under load in strict form. If you reach failure after sufficient time under tension you will have exhausted the faster twitch Type II muscle fibers. Anyone can knock out 10 reps with a light load and none of those reps will exhaust the high threshold motor units.
 
@latestnews I'm not sure I agree. A lot of very successful bodybuilders and powerlifters reduce their volume as they gain experience - it's the only way they can maintain intensity as they get stronger.
 
@latestnews The variable in these studies is mentality. Low to medium weight with rediculously high reps trains your ability to push yourself. If you're doing one low rep set to failure, you are most likely not giving the set everything you've got even if you feel like you are. Not every workout needs to be centuries and giant sets, but if you've plateaued give them a try to see if they give you the push you need. The best workout is one that keeps your body guessing. Switch it up weekly, monthly, quarterly, and/or annually. Don't do the same routine for more than 6 months.

These recommendations are for people who are already semi-fit and don't want to be body builders, but want to build strength.
 
@latestnews Wow, this is great information. Question, so if I’m doing 12 sets per week and not seeing hypertrophy gains, should I increase the sets or decrease? Lol, according to your info, I’m right in the middle! What do I do?!?!
 
@riddik Increase, do for month or two and see what happens. If you'll notice progress - great, keep doing that until the progres stops. If not - something else stops your progress.

Don't be afraid of testing things on yourself. You have to change something from time to time to see progress. Even if the progress don't come, now you know that it's not the thing that you have changed stops your progress so there're less other things that may cause that.

There's no one single routine that will allow you to progress for your entire life.
 
@latestnews Thanks for the information! You’re right, you have to experiment to find what suits you for the time being. I’ve already did some lite experimenting as I started with full body and now I’m on ppl. I’ve also been experimenting with different types of exercises to see which hits the muscles the best for me. I guess volume is my next experiment. Thanks!
 

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