@holyspiritdff Well I figured I'd probably do 1 in morning 1 in afternoon
Minimum and the best number of sets for muscle mass - Based on science
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@latestnews I'm not reading that novel that you wrote but 10-20 sets per muscle group seem to be the standard.
@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?
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 Thanks for this! Just followed your IG page.
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@annie2011 Thanks man! Really appreciate that 
@latestnews This is great info! Thanks for sharing!
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@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.
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@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.
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?!?!
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@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.
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!
@latestnews I am not sure about the suggestion to train to failure for all sets. Reps become exponentially more tiring above RPE7. Training to failure for even 1 set is going to affect the rest of the sets that session, not to mention the recovery time hit.
You also don't talk about what goes into the set. Even if you are always going to train at RPE10 there's a big difference between RPE10 6RM (85% 1RM) and RPE10 12RM (70% 1RM). Also, is 5 sets in 4 sessions really equal to 10 sets in 2 sessions?
From what I've read the sweet spot is usually around RPE8 80% 1RM, but you're probably going to have to cycle that % once you get out of linear growth. If you go to failure the recovery time and fatigue increase a lot, I am not seeing a benefit.
You also don't talk about what goes into the set. Even if you are always going to train at RPE10 there's a big difference between RPE10 6RM (85% 1RM) and RPE10 12RM (70% 1RM). Also, is 5 sets in 4 sessions really equal to 10 sets in 2 sessions?
From what I've read the sweet spot is usually around RPE8 80% 1RM, but you're probably going to have to cycle that % once you get out of linear growth. If you go to failure the recovery time and fatigue increase a lot, I am not seeing a benefit.
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@basia But I didn't say that you should go to failure, even something opposite. I've just said that in most studies they go to failure, because it's the easiest way to track.
"Also, is 5 sets in 4 sessions really equal to 10 sets in 2 sessions?". Lower rep ranges are less fatiguing than the higher. Sorry that I didn't mention about it but if I had to mention about everything related to this topic, explain everything in detail, I'd had to write a book
There'll be more posts, relax
"Also, is 5 sets in 4 sessions really equal to 10 sets in 2 sessions?". Lower rep ranges are less fatiguing than the higher. Sorry that I didn't mention about it but if I had to mention about everything related to this topic, explain everything in detail, I'd had to write a book
There'll be more posts, relax
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@basia Close to failure - yes. You have to go close to failure if you want bigger muscles. Close to failure means sth about RIR 1-5.
If we talk about min. number of sets you probably should go to failure if you want to experience muscle growth with only 2-3 sets. If you won't go to failure you probably should do more sets. Even though if you do only so little sets, going to failure is probably much better option than leaving some reps in the tank. You'll recover from it anyway.
I didn't suggest you that you should go to failure each set, did I? I don't see it. I've only said that if you go to failure or close to, you p should stick to 5-10 sets per workout and 10-20 per week and it will be the best for hypertrophy. You can go to failure if you want. Look, the set ranges are really wide. 5 and 10, 10 and 20, it's huge difference, double as much. It's in the post (2nd slide on insta) that RIR/RPE affects number of sets. If you go to failure, stick to the lower range, if not - go for higher.
If we talk about min. number of sets you probably should go to failure if you want to experience muscle growth with only 2-3 sets. If you won't go to failure you probably should do more sets. Even though if you do only so little sets, going to failure is probably much better option than leaving some reps in the tank. You'll recover from it anyway.
I didn't suggest you that you should go to failure each set, did I? I don't see it. I've only said that if you go to failure or close to, you p should stick to 5-10 sets per workout and 10-20 per week and it will be the best for hypertrophy. You can go to failure if you want. Look, the set ranges are really wide. 5 and 10, 10 and 20, it's huge difference, double as much. It's in the post (2nd slide on insta) that RIR/RPE affects number of sets. If you go to failure, stick to the lower range, if not - go for higher.