HOW MANY SETS DO YOU DO TO GET MUSCLE GROWTH?

 

It's important to understand that when it comes to training your body for better health and fitness, there is no exact formula. Just as individuals have unique biology and genetics, the way someone else trains may not be optimal for you, even though it works for them.

This is why it can be challenging to provide a definitive answer on how many sets you should be doing or how to train specific muscles. However, we can offer you a general guideline and a ballpark number for you to experiment with and assess the results.

So, what's the optimal number of sets for maximizing muscle growth? To shed light on this, we can refer to the insights of Dr. Mike Israetel, a Sport Physiology PhD holder and co-founder of Renaissance Periodization, a hypertrophy-focused YouTube channel.

Determining the Ideal Number of Sets for Maximizing Muscle Growth:

According to fitness coaches, the key principle regarding the number of sets is to stimulate muscle growth adequately without causing excessive damage that would hinder recovery for the next training session.

The optimal number of sets for maximizing muscle growth depends on your fitness level and gym frequency. Dr. Israetel suggests the following range per muscle group per session:

• Beginners: 1-5 sets per session
• Intermediate: 2-10 sets per session
• Advanced: 3-10 sets per session

Begin with the lowest number that gives you a "pumped" feeling, and gradually increase by 1 or 2 sets per week as your muscles adapt to the workload.

Regarding the total number of sets per session, it can vary between 15 and 25. If you're training a larger muscle group, such as quads or back, aim for around 15 sets. However, for smaller muscle groups like biceps or calves, the number can be closer to 25, or even higher depending on your fitness level. However, be cautious about exceeding 30 total sets per session, as it falls into the realm of excessive volume, often referred to as "junk volume."