30 Seconds Summary16 vs. 24 vs. 32 sets per muscle per week: which is better?
- Training volume is crucial in fitness regimes, comparable to the importance of energy intake in diet plans.
- Recent studies show conflicting results on the optimal set range, with some suggesting benefits of high volumes up to 45 sets per muscle group per week, while others indicate deterioration beyond 10 sets.
- A study by Brigatto et al. (2019) on resistance-trained men compared the effects of 16, 24, and 32 sets per muscle group per week on muscle growth.
- Participants followed a controlled diet and performed two push and two pull workouts weekly, varying only in the number of sets.
- Results indicated a trend showing greater muscle growth and strength gains with increased training volume, although not all findings reached statistical significance.
- Critics of high volume training suggest that increases might just be swelling due to edema, not true muscle growth.
- The study used short rest intervals (1 minute) between sets, which could undermine potential gains due to neuromuscular fatigue and insufficient muscle tension.
- Despite significant outcomes, it's advised not to generalize the results as optimal training volumes can vary based on individual recovery capacities and life stressors.
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Menno Henselmans
