30 Seconds SummaryWhen does training volume reach the point of diminishing returns?
- A 2017 meta-regression by Schoenfeld suggested a dose-response relationship between training volume and muscle growth, with up to approximately 10 sets per muscle group per week promoting increased growth.
- Recent studies have investigated the effects of exceeding 10 sets per week, with some programs training muscle groups with over 20 sets weekly.
- A new meta-analysis by Baz-Valle compared muscle growth between training volumes of 12-20 sets per week and volumes exceeding 20 sets, focusing on quads, biceps, and triceps development.
- The meta-analysis found significant benefits for triceps growth with over 20 sets per week, while the benefits for quads and biceps were less distinct and not statistically significant.
- The meta-analysis suggests that training with approximately 20 sets per week may be near the point of diminishing returns, where further increases in volume yield smaller increments in muscle growth.
- Personal experience and individual needs in training volume should guide adjustments, as one-size-fits-all prescriptions may not suit everyone's unique body responses.
- Researchers encourage using the meta-analysis findings as a starting point and recommend personal experimentation to optimize individual training volumes.
Stronger By Science
Greg Nuckols
