Strength Training Tip
How much volume does a muscle need to grow?
If you’re looking to build muscle, volume is the king. However, it’s not a
case of ‘more is better’. As the figure below shows, hypertrophy (the
technical name for muscle growth) is hypothesized to follow an inverted-U
curve, whereby too much volume can be just as ineffective as too little.
Reference: Science and Development of Muscle
Hypertrophy, Brad Schoenfeld.
The generally accepted way of calculating volume is: reps x sets x load.
What’s the sweet spot for muscle gains?
Brad Schoenefeld, the professor of exercise science considered the world
leading expert in this field, states broadly that:
“A volume of approximately 10-20 sets per muscle per week appears to be a
good general recommendation for hypertrophy-related goals.”
QUALITY of each set plays a huge role here too.
November 28, 2021