Key takeaways
- When progress stalls, adding more sets, exercises, days and intensity techniques is tempting, but it isn’t automatically the answer.
- Muscle growth needs enough stimulus to matter, while still letting you recover and progress.
- Research links more weekly sets with more growth on average, but only within what you can recover from.
- The right amount depends on your training history, effort, exercise choice, frequency and recovery.
- Aim for productive volume, not maximum volume.
Progress stalls, and the first thought is, “I need to do more.” More sets. More exercises. More training days. More drop sets and supersets. Norvic’s reminder in this reel: muscle growth isn’t a contest to see who can do the most work.
What “volume” means
In strength training, volume usually means the number of hard sets you do for a muscle each week. A hard set is one taken reasonably close to failure, where the last few reps are a real effort. Ten easy sets aren’t the same as ten hard ones.
What the research says
A meta-analysis by Schoenfeld, Ogborn and Krieger pooled 15 studies and found that, on average, each extra weekly set was linked with slightly more muscle growth. Groups doing 10 or more weekly sets per muscle tended to grow more than those doing fewer than 5.
Average muscle growth by weekly sets
Percentage gain in muscle size, sets per muscle per week
Source: Schoenfeld, Ogborn & Krieger, J Sports Sci, 2017 (15 studies). The difference between groups was a trend, not statistically significant, and studies rarely tested very high volumes.
Read that carefully. It doesn’t say “more is always better.” It says moving from very little to a moderate amount tends to help. It says nothing about stacking 30 sets on a muscle you can’t recover from. If more work worked forever, wouldn’t everyone just train for four hours?
Why “just do more” backfires
Extra work only helps if you can recover from it and still perform well next time. Pile on too much and the quality of every set drops. Lifts stall, joints ache, and you end up working harder for less. The extra sets become “junk volume”: effort that costs recovery without adding stimulus.
| Signs your volume is productive | Signs it may be too much |
|---|---|
| Reps or load creep up most weeks | Performance drops for several sessions in a row |
| You feel recovered by the next session | Soreness lingers into the next workout |
| Sets stay focused and high quality | Late sets feel sloppy or rushed |
| Joints feel fine | Nagging joint aches appear |
| Motivation stays steady | You dread sessions and sleep poorly |
Finding your productive range
Norvic points out that the right amount differs from person to person. It depends on your training history, how hard you push each set, the exercises you choose, how often you train and how well you recover. A simple approach:
- Start with a moderate number of hard sets per muscle each week.
- Track performance, as in our progressive overload guide.
- If you’re progressing and recovering, keep going.
- If you’re stalled but recovering well, add a set or two for that muscle.
- If you’re stalled and feel run down, do less, not more.
Recovery also depends on food and sleep, which is why aligning training and nutrition matters so much. And if you’ve been cutting calories while adding sets, read why a stall doesn’t always mean eat less.
Norvic invites people to message him “VOLUME” on Instagram for help dialling it in, or you can apply for coaching.
This article is general education, not medical advice. Check with your doctor before big changes to diet or exercise, especially if you have a medical condition, take medication, or are pregnant or postpartum. Persistent fatigue, poor sleep or joint pain are reasons to scale back and, if they continue, to see a professional.
Frequently asked questions
How many sets per muscle should I do each week?
Many people do well with around 10 hard sets per muscle per week, but beginners may need fewer and some advanced lifters more. Start moderate and adjust.
What is junk volume?
Sets that add fatigue without adding useful stimulus, usually because they’re too easy or done when you’re already exhausted.
Should I train to failure on every set?
Not necessarily. Most sets can stop a rep or two short of failure and still be productive, with less fatigue.
Do drop sets and supersets build more muscle?
They can save time, but they aren’t magic. Use them as tools, not as a way to keep adding work you can’t recover from.
How do I know if I’m doing too much?
Falling performance, lingering soreness, poor sleep and nagging aches are common signs. Scale back for a week and see if things improve.
Is it better to train more days a week?
Spreading the same weekly sets across more days can help quality, but more days only help if you recover well between them.
Sources
- Norvic Chanco. Instagram reel, August 25, 2026. instagram.com/p/Dce8TO8hhiE
- Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sports Sci. 2017. doi:10.1080/02640414.2016.1210197
- Plotkin D, et al. Progressive overload without progressing load? PeerJ. 2022;10:e14142. doi:10.7717/peerj.14142
- Featured image: Photo by Lee Catherine Collins on Pexels.
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Written by
Norvic Chanco
Professional Fitness Coach
With 20+ years of coaching behind him, Norvic coaches strength training, movement mechanics and personalised programming. He helps athletes and everyday lifters build strength that carries over to real life, online and in person.
- Strength
- Biomechanics
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