How Many Sets Per Workout Should I Do?

Picking the right number of sets can make the difference between hitting and missing your fitness goals. We break down the key factors you need to consider when crafting your perfect fitness program.

Key Takeaways

• A typical strength training workout often involves 15-25 sets.
• However, it's often better to calculate your sets on a weekly basis.
• Experts usually recommend aiming for 10-30 sets per muscle group per week.
• It's important to pick the number of sets that helps you progress but doesn't overwhelm your body's capacity to recover.

See More: How Many Calories Do You Burn Lifting Weights?

The Right Strategy for Building Muscle

Carriejune, founder of Minibeast, says:

"While there's no single correct number of sets per workout, a typical workout usually involves 15-25 sets. The specific number you do will depend on your individual goals, experience, and workout structure"

You've probably heard that the hardest part of working out is getting started. That's true for many people, and it's widely discussed.

But what if we told you the next hardest part is often knowing when to stop?

No, seriously. The question is more complex than you might think.

It's more important, too. The right training volume can make the difference between efficient progress and stagnation or even injury.

If you've ever left the gym feeling like you did a little too much, or not quite enough, you probably know this.

The bad news is there's no single, simple answer, no matter what people might claim. How many sets you should do depends on several factors, including your fitness goals, fitness level, and recovery capacity.

The good news is you can determine all of these things pretty quickly, as long as you know what you're doing. We'll break down all the major things you need to consider when setting up your fitness regimen.

Bonus: What Happens if You Take Fat Burners Without Working Out?

How Many Sets for Your Fitness Goals

Before we get to any numbers, we need to discuss your goals. As you might imagine, different approaches are often more appropriate for reaching different goals.

If you're training for muscular endurance, or endurance in general, experts typically recommend using lighter weights for more reps. The same is often true for people aiming to lose weight or burn fat.

On the other hand, strength training usually involves the opposite: heavier weights, high intensity, and fewer reps.

To build muscle, experts often recommend an approach somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. You want a rep range and set count that helps you maximize muscle growth but doesn't overwhelm your body's ability to recover.

For the purposes of this article, we'll assume you're taking that middle path.

Number of Sets Per Muscle Group Per Week

People often talk about how many sets you should do per workout. But your total training volume across the week is actually far more important than your training volume in each individual workout.

That's why many training programs are structured on a weekly basis. Spreading your sets across multiple training sessions per week is often better for recovery and overall performance.

Experts generally recommend aiming for 10-20 sets per muscle group per week. Calculating your sets per muscle group helps you track how much volume you've applied to each area of your body.

That said, it's worth noting that quality matters a lot more than quantity. Research suggests that trying to complete more than 30 sets per muscle group per week can lead to diminishing returns.

How many sets you aim for might also depend on your training experience. Beginners might need to start with a lower training volume, like 10-15 sets per muscle group per week.

You might even see results from 5-10 sets per muscle group per week, at least at first. It's often better to start slow. Your body is still new to resistance training, and it's better to adapt gradually than take on too much volume and risk getting injured.

As you advance, you may be able to handle higher volumes (and might need higher volumes to continue progressing). Intermediate lifters may require 15-20 sets per muscle group per week. Advanced lifters might be able to handle 20-30 sets per muscle group per week.

Number of Sets Per Exercise

Now let's zoom in a little. A typical workout usually involves 15-25 working sets, and 3-5 sets per exercise.

You could try doing a single set for a specific exercise. But research suggests doing at least two sets per exercise is generally more effective than doing just one.

How Many Reps in One Set

Finally, let's zoom in all the way. What counts as a set?

As we mentioned, that depends on your goals. For endurance training, you'll usually be aiming for 15 reps or even more. The idea is to build stamina.

For muscle growth, experts usually recommend a rep range of 6-12 reps per set. Ideally, you should be close to failure when completing each set, with only one or two reps left in the tank. If you're able to exceed your rep target, you might need to increase the resistance.

No matter how many reps you do, you usually need rest periods between each set. Generally, rest periods are 3-5 minutes long.

Other Things to Consider

Most fitness programs also incorporate rest days. These are entire days where you don't work out at all, or restrict yourself to active recovery, like yoga.

At first, you might think that's a waste of time. It's absolutely not.

Recovery is a crucial part of your progress. It's when your body actually builds the new muscle tissue that will, ideally, leave you stronger and larger than before.

Your nutrition is also important. In fact, many experts consider nutrition to be even more important than the particular exercises you do.

For example, Minibeast founder Carriejune says that "diet is nearly 70% of our results."

In general, a caloric surplus is often helpful for muscle recovery and growth. Your body needs the calories, both to complete your workouts and to recover from them effectively. Getting enough protein is also important, as that's what your body uses to rebuild your muscle tissues.

How to Build an Effective Strength Training Program

If all this sounds complicated, don't worry. You could always get a professional to design your workout program for you.

One example is Minibeast's 8-Week Workout Challenge. It gives you access to five full workout programs, personalized calories and macros, a 24/7 private support group, example meal plans, demonstration videos, and much more.

Hundreds of thousands of people have used this program to smash their fitness goals. You'll be able to join a supportive community of like-minded people striving to better themselves, guided by professionals like Carriejune.

Conclusion

The number of sets you perform per muscle group per week depends on your fitness goals, experience, and recovery capabilities. For strength gains, experts usually recommend aiming for sets of 6-12 reps, 3-5 sets per exercise, and no more than 30 sets per muscle group per week.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 20 Sets Per Workout Too Much?

Not necessarily, but it depends on your experience and how you're distributing those sets. 20 sets for a single muscle group in one workout is usually too much. But for a full-body workout, 20 sets is often a great volume.

Is 4 Sets of 10 Reps Too Much?

That depends on your experience, goals, and recovery capabilities. But in general, experts often recommend 4 sets of 10 reps for muscle growth.

Is 3 Sets or 4 Sets Better?

The answer really depends on your goals, experience, recovery capabilities, and how you structure your workouts. If you want to push yourself close to failure, 4 sets might be too much. But if you prefer leaving a couple reps left when stopping a set, you might want to do 4 sets to hit the right training volume.

Keep Reading: Should I Wear Gloves When Weight Lifting?

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