How Many Sets Should I Do?
As your conditioning improves the number of sets you do per muscle group MUST increase.
As your conditioning improves the number of sets you do per muscle group MUST increase.
- Smaller muscle groups should get get about 8-10 sets per workout. These are hard sets using very challenging weights.
- Larger muscle groups get more sets because they are larger and because they are only worked on those days you specifically train them (they don't get any work when you train your smaller muscles). You want to do at least 10-14 sets for these larger muscles. Split the workout up between 2 or 3 different exercises (ex. CHEST: bench press x 6 sets + chest flys x 6 sets)
Disregard studies that show low set training (1-2 sets) works just as well as training that involves higher sets. These are usually university studies done on untrained individuals. People who are untrained will respond favorably to almost any form of training. I’ve been training for over 20 years and everyone I’ve ever seen that achieved a nice, well-muscled body performed multiple sets of exercises.
Smaller
Muscle Groups Smaller muscle groups (biceps, triceps, shoulders) don't need as many sets as larger muscle groups so we keep the number to around 8-10 sets per workout. The reason being that these smaller muscle groups get a lot of work when you train the large muscles of the upper body like the chest and back.
Biceps are also worked during: pull ups pull downs back rowing exercises Shoulders are also worked during: bench press (back) rowing exercises pull ups pull downs Triceps are also worked during: bench press shoulder press push-ups |