Is Increasing Sets and Reps the Key to More Muscle Gains?
Among many debated resistance training topics is optimizing training volume. Natural Fitness and Figure champion Holly Baxter recently discussed a study by Enes and colleagues from the University of Tampa, which examined whether increasing volume weekly causes muscle growth versus keeping sets the same per training cycle.
The Study’s Variables
Thirty recreationally trained women were randomly assigned to one of three training protocols over 12 weeks:
- Constant volume group: 22 sets of quad exercises weekly.
- Moderate progression group: Started at 16 weekly sets and increased by two sets each two weeks for 26 total sets.
- Aggressive progression group: Began with 18 sets weekly, adding four sets every two weeks for 38 total sets.
Volunteers trained three exercises – leg presses, squats, and leg extensions – twice weekly. To maximize the working sets, the first two sets of each exercise were performed with approximately two reps in reserve, and the final set was pushed to failure.
The Verdict
After the 12-week experiment, muscle thickness was remeasured along the vastus lateralis (outer quad muscle) at 30, 50, and 70 percent lengths. Cross-sectional area (CSA) was measured at the 50% mark for the vastus lateralis.
Researchers found no significant differences in overall muscle growth between the three groups. However, the highest volume group had the most vastus lateralis growth at 50 percent length, but not much more than other groups. The moderate and aggressive progression groups showed similar growth, while no statistical difference was observed between the constant and mild groups. These findings suggest that scaling training volume with diminishing returns may be beneficial. However, muscle growth is more complex than a single study with limited factors.
Limitations
A recent study by the same research team, conducted on males, showed minimal added benefit of weekly volume increases. "The differences in the population and overall volume could explain the differences between these studies," Baxter theorized.
Moreover, the study on females did not include a non-exercise control group, making it difficult to determine the reliability of the measurement tools. Another constraint is only assessing quad growth, which might not apply to other muscles.
Baxter’s Key Takeaways & Tips
How does this data translate to programming your workouts? Here are Baxter’s five tips:
- Start with an adequate baseline volume: Aim for a minimum of 10-20 sets per muscle group weekly.
- Gradually, progress sets & reps: Add one to two sets every few weeks.
- Monitor progress or lack thereof
- An individualized approach is key: People respond differently to volume changes. Adjust as needed.
- Volume is only one factor: Sufficient progressive overload, intensity, technique, rep tempo, and training close to failure can maximize muscle gains.
While increasing training volume is necessary, chasing higher set counts should be strategic.
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References
- Enes, A., Correa, C. L., Bernardo, M. F., Salles, G. N., Oneda, G., Leonel, D. F., Fleck, S. J., Phillips, S. M., De Souza, E. O., & Souza-Junior, T. P. (2025). Does increasing the resistance-training volume lead to greater gains? The effects of weekly set progressions on muscular adaptations in females. (Advance online publication). doi:10.1080/02640414.2025.2459003
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