How Many Sets Really Build Muscle?

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A systematic review and meta-analysis on the dose–response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and muscle hypertrophy found that training volume plays a key role in muscle growth. The analysis of 15 studies and 34 training groups showed that higher weekly sets generally produce greater increases in muscle mass.

Muscle growth can occur with as few as 4 sets per muscle group per week, but hypertrophy increases significantly at around 10 sets per week. 

 How heavy do you really need to train to stimulate muscle growth?  In this video we break down a fascinating study by Vickie Wong and colleagues that compared low-load Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training with traditional high-load resistance training.  Using ultrasound imaging, the researchers examined how muscles respond immediately after exercise by measuring acute muscle swelling (the “muscle pump”) and levels of exercise discomfort in both the upper and lower limbs.