How much volume for hypertrophy?

Strength training exercises' volume is commonly calculated by multiplying sets and repetitions or sets, reps, and load. You can increase the volume by increasing sets, reps, load, or frequency. To increase muscle mass, it is recommended to perform 6-12 repetitions in a single movement. For beginners, it is suggested to perform 1-3 sets per movement, and for more experienced individuals, 4-6 sets per movement.

Several studies have shown that muscle growth increases linearly with increasing volume. However, it has been observed that higher volume no longer increases muscle growth after a certain limit and may even reverse it. It is crucial to determine the optimal volume for the individual athlete, and the recommended training volume is 40-70 repetitions or roughly 10 sets per muscle group per week. Small muscle groups may require higher volumes than large muscle groups, and more research on this topic is needed.

Experienced exercisers may require a higher volume than novices to achieve the desired muscle growth responses. It is recommended to perform 6-12 repetitions per movement, which can cause optimal mechanical tension, metabolic stress, and muscle damage. Increased exercise volume has been found to increase fasting testosterone levels in trained men. When the exercise volume can no longer be reasonably increased in a single session, it may be beneficial to split the training of a muscle group into two parts, performing two sessions per day.

For fitness athletes, increasing the volume in an ascending manner in their training may be useful. It is essential to understand that not all volume is of equal value, and the exercise's intensity significantly affects volume. There can be significant individual variation in optimal volume, and it may be increased by training.