Determining Appropriate
Set Volume for
Resistance Exercise
James Krieger, MS
Journal of Pure Power, Redmond, Washington
SUMMARY
DETERMINING THE APPROPRIATE
NUMBER OF SETS PER EXERCISE
IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF DE-
SIGNING A RESISTANCE TRAINING
PROGRAM. EVIDENCE FROM A
RECENTLY PUBLISHED META-
ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT 23
SETS PER EXERCISE PRODUCE
46% GREATER STRENGTH GAINS
THAN A SINGLE SET. LITTLE BEN-
EFIT IS OBSERVED FOR MORE
THAN 3 SETS. FOR CLIENTS
INTERESTED IN GENERAL FITNESS
OR WHO LACK TIME, A SINGLE SET
IS APPROPRIATE. THREE SETS PER
EXERCISE IS AN APPROPRIATE
STARTING POINT FOR CLIENTS
LOOKING FOR MAXIMAL
STRENGTH GAINS. ADJUSTMENTS
CAN BE MADE FROM THESE
STARTING POINTS BASED ON
CLIENT RESPONSE.
he design of a resistance train-
T
ing program requires the ap-
propriate manipulation of a
variety of variables, all of which can
affect the adaptations to a resistance
training program. These variables in-
clude but are not limited to frequency,
intensity, and volume. A primary way
that training volume can be manipu-
lated is through the number of sets
performed per exercise and per muscle
group. Thus, the number of sets can
have a strong impact on the morpho-
logical and performance-based outcomes
of a resistance training program. The
30 VOLUME 32 | NUMBER 3 | JUNE 2010
response of the body to changes in set
volume can be viewed as a dose-
response relationship. For example, as
the dose of a drug is increased, the
bodys response to that drug increases,
until a plateau is reached. If the drug
dose continues to increase, there is
no further increase in the bodys re-
sponse to the drug, but an increase in
side effects can occur. Similarly, as the
number of sets of a resistance exercise
increases, the bodys response (the
increase in strength and muscle mass)
may increase. However, at some point,
this response will plateau, and too many
sets may increase the risk of injury.
The personal trainer should take an
evidence-based approach when it comes
to program design for a client. How-
ever, the evidence regarding the
appropriate number of sets has not
been straightforward. Review articles
on this topic have come to different
conclusions as to whether multiple sets
can produce superior strength gains
(1,3,4,23). Most studies published over
the past decade have shown multiple
sets to result in significantly greater
strength gains than single sets (2,59,
1214,17,20,21). Some published meta-
analyses indicate multiple sets to be
superior (18,19,24); however, these
articles have a number of methodo-
logical limitations, which has resulted
in criticism of their conclusions (10,16).
Also, the results of these articles have
not been consistent. For example, Rhea
et al. (19) reported multiple sets to be
superior in both trained and untrained
subjects, but Wolfe et al. (24) reported
Copyright National Strength and Conditioning Association
multiple sets to be superior in trained
subjects only.
Another problem is that the majority
of resistance training studies compare
1 set with 3 sets per exercise (1,4).
However, there are many other varia-
tions in set volume that can be pre-
scribed. There has been very little
research done regarding the dose-
response effects of the number of sets
on strength gains. Ostrowski et al. (15)
compared 1, 2, and 4 sets per exercise
and reported no significant differences
between groups. However, the vari-
ability of the responses and the small
number of subjects per group limit the
statistical power to detect differences
between groups. Rhea et al. (19) looked
at dose-response effects with a meta-
analysis, reporting 4 sets per muscle
group to be the optimal number for
both trained and untrained subjects.
However, as mentioned earlier, the
limitations of the study design indicate
that the results should be interpreted
with caution. Also, since Rhea et al.
reported the data as sets per muscle
group, the sets-per-exercise problem is
not adequately addressed. Given the
lack of convincing scientific data re-
garding the dose-response effects of
the number of sets, it can be difficult for
the personal trainer to decide what
number is appropriate for a client.
A recent meta-analysis was published in
the Journal of Strength and Conditioning
KEY WORDS:
volume; sets; strength; meta-analysis
Research to try to shed more light on
the dose-response effects of the num-
ber of sets per exercise (10). This meta-
analysis had 2 purposes: to address the
criticisms of previous meta-analyses in
this area and to establish a dose-re-
sponse relationship of set volume on
strength. The main finding was that
a single set per exercise resulted in
strength gains, but multiple sets were
superior. Specifically, 23 sets per
exercise was associated with 46%
greater strength gains than 1 set, and
no further benefit was observed for
more than 3 sets. These findings
applied to both trained and untrained
subjects, upper- and lower-body exer-
cises, and a variety of training frequen-
cies. These findings were also true
whether or not multiple exercises were
performed per muscle group.
The main limitation of this recent
analysis is that there were only 2 stud-
ies included that incorporated 4 or
more sets per exercise. This limits the
statistical power to detect significant
differences. It is still possible that 4 or
more sets could result in greater
strength gains than 23 sets, but more
research in this area will be needed to
answer this question. What is apparent
is that there is a plateau in strength gains
once you get to 46 sets per exercise;
23 sets resulted in 46% greater gains
than 1 set, whereas 46 sets only
resulted in 13% greater gains than
23 sets. The reason for this plateau
is not currently known. It is known that
mechanical loading stimulates protein
synthesis in skeletal muscle (22), and
increasing loads result in greater re-
sponses until a plateau is reached (11).
It is likely that protein synthesis responds
in a similar manner to the number of
sets (i.e., an increasing response as the
number of sets are increased, until a
plateau is reached), although there is
no research examining this.
The findings of this analysis allow for
a number of practical applications
that personal trainers can use in their
program designs:
1. If a client is only interested in
general fitness and does not need
maximal gains in strength, then 1 set
per exercise is a sufficient stimulus to
improve strength. Also, clients who
are lacking time can still experience
strength gains by doing only 1 set to
failure or near-failure per exercise.
2. If a client is interested in maximal
strength gains, then multiple sets per
exercise are necessary. Because the
majority of studies in this meta-
analysis compared 1 set with 3 sets
per exercise, than 3 sets per exercise
is an appropriate starting point for
a client. Because these numbers are
based on averages, individual client
responses may vary. Thus, set vol-
ume can be adjusted up or down
from this starting point based on
client response and tolerance.
3. The point of diminishing returns
appears to be above 3 sets per exer-
cise. In this meta-analysis, 46 sets
per exercise was not significantly
different from 23 sets. Thus, there is
little additional benefit to doing more
than 3 sets per exercise, although
individual responses may vary.
4. There is no need to differentiate
between trained and untrained sub-
jects in regards to set volume; both
are equally likely to benefit from
multiple sets. However, for clients
with little resistance training expe-
rience, it is probably prudent to keep
initial volume to 12 sets per exer-
cise to help prevent the delayed-
onset muscle soreness that usually
accompanies unaccustomed exercise.
Set volume can then be progressed.
5. These set volumes are considered
work sets and do not include warm-
up sets.
There are still questions that science
needs to answer regarding program
design. For example, is it beneficial to
incorporate multiple exercises target-
ing the same muscle group? The recent
meta-analysis found no benefit to
doing multiple exercises, although it
was not specifically designed to answer
this question. Also, more research is
needed looking at dose-response rela-
tionships in regards to the number of
sets; there are very few studies that use
volumes of more than 3 sets per
exercise (13,15). Another question that
needs to be answered is the
Strength and Conditioning Journal | www.nsca-lift.org
relationship between the number of
sets and intensity. The studies in the
recent meta-analysis involved an aver-
age of 710 repetition maximum (RM)
per set. The optimal set volume for
higher training intensities (15 RM)
has not been adequately investigated.
Although scientists have more to in-
vestigate regarding other topics, the
evidence in the single versus multiple
set debate overwhelmingly favors mul-
tiple sets. It is also clear that there is a
dose-response relationship in regards
to set volume and strength, with an
apparent plateau in the response be-
yond 3 sets per exercise. Clients who
want maximal strength gains are best
off doing 23 sets per exercise, whereas
clients who just want to stay fit or lack
time can achieve moderate strength
improvements with a single set. It
should also be noted that these con-
clusions are limited to general fitness
and maximal strength and that the
appropriate set volume may be differ-
ent for other goals such as hypertro-
phy, power, and endurance. As always,
a personal trainer should tailor a clients
program to his/her individual needs,
goals, and limitations.
James Krieger
is the editor for
Journal of Pure
Power, an online
publication that
delivers science-
based informa-
tion in a manner
easy to under-
stand by athletes
and coaches.
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