Training

Check your training volume per muscle

Enter how many hard sets you do per week for each muscle group. The calculator gives a rough classification, as guidance and not as a rule.

Hard sets per week

A hard set is a set that ends with 3 reps in reserve or fewer. Warm-up sets do not count.

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Total sets per week

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  • low (under 5): A few sets are enough to maintain muscle and can bring gains at the start. In studies, muscles usually grew more with more volume.
  • moderate (5 to 9): A solid base. If the muscle is not growing and recovery is not a problem, you can add 1 to 2 sets per week step by step.
  • common range (10 to 20): With 10 or more sets per week, studies showed larger gains on average than with clearly less volume.
  • high (over 20): Can work for advanced lifters. Whether even more volume brings more is uncertain; keep an eye on recovery, performance and joints.

Rough guidance, not exact limits.

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How it works

For muscle growth, training volume is usually counted as the number of hard sets per muscle group per week. This is simpler than tonnage and fits the research better, as long as the sets go close enough to failure.

The bands in the calculator are rough: under 5, 5 to 9, 10 to 20 and over 20 sets. They are based on a meta-analysis in which 10 or more sets per week were linked to more muscle growth than fewer than 5, and on a review that names 12 to 20 sets as a sensible range. Individual differences are large.

Compound exercises hit several muscles. How you count them is up to you. A common rule of thumb counts the main muscle fully and assisting muscles as half, for example on the bench press chest fully and triceps as half. What matters is that you always count the same way.

Formula and source

Sets per week = sum of hard sets per muscle group across all sessions under 5: low | 5 to 9: moderate | 10 to 20: common range | over 20: high

Sources: Schoenfeld B. J., Ogborn D., Krieger J. W., Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass, Journal of Sports Sciences 35 (11), 2017. Baz-Valle E., Fontes-Villalba M., Santos-Concejero J., Total Number of Sets as a Training Volume Quantification Method for Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 35 (3), 2021. The bands are a simplified guide derived from these.

Frequently asked questions

There is no single optimal number. Many studies show good gains in the range of about 10 to 20 hard sets per muscle per week. Beginners often get by with less, and some advanced lifters tolerate more.

A working set that ends with about 3 reps in reserve or fewer, so close to failure. Warm-up sets and very light sets do not count.

A common rule of thumb: count the main muscle fully and assisting muscles as half. On the bench press, chest gets one set, triceps and front delts half a set. What matters is that you count the same way over the weeks.

Not automatically. More sets only help as long as you recover and performance goes up. If performance drops over several sessions or your joints hurt, less volume or an easier week is often the better choice.

All results are estimates and do not replace advice from a doctor or dietitian.

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