When it comes to exercise, more isn’t always better.

Understanding Training Volume for Muscle Growth

When it comes to building muscle, the right amount of training is crucial.

We use four key terms to help determine the right volume for each person:

1. Maintenance Volume (MV): The amount of exercise needed to keep your current muscle and strength levels.

2. Minimum Effective Volume (MEV): The smallest amount of exercise needed to start building new muscle.

3. Maximum Adaptive Volume (MAV): The optimal amount of exercise where you get the best muscle growth.

4. Maximum Recoverable Volume (MRV): The highest amount of exercise that you can still recover from without overtraining.

How Much Training Volume Do You Need?

• Based on research and my experience, the amount of training needed for muscle growth varies. It ranges from the MAV, where you can still recover well, to the MRV, where you’re pushing your limits. It’s important to include periods of lower volume to allow your body to recover.

Why is Volume Important?

• Too little volume won’t stimulate muscle growth, while too much can lead to burnout and injury. Studies show that more volume can be better for muscle growth, but it’s not always practical or sustainable for everyone.

Progressing Your Training Volume

• As you gain experience, your body adapts, and you’ll need more volume to keep growing. This process is slow, so don’t rush it.

Tracking Your Training Volume

• Keep a log of your workouts to see how many sets you’re doing for each muscle group each week. Increase your volume gradually if you’re not seeing results.

Guidelines for Different Experience Levels

1. Beginners (No Training Experience): Start with at least 5 sets per muscle group per week, and go up to 10 sets. Focus on learning the exercises and recovering well.

2. Beginners (Minimal Training Experience, 2 Years or Less): Start with 10-20 sets per muscle group per week. Focus on getting the technique right and recovering well.

3. Intermediate (Moderate Training Experience):
   Start with 15 sets per muscle group per week. Make sure you can recover well before increasing the volume to 17-20 sets.

4. Advanced (Advanced Training Experience): Start with 20 sets per muscle group per week. Adjust volume based on your needs and recovery ability.

Smaller Muscle Groups

• For muscles like biceps, triceps, and abs, you can do fewer sets because they also get worked indirectly through other exercises. Aim for 6-8 sets per week for these muscles.

How to Adjust Volume Based on Recovery

• Some exercises are harder to recover from than others. Pay attention to how your body feels and adjust your volume accordingly.

Practical Tips

1. Track your sets per muscle group each week.

2. Gradually increase your volume by 10-20% if you’re not seeing progress.

3. Once you reach 20 sets per muscle group per week, focus on improving exercise technique, intensity, and effort.

4. Cycle your training volume to avoid burnout and injury.

5. Consider the benefits of small group fitness classes and small group personal training. They offer structured programs, guidance, and motivation.

Find out how you can achieve your health & fitness goals without long hours at the gym, with STRIVE Training Club.