Sets and reps: how many for muscle, strength and endurance

Three words to agree on

• Repetition (rep): one complete movement, down and up.
• Set: a group of repetitions done without stopping, followed by rest.
• Volume: in practice, the number of hard sets per muscle group per week. A hard set ends close to failure, with only a few repetitions left in reserve.

Warm-up sets do not count. A set of 12 with a weight you could lift 25 times is not a hard set either.

Repetitions by goal

The ACSM position stand on resistance training gives ranges by goal, all to be applied with sensible loading.

• Muscle size (hypertrophy): loads from 1 to 12 repetitions maximum used over time, with the emphasis on 6 to 12 repetitions, and one to two minutes of rest.
• Maximal strength: for intermediate and advanced lifters, an emphasis on heavy loads of 1 to 6 repetitions, with three to five minutes of rest.
• Muscular endurance: light to moderate loads, 40 to 60% of maximum, for more than 15 repetitions, with less than 90 seconds of rest.
• Beginners: loads of 8 to 12 repetitions, whatever the goal at first.

The meta-analysis by Schoenfeld, Grgic, Ogborn and Krieger widens the picture for muscle growth: across 21 studies, low loads (60% of maximum or less) and higher loads produced similar gains in muscle size, while higher loads produced more maximal strength. The review by Iversen and colleagues on time-efficient training recommends a 6 to 15 repetition range, and notes that 15 to 40 repetitions also work when sets are taken to failure. In practice, very long sets are uncomfortable and slow, which is why most programmes stay between 6 and 15.

How many sets per week

Volume is the variable with the clearest dose-response relationship. The meta-analysis by Schoenfeld, Ogborn and Krieger compared fewer than 5, 5 to 9, and 10 or more weekly sets per muscle, and found that each additional set was associated with a slightly larger gain. The meta-regressions by Pelland and colleagues confirmed that muscle size and strength both rise with weekly sets, with returns that diminish as volume climbs, more sharply for strength than for size.

Practical landmarks:

1. Minimum effective dose: about 4 hard sets per muscle per week, the floor proposed by Iversen and colleagues for busy people.
2. Solid target: around 10 sets per muscle per week for most people.
3. Higher volumes: possible for experienced lifters who recover well, built up gradually.

Counting sets per muscle

Compound exercises train several muscles at once. Pelland and colleagues tested different ways of counting and found the best fit when a set counts fully for the muscle it targets directly, and as half a set for muscles involved indirectly. A bench press therefore counts as one set for the chest and half a set for the triceps. A row counts as one set for the back and half a set for the biceps.

Example for one full-body session repeated three times a week: 3 sets of squats, 3 of bench press, 3 of rows, 2 of Romanian deadlifts. The quadriceps receive 9 direct sets a week, the chest 9, the back 9, the hamstrings 6 plus some indirect work from the squat.

How hard each set should be

A set counts only if it is demanding. The meta-analysis by Refalo and colleagues found no evidence that training to momentary failure beats stopping short of it for muscle growth. A practical target is to end most sets with one to three repetitions in reserve: you could have done a few more with good form, but not many. Keep true failure for safe exercises such as machines, curls or push-ups, and avoid it on heavy squats and deadlifts. If you are unsure how many repetitions a given weight allows, a meta-regression by Nuzzo and colleagues found large differences between individuals at the same percentage of maximum: the first set is your test.

Three ready-made prescriptions

• Busy week, health first: 2 full-body sessions, 2 sets of 8 to 12 per exercise, 5 exercises. About 4 sets per muscle per week. The WHO asks for muscle strengthening on at least two days a week.
• Building muscle: 3 full-body sessions, 3 sets of 8 to 12, 5 or 6 exercises. About 9 to 10 sets per muscle per week. See the muscle building program.
• Strength focus: main lifts at 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 6 with long rests, then accessories at 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12.

How to move forward

Use the calculator to see your weekly repetitions and what happens if you add one repetition per set each week for three weeks. Once you reach the top of the range on every set, add weight, as described in progressive overload. Pair sets and reps with the right recovery between sets, covered in rest between sets, and check your loads with the one-rep max calculator.

If you are new to strength training or returning after an injury, start at the lower end of every range and ask a doctor or physiotherapist if any exercise causes pain.

Count your sets with Never Skip Club

Numbers only help if the sessions keep happening. Create your free account, launch a guided session that sets your series for your level and your time, and record each set so the weekly volume is visible. Start a crew with friends at two or three sessions a week: the leaderboard rewards keeping the rhythm. For a personalised prescription, book a coach from our network, or sign in to see your last sessions.