First, Jim White, an ACSM exercise physiologist and personal trainer, notes that there is no official magic number of squats that will automatically show results. But most trainers agree on a similar ideal starting point: squatting two to three times a week for roughly three to five sets of eight to twelve squat reps.
The best rep range for back squats depends on what we want to accomplish with the movement – if strength gain is our main goal, then 1-6 reps is best; but if muscle gain is our primary goal, then 8-12 reps may be best.
When it comes to how many squats you should do in a day, there's no magic number — it really depends on your individual goals. If you're new to doing squats, aim for 3 sets of 12-15 reps of at least one type of squat. Practicing a few days a week is a great place to start.
8-12 reps per set of challenging weight is probably a good range for most bodybuilders as the main rep range for most squatting. If you can do more weight over time in this rep range, your legs WILL GROW.
The researchers concluded that heavy loads are best for maximal strength goals, while moderate loads of 8-12 reps are best suited for hypertrophy goals when performing the same number of sets.
Reps 8-10 is Pure Size. Reps 12-15 is Size & Endurance. Reps 15+ is Pure Endurance.
You may not be able to perform all sets for 10 reps. If that is the case, then start lowering the weight once you do a set where less than 10 are performed. Once you can do all 10 sets for 10 reps, then it is time for you to go up in weight.
Generally speaking, evidence suggests that at least 10 sets per muscle per week is the ideal number to induce hypertrophy. Not everyone will need that many sets and some may need more, but 10 sets per muscle per week is the baseline to adjust from.
The 10 sets of 10 reps bodybuilding workout has proven time and time again to be fantastic at increasing muscle mass through the systematic fatigue of the muscle fibers being worked on.
Sets of anywhere from 4–40 reps will stimulate muscle growth quite well, but most research shows that doing 6–20 reps per set is the most efficient way to build muscle. Bodybuilders often use the middle of that range, favouring 8–12 reps per set.
Ultimately, squatting every day isn't necessarily a bad thing, and the risk of overuse injuries is low. However, you want to make sure you're working other muscle groups, too. Focusing solely on your lower body can set you up for muscle imbalances — and nobody wants that.
Step 3: Destroy your quads!
That's right, squats and leg press. These 2 exercises are the staple of any good leg day, and we highly recommend starting with squats. This is because they engage so many other muscles and really force you to engage your core. 5 sets of 10 to 12 reps is a good amount.
It is critical to target both these muscles to see a substantial positive impact on the shape of your butt. Hence, consider doing a minimum of three sets of squats daily, and keep varying the number of repetitions from 8 to 15.
High repetitions per set are considered to be 8 or more repetitions. Some people even go up to 20 reps per set. High rep squats can help with muscle gain, strength endurance, and breaking through squat plateaus.
There's no one the best number of sets. It's very individual. This post is only a general guidline. Minimum number of sets for muscle growth: 2-3 for beginners, 3-6 for advanced, per week per muscle group, to failure.
The Takeway For How Many Sets You Should Do
Each workout can consist of a total of around 15-25 sets, but the number of sets for a specific muscle group in that workout should be at around 10 or below.
Most evidence-based fitness professionals recommend a training volume of 10-15 sets per muscle group per week. I've recommended 10-30 sets in my interviews the past years for most individuals with some outliers using higher volumes, like IFBB Pro Nina Ross.
As a beginner looking to increase general fitness — and following the theme of keeping things simple — choose 3–5 exercises per leg workout. Then complete 3 sets of 8–12 reps of each exercise, ensuring that you're working your muscles to fatigue but not failure (1).
Doing push ups in sets can be a great way to split up the volume, and to ensure optimal rep quality and completion of the total rep goal. This is in contrast to doing them all at once where your technique might start to break down as you get closer to fatigue.
Krieger's research into training volume shows maximal muscle growth while training each muscle 2–3 times per week with six sets per workout, yielding an ideal training volume of 12–18 sets per muscle per week.
To build strength, stick in the range of 1 to 5 reps and 4 to 5 sets. Truly challenge yourself with the load. If you feel as though you could continue, add some more weight in the next set.
TO RECAP, aim for 3-5 sets in the following rep rangers per exercise based on your goals: Endurance: 12+ reps per set. Hypertrophy (bigger muscles): 6-12 reps per set. Strength (dense, powerful muscle): 1-5 reps per set.
In fact, one study showed that after 8 weeks of strength training, those who lifted heavier weights with less reps had more strength. But the study also showed that people who lifted with lower weights, but high reps, had more muscle-building activity.