Is it OK to do 10 sets?

Author: Ursula O'Connell  |  Last update: Saturday, November 8, 2025

The general consensus for volume in training is 10-20 sets per week, per muscle group. Lats, pecs, shoulders, biceps, triceps, forearms, core, quads, hamstrings/glutes, etc , would be 100-200 sets total per week.

Is 4 sets of 10 too much?

4 sets of 10 reps is generally considered better for building strength and muscle size. This rep range allows for lifting heavier weights, which stimulates muscle growth and strength gains.

Are sets of 5 or 10 better?

Conclusion: If your primary goal is to build strength, 4 sets of 5 reps is generally more effective. If your goal is to increase muscle size or endurance, 2 sets of 10 reps may be more beneficial. Ultimately, incorporating a mix of both approaches over time can lead to well-rounded development.

Is 10 sets too much for chest?

The recommendation is 10 to 20 sets. If you're a beginner, it's best to start on the lower end of that range. If eventually you want to specialize in chest (I don't get why you'd need to as a beginner) you feel like you can recover from it, sure, slowly add more.

What is the 5-3-1 rule in gym?

The 5/3/1 Method Training Cycle

Week one: For each workout, perform three sets of five reps (three x five) of one lifting exercise. So for example, on Monday, do three x five of bench presses, Wednesday three x five of squats, Friday three x five of shoulder presses, and Saturday three x five of deadlifts.

How Many Sets Should You Do Per Workout To Build Muscle?

What is the 70 30 rule gym?

Shifting stubborn fat comes down to the 70/30 rule: only 30% comes from exercise whereas 70% comes from making changes to what you eat. It is the most important factor in a shredding fat.

What is the 2 2 2 rule in gym?

The rule that both NSCA and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommend is the “2-for-2 rule.” After a few workout sessions, you can increase the weight for a certain exercise once you can perform two more repetitions beyond your repetition goal for the last set for two weeks in a row.

Is it okay to do 10 sets?

If you're trying to build muscle and get bigger, doing sets of 3 or sets of 5 or sets of 10 will ALL help you get bigger, if you're eating enough to get bigger! If you're trying to lose weight, it doesn't matter if you do sets of 15 or sets of 5 if you are consistently overeating by 1,000 calories a day.

Is 20 sets too much?

If you want to absolutely maximise muscle growth: 30-40 sets would deliver the best results, but it's important to note that above this point isn't for everyone. 10-20 sets would be a more realistic goal.

Is 3x10 good for muscle growth?

This holds that regardless of whether you're trying to build muscle, strength, power, or endurance, performing three sets of 10 reps per exercise is a good place to start.

Is doing too many sets counterproductive?

As you can see in the graph, up to around six sets per muscle, we see a pretty clear benefit in terms of muscle growth. However, once you go above six sets, you hit a pretty hard plateau and maybe even regress a bit.

How many sets for muscle growth?

The research also states the most effective range of sets is 5-10 sets per week per muscle group for muscle growth, and 2 sets per week per muscle group for strength. These can be easily attained in a well-rounded programme.

Is 200 reps too much?

So, performing 200 reps of a movement repeatedly over an extended period will let you build strength and muscular endurance. With workouts like these, bodyweight is more than enough resistance to create fatigue and force your body and muscles to adapt.

How long to rest between sets?

Rest between set durations should be based on sets/exercise (volume), and not load or training goal. General recommendations include moderate (2 min) rest between sets if performing 2 sets/exercise, long rest (3 min) if performing 3 sets/exercise, and very long rest (> 4 min) if performing 4 sets or more/exercise.

How many sets for biceps?

Volume and Frequency

Research suggests that hitting a muscle group 2-3 times per week yields the best results for muscle growth. Therefore, you should aim for 12-20 sets per week for optimal biceps development.

How to build muscle fast?

6 Tips to Help You Build Muscle Faster
  1. Maximize your workout time with compound exercises. Some exercises only focus on specific muscles in your body. ...
  2. Go for high-intensity workouts. ...
  3. Make sure you're eating enough. ...
  4. Get enough rest. ...
  5. Try supplements. ...
  6. Make a goal to train each muscle two to three times per week.

What is hypertrophy?

WHAT IS HYPERTROPHY? Muscle hypertrophy (known simply as hypertrophy) is an increase in the size of a muscle, or its cross- sectional area attributed to an increase in the size and/ or number of myofibrils (actin and myosin) within a given muscle fiber.

How many sets a day is optimal?

No matter how many reps you're completing per set, most fitness experts recommend performing between two and six sets for each exercise. Anything below two sets may not challenge you enough; anything over six sets could lead to overworked muscles.

Is 10x10 push up good?

If you're new to fitness or push-ups specifically, she recommends starting with five to 10 reps per workout and increasing from there. If that feels doable, Stonehouse suggests doing two or three sets of 10 push-ups with a short rest between each set.

Is 10 sets enough for chest?

The 10-20 range is productive for the chest, but many individuals report that they get their best results from something between the 5-10 and 10-20 ranges, perhaps sets of 8-12 reps and even a bit lower. This is especially true for compound presses like the barbell flat bench and incline.

Is 5 sets of 12 too much?

Research and years of training have previously shown that the rep range of 1-6 per set is best for increasing muscle strength; 7-12 reps per set is best for increasing muscle growth; and reps of 12 and higher are best for increasing muscle endurance.

What is the 90 10 rule gym?

Experienced fitness expert and author, Steven Farmer, explains how the 90/10 Fitness program—in which you get 90 percent of your results from just focusing on the 10 percent that matter—is the only way anyone should train, especially in a world with a million things that person needs to be doing.

What is the 48 hour rule gym?

Rest each muscle group for at least 48 hours to maximise gains in strength and size. Varying your workouts can help you push past a training plateau.

What is the 3-3-3 rule gym?

The 3 3 3 exercise routine is a structured workout plan designed to improve strength and endurance through its unique approach of repetition and sets. This method focuses on performing exercises in sets of three, with each set consisting of three different workouts, repeated three times.

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