How many sets do you really need?

More isn’t always better... Especially when it comes to resistance training. One of the most
common questions clients ask is whether doing more sets leads to better results. The short
answer? Only up to a point. Research shows that while increasing sets can increase training
stress, it doesn’t automatically lead to better strength, muscle, or body composition outcomes.

When we lift weights, the body responds by activating hormones involved in energy regulation and recovery. Studies examining different training volumes (for example, 2 vs 4 vs 6 sets per exercise) show that moderate volumes tend to provide the most efficient stimulus and the best results. Growth hormone and cortisol increase as volume rises, reflecting metabolic demand and stress, but these responses plateau quickly. Beyond that point, additional sets mostly increase fatigue, not results.

Importantly, testosterone levels don’t increase just because more sets are added. This
reinforces what we already know as coaches: muscle growth and strength gains are driven
by progressive overload, consistency, recovery, and nutrition — not chasing hormonal
spikes during a single workout.

So... How Do We Program Sets as Trainers?

As coaches, our goal isn’t to exhaust you, it’s to stimulate muscle adaptation while
keeping recovery manageable. That’s why most evidence-based programs sit around 3–4
working sets per exercise for the majority of clients. This range provides enough stimulus to drive progress while allowing you to recover, train consistently, and actually enjoy the process.

When we do adjust set volume, we do it based on:

• Training goal (strength, hypertrophy, endurance, rehab)
• Training experience (beginner vs advanced)
• Recovery capacity (sleep, stress, lifestyle, hormones)
• Life load (work, kids, shift work, perimenopause, etc.)

For example, beginners often progress extremely well on 2–3 sets, while more experienced
lifters may benefit from 3–5 targeted sets; not across every exercise, but where it matters
most.

Why We Don’t Program “All the Sets”
More sets = more fatigue, higher cortisol, and longer recovery demands. If recovery doesn’t match the workload, progress stalls. This is especially important for:
● Busy professionals

● Women navigating hormonal transitions (perimenopause or menopause)

● Clients training alongside high life stress

Training should support your life, not drain it.

Key Takeaway’s
You don’t need marathon workouts or endless sets to get strong, lean, or confident in your body.

Well-planned volume beats excessive volume every time. As trainers, we use science to
guide how much is enough, so you can progress, recover, and stay consistent long term.

If you’re ever wondering why your program looks the way it does, the answer is simple: it’s built for results you can sustain, not just sweat you can survive.