The Return of High Volume

For the last few years, the trend in volume and sets recommendations has been dominated by lower volume, higher intensity training. Mike Mentzer especially has been the avatar for popularizing and repopularizing this, along with Dorian Yates.

Before we begin….

---

Elite Research is running their July 4th sale and it’s at least 25% off everything.

15% off site-wide, another 10% with code AJAC10.

Everything is while supplies last, so act fast.

Remember to LOGIN to see everything they carry

---

Mentzer started off with higher volume training, but in the final years of his career adopted his lower volume, heavy duty approach.

Mentzers orginal recommendations for working-sets-per-muscle-per week came out to around 4-8 sets.

This is in line with modern recommendations for minimum effective dose.

HOWEVER…Exercise science research and bodybuilding history DOES tend to favor higher volume training

I expected this trend to reverse itself at some point, and with the recent backlash against science based lifting, theres been a rise of high volume advocates

See Set Volume for Muscle Size

What does higher volume mean?

Volume refers to the total number of sets you do per muscle per week.

Low volume is generally defined as doing less than 8 sets per muscle per week.

Moderate volume is 8-12 sets.

High volume is 12-20+ sets.

The most influential researcher on training volume has been professor Brad Schoenfelds.

His original research from 2016 found that muscle gain increased with volume.

10 was the sweet spot, but more growth could be seen as you got closer to 20 sets per week. Strength gains generally plateaued around 10 sets a week, but muscle gains incrementally increased as you got to 20 sets per week.

This research was not a one off finding. It was found repeatedly in multiple studies over the past 2 decades. (see above and below articles)

A Systematic Review of The Effects of Different Resistance Training Volumes on Muscle Hypertrophy

A LOT of people like to argue about “How many sets??”

This argument Ive seen happening since I started reading muscle magazines when I was 15. It was happening in the 1970s.

Im sure it will still be argued about in the 2050s.

There are no PERFECT answers and protocols in Bodybuilding and Exercise Science

Its human nature to think in binary. Biological response to training is a spectrum though.

Ive made the point myself in the past that starting off with a lower volume approach to determine your own training response is a smarter path than going immediately into high volume training.

How your body adapts to training is something you have to learn through experimentation. Some people grow MORE when they train more. Some people simply overtrain.

You don’t KNOW this until you try different training programs.

Theres also the dynamic factor that your body will change over time

Your strength, endurance, mindset, life conditions, energy, and metal-physical connection will evolve.

This is to say that your training program will change as YOU change.

There is no ULTIMATE program

If bodybuilding and broscience and exercise science have shown anything, its that every kind of training program and stimulus CAN work, given the right conditions and application.

That brings us to High Volume training

Its worth trying and doing. Its a very different experience from the All-out-one-set strength based approach.

You emphasize neurological connection, mental inhabitation, muscle tension, and repeated repetitions across many sets. You add weight once a month at most. Quality of contraction is the priority.

How strong you get is secondary. You are working the muscles, not fixating about the number of lbs.

This style of training has its own endurance requirements, especially with shorter rest periods. The workouts are more cardiovascular, they have a rhythm and flow that is distinct from high intensity and low volume.

High volume training DOES require more recovery time

If sleeping enough and eating enough are challenges, going into a higher volume program generally isnt advisable.

Some people transform with high volume. Their particular genetics seem to have a “volume activation” threshold.

Too few sets, they dont get much growth.

Do more sets though, and THEN the adaptations begin to happen. They need a higher volume of stimulus.

Training is a self discover process, you never wake up in the same body twice.

Recently Ive been watching some of the videos of Dr. Nash Jocic PhD.

To preface, this is not a paid endorsement. He has no clue who I am. I always like to share the knowledge and spread the word of great teachers I come across.

Hes a french bodyybuilder that trained with Serge Nubret, advocates building up to 20 sets per muscle…and he looks fantastic. And healthy.

He has a well defined philosophy with lots of training literature. His approach is to start people with around 10 sets per muscle group a week and build up over time. He does 4-5 exercises per muscle, for 4-5 sets. He likes the classical pyramid approach and stopping just short of failure, not forced reps or grind reps. He likes to train muscles once per week.

This is all blasphemous with the current orthodoxy. But the client testimonials are there, along with the historical evidence.

Myself personally, Ive been on a low volume train for years now, the last time I trained high volume was a decade ago at least. During my combat sports phase, I was doing as little as 4-8 working sets a week.

I’ve been very open that training has been a 3rd or 4th tier priority in this particular season of life.

That said, my schedule has a bit more stability to it this summer, and Ive been feeling a need for a training change. I train mostly at home now, and higher volume programming has been calling.

Of course, I dont expect to build new muscle at 37 as a natural lifter (and Im always realistic about my average genetics and poor structure).

That said, I decided to start one of his programs recently on July 1st. We will see how it goes.