Optimal Training Volume for Muscle Growth

Exercise Volume: The Number One Thing I’m Changing This Year to Build More Muscle

There are a lot of things you can do to when building muscle, but what is the optimal training volume for muscle growth?

I’ve tried a lot of programs over the years.

But there’s one thing I’m especially focused on changing this year to add more muscle.

Over the past several years, my main focus was on gradually leaning out and reducing body fat, while maintaining muscle.

After reaching sub-10% body fat last year, I’m excited to shift gears and focus on adding more size again.

Cutting Fat While Staying Strong

Cutting body fat and maintaining strength requires your program to be efficient and effective — especially when you’re short on time like I was.

Here’s what I achieved while only doing 12 exercises per week:

• Reached sub-10% body fat
• Lifting 2.5x my bodyweight for deadlift (for reps)
• Lifting 2x my bodyweight for squat (for reps)

During that season, I was working out just 3x per week.

Because of that, intensity mattered.

I had to go hard on a few main compound lifts.

And while that absolutely worked for a time, I eventually plateaued.

Worse — I even started regressing a bit.

I got lean, but noticed I looked small and lacked size in my arms and shoulders.

Why Intensity Alone Isn’t Enough For Muscle Growth

Now that I’m focusing on adding lean muscle, I realize intensity alone isn’t enough.

The one variable I’m focusing on changing this year?

Optimizing total workout volume.

And this isn’t just about “doing more.”

That’s where most people mess up, get lousy results, and end up hurt.

You don’t need to just do more — you need to do more of the right things at the right intensity.

That’s where results happen.

Why Training Volume Matters for Muscle Growth

Most research shows the sweet spot for muscle growth is:

12–20 hard sets per muscle group per week.

When I was doing only 12 exercises total per week, I had to stick mostly to compound lifts because they work multiple muscle groups at once.

While compound lifts still form the foundation of my programs, now I can be more strategic — especially in areas like shoulders and arms that I want to grow.

How I’m Adding More Training Volume

There are only two ways to increase volume:

1. Do more sets per session
2. Add more sessions per week

I’ve carved out the time this year to add more sessions.
And if your goal is adding as much muscle as possible — and you can make it work — more sessions is usually better than just trying to cram more into your current workouts.

Otherwise, you’re stuck doing super long, low-quality sessions filled with “junk volume.”

And junk volume leads nowhere.

That’s why smart program design matters — and why randomly blasting through 10 chest exercises doesn’t build the chest you want.

If you want to follow proven 3, 4, and 5 day workout templates: sign up for the Body [re]Building Playbook for free downloadable templates sent on day 3.

How Hard Should You Train?

If you’re chasing muscle growth, aim for 12–20 hard sets per muscle group per week.

• “Hard” doesn’t mean going to failure every set.
• But it does mean pushing close — only 1 rep from failure (sometimes 3–5 reps on selected exercises).

Your muscles should burn.
It should be uncomfortable.
That’s the price for growth.

What If You’re Short on Time?

If your schedule’s packed, here’s what I would do:

• Start at the low end:
  • Aim for 12 sets per muscle group, then build up if you’re recovering well.
• Focus on compound lifts:
  • Chin-ups count toward back and biceps volume.
  • Pressing movements count toward chest, shoulders, and triceps volume.
• Prioritize your goal areas:
  • Want bigger arms and shoulders?
  • Cut back slightly on legs (maintain with 4–8 sets per week) and shift focus.

If you want to grow, there’s no way around it:

You need to go hard.

And if you’re already going hard, it might be time to crank up the volume like I am this year.

Here’s to working harder and smarter.

Let’s grow together.

If you want to dive deeper, sign up for day 1 of the Body [re]Building Playbook: a step by step email course to burn fat, build muscle, and transform your body.