Resistance Training Volume Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy
Written by Ben Bunting: BA, PGCert. (Sport & Exercise Nutrition) // British Army Physical Training Instructor // S&C Coach.
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Welcome to the world of muscle hypertrophy, where the art of sculpting a strong and chiselled physique is backed by science.
If you've ever wondered how to maximise your gains and supercharge your muscle growth, you're in the right place.
In this article, we'll dive into the science behind muscle hypertrophy and explore how increasing resistance training volume can unlock your body's full potential.
By understanding the mechanisms at play and applying the principles of progressive overload, you'll be able to take your workouts to new heights and achieve the muscle gains you've always dreamed of.
For optimal muscle growth, start slowly and increase your training volume gradually. This could involve adding weight, changing contraction times, lengthening rest periods, or adding sets.
This study (and others like it) demonstrate that increasing training volume allows for hypertrophy in an incremental dose-response fashion.
Volume is the amount of weight you use
Research shows that the amount of weight used during training sessions is a key driver of muscle growth.
There is an obvious dose-response relationship between training volume and muscle growth; however, calculating it can take time, and accuracy is sometimes hard to gauge.
An accurate method is counting how many hard sets you complete during a given workout session.
Traditional methods for measuring training volume have involved using the formula Sets x Reps x Load (SxRxL).
While this is useful in tracking long-term trends, daily tracking can be challenging.
A more practical solution is counting hard sets per body part each week, as this better estimates training volume and can help you see whether you are making progress.
Beginners should begin with a low-volume program and gradually increase the intensity over time to prevent overtraining and injuries.
An ideal program will consist of one or two multi-joint exercises for each major muscle group - covering chest, back, shoulders, arms and legs, respectively.
An ideal starting point is three to five sets of eight to 15 repetitions for each exercise, gradually increasing both sets and reps over time. After building strength, gradually increase the weight you lift.
Resistance training causes small tears in muscle fibres, but with rest, diet and protein supplementation, they heal bigger and stronger through hypertrophy (or muscle growth).
A carefully designed resistance training program will maximise this process for maximum muscle development.
When selecting a resistance training program, it's essential that it targets all major muscle groups simultaneously - this will help build a more symmetrical physique while also helping prevent injury.
Furthermore, it should be adjusted every four to eight weeks in order to optimise results and stay safe.
Brigatto and colleagues conducted a study that showed high resistance training volume could increase muscle thickness among resistance-trained men.
Their research examined the effects of low-, medium-, and high-volume programs on the quadriceps, biceps, and triceps and found significantly more thickening in the high-volume group than in the low- or moderate-volume training groups.
Reps are the number of times you perform a set
A key part of any effective workout is the number of reps in each set. When you curl a dumbbell 15 times without stopping, that counts as one complete repetition (or rep).
A trainer may ask you to perform 12 reps of one exercise before moving on to another - this constitutes one "set."
Reps in sets have an enormous effect on muscle growth. Resistance training aims to recruit and fatigue as many muscle fibres as possible so they can strengthen.
Working multiple sets with high rep counts helps achieve this goal by recruiting more muscle fibres. However, when performing high-rep sets, it's essential to use an appropriate amount of weight.
In addition to performing more reps than necessary in each set, total time spent per set also plays a vital role in stimulating muscle growth.
By increasing reps per set, more time will be spent under tension for longer, which in turn enhances muscles' ability to generate force and thus leads to greater muscle growth.
Reps in Reserve (RIR), an indicator of resistance training intensity, is an excellent way to measure its intensity.
RIR measures how many reps could have been completed before reaching technical failure - the point at which your form begins to falter - thus providing a useful benchmark for newcomers as well as experienced lifters alike.
Higher rep ranges tend to be better for building muscle growth and strengthening, while lower rep ranges are best suited for endurance development.
To prevent your body from adapting too easily to one training stimulus, vary both reps and sets often for maximum effect.
For optimal muscle growth, choose a weight that challenges you but doesn't prevent you from hitting your target reps with good form.
Take each set to technical failure to maximise fast-twitch muscle fibre recruitment, which is essential for muscle growth.
Rest is the amount of time you take between sets
Every aspect of a perfect resistance workout is crucial, including rest periods between sets.
Some prefer short rest periods to promote sweat and maximise the pump, but these short breaks could decrease muscle growth and strength gains.
On the other hand, longer breaks have been shown to promote greater growth and strength gains - so how much rest is enough?
Answering this question is more complex than you might realise.
Studies show that short rest periods may benefit certain workouts, while others suggest longer ones are more effective at increasing muscle mass.
One reason may be that shorter breaks could reduce the number of reps you complete per set and therefore lower volume load, resulting in less effective training sessions.
Longer rest periods may present an obstacle as they prevent proper recovery between sets, potentially decreasing strength gains.
However, treat these findings as estimates, since these studies involved small sample groups.
As with anything, the key to figuring out how much rest to take between sets is experimentation.
Shorter rest periods can help with higher-intensity exercises like squats and deadlifts, while longer ones work well for isolation movements such as bicep curls and chest flys.
Another option for increasing exercise intensity quickly and efficiently is supersets, which let you do multiple exercises in a short period.
These are particularly helpful when targeting larger muscle groups with exercises like squats and dumbbell curls; however, remember that supersets can backfire if your cardiovascular fitness is low.
As a rule of thumb, aim for an average between short and long rest periods.
This will provide your muscles with ample recovery time without overtraining them - essential if you want to build muscle, as this requires exhausting your muscles so they can expand further.
Intensity is the amount of effort you put into a set
Resistance training can help build muscle strength and tone, reduce joint strain, protect joints from injury and manage weight.
It's also an excellent form of weight-management exercise, maintaining flexibility and balance while improving well-being and sleep quality.
Before you start resistance training on your own or with a trainer for the first time, you need to understand what's involved.
Newcomers may benefit from expert advice so they exercise at an appropriate intensity level with proper technique.
There are two measures of workout intensity: how much load you lift and the level of effort put forth during each set.
Although load matters for muscle growth, effort intensity matters more for hypertrophic stimulation; the closer you get to failure during sets, the more hypertrophic stimulus you produce; however, the closer you go to failure, the more fatigue you generate.
Increase training intensity by altering the duration and rest time between sets, or by decreasing rest periods between sets.
You can also tailor each workout session according to your specific goals.
For instance, if you want to build mass, use more weight but do fewer reps per set; if you want to increase muscular endurance, use less weight and do more reps per set.
Studies have demonstrated that resistance training leads to significant gains in muscular strength and size, even after periods of plateauing.
This is due to neural adaptation - changes in nerve firing patterns. Beginners experience rapid increases in strength but eventually plateau.
New research into resistance training volume and muscle growth has found that, on average, an individual can train up to 6-8 hard sets per session with short rest periods without experiencing a decrease in gains.
Individual performance will differ; therefore, it is essential to select a program that best matches your needs and fitness goals.
Conclusion
Resistance Training Volume Increases Muscle Hypertrophy. Strength training entails lifting heavier weights with lower reps and full rest between sets.
Muscle hypertrophy training seeks to build larger muscles by increasing the reps and volume in each workout using moderate to heavy loads.
Both approaches offer numerous benefits for a well-rounded resistance training regimen; however, most individuals see muscle-mass training as the more desirable approach.
Researchers have long researched various loading strategies for muscular hypertrophy and strength gains.
Most studies show a dose-response relationship between load levels and 1RM strength increases; however, optimal load levels within that spectrum also need to be considered.
Recent studies have explored how different rep ranges affect muscle growth.
Van Roie and Kraemer found that both low- and high-rep ranges produced similar increases in muscle size; any differences were due to variations in total reps per set.
Movement tempo should also be considered during resistance-training exercises.
Studies have shown that slower eccentrics paired with faster concentrics can extend time under tension and promote muscle hypertrophy without hindering strength gains.
Hypertrophy appears optimal with six to eight hard sets per session and long rest periods; however, results depend on individual differences, so consult your trainer to determine the optimal load and volume for your goals.
