Hypertrophy Reps and Sets: Evidence-Based Guide

In order to maximise the amount of muscle you gain through your training, understanding the most effective numbers of sets and reps for hypertrophy is essential. In this guide, we’re going to look at:

Let’s jump right in…

How Many Sets and Reps to Build Muscle

I’m not in the business of wasting anyone’s time, so if you just want the broad, TLDR, super-quick answer, then…

“2 to 6 sets of 5 to 30 reps per exercise per workout, and 4-15 total sets of 5 to 30 reps per week for each muscle group.”

And if you want to understand why that’s my recommendation, read on

How Many Sets Should I Do for Hypertrophy?

Research (Schoenfeld et al. 2017) shows that for the most part, more sets per week equals more muscle growth.

Which makes sense; you do more work, you get more results.

However. There is a trade-off.

More total sets per week also equals more fatigue, which over time can build up and have negative effects like…

• Increased injury risk
• Low energy levels
• Low sex-drive
• Poor job and/or school performance

Plus, although occasional DOMS are sort of fun, having to live with ridiculously, cripplingly, can’t stand up or raise your arms levels of sore muscles all the time is pretty miserable.

So we have to find a balance between doing enough and not doing too much.

The good folks at Renaissance Periodization coined the terms MEV, MAV and MRV, which I find useful to use for this.

MEV: is your Minimum Effective Volume, the least possible amount of work you need to grow muscles

MRV: Is your Maximum Recoverable Volume, the most amount of work you can tolerate before the fatigue becomes unbearable.

MAV: The sweet spot right in the middle of those two extremes.

So How Do We Find the Hypertrophy Sets Sweet Spot? (MAV)

Simple, we start at our estimated MEV, and build up over time.

So we might start with something like 4 total sets for a muscle group per week, then based on things like our pump and soreness, we can choose whether or not to increase that number of sets over time.

Eventually, you’ll keep increasing sets until you reach a point at which performance starts to decline, and you cannot add more reps or weight for 1-2 weeks in a row. At this point, it’s very likely that you’ve reached your MRV, and need to deload.

The exact number of sets will vary per person, and per muscle group, so some experimentation is needed.

What About Sets Per Session for Hypertrophy?

This depends on the person and the muscle group, but most people tend to find that the quality of sets for a muscle group starts to fall off after about 8-10 sets.

So if you’ve already done 5 sets of bench press and 4 sets of flies, then chances are you’re not going to get much more out of doing any more sets that session.

This is why I’m a big fan of training muscle groups more than once per week, so that we can increase the total number of sets per week whilst keeping quality really high.

What Rep Range is Best for Muscle Growth?

Research (Schoenfeld et al. 2017) suggests that hypertrophy can be achieved throughout a wide range of rep ranges, approximately 5 to 30 reps. This is something I would also agree with based on my years of coaching and training experience.

When I say this, people often have two questions…

Is 5 reps enough for hypertrophy?

To which I say yes, absolutely. But these low reps lend themselves better to certain exercises. 5 reps of pull-ups, bench press or squats is a good hypertrophy stimulus. Whereas 5 reps of an isolation based exercise like a single-arm cable bicep curl is probably not so useful

Can high reps build muscle?

Sets of 20-30 reps can 100% build muscle. Even without looking at the studies, just think about how many callisthenics and gymnastics guys get absolutely jacked upper bodies just through doing loads of high rep bodyweight exercises.

With that said, sets of 20-30 aren’t always appropriate. 20-30 reps of isolation work like curls or leg extensions is great, you get a fantastic pump and a real mind-muscle connection. Whereas sets of 20-30 squats or deadlifts are just a miserable experience, where your heart rate and breathing skyrocket and you just hope to survive.

What is Periodization for Hypertrophy?

Since you’ve got a pretty wide range of effective sets and reps, you can implement periodisation strategies for best results. Periodisation is simply the changing of your training stimulus over time.

Adding sets via the MEV to MRV set progression described above is one form of periodisation

A second type which you can use on top of this is the periodisation of rep schemes, for example, let’s say that you do 3 training blocks, each about 5-6 weeks long.

• Block 1: Most sets in the 5-10 rep range, with some in the 10-20 range.
• Block 2: Most sets in 10-20 rep range, with some in the 20-30 rep range and some in the 5-10 range
• Block 3: Most sets in the 20-30 rep range, with some in the 10-10 range and a small amount in the 5-10 rep range

This allows for each rep scheme to get a certain level of focus and keeps providing your body with a novel stimulus for hypertrophy.

Hypertrophy Workout Template

There are genuinely dozens of ways that you can arrange your training for hypertrophy, so the template I’m going to provide here is just an example of how to apply the principles we’ve talked about.

For specific workouts that you can use to fill in this template, check out my related article on Mass Gain Workouts.

*Remember, this is just an example, your specific set progression will be based on your own response to training. This is just a good general template to get you moving in the right direction.

Looking for a Reliable Hypertrophy Programme?

I’ve put together a 17-week hypertrophy programme.

It’s an evidence-based programme designed with 3 distinct blocks of training that use different set and rep schemes, as well as different exercises, to maximise your muscle building.

The programme is also designed with specific guidance so that you can adjust your amount of training to suit your recovery.

You can find out more about the programme here.

Hypertrophy Reps and Sets Frequently Asked Questions

Is 3 sets enough for hypertrophy?

For most people towards the start of a training block, 3 sets for a muscle group per session is fine. However, towards the end of a training block you might need more sets to get the same effect.

Should I do 3 sets or 4 sets?

Questions like this really depend on your own specific situation, the muscle group being worked, the pump you’re getting and the soreness you’re getting afterwards. Your best bet is always to follow the MEV to MRV progression described above.

Sets and reps for hypertrophy vs strength?

Whilst you can get great muscle size gains with 5-30 reps, strength is far more restrictive. Optimal strength gains are typically made in the 1-5 rep range. Also importantly, whilst you might increase sets over time for hypertrophy training, you should keep set numbers the same for strength training so that you can focus on weight increases each week instead.

Next Steps

Alright, that’s enough reading for today, time for action…

1) Get in the gym and start working through something that looks like the hypertrophy template, using the set and rep schemes we’ve discussed. Be consistent and pack on some size.

2) If you want more training tips, workouts and programmes, feel free to join my mailing list.

3) And if you’re looking for 1:1 strength and conditioning coaching you can find more information about my services here.

‘Til Next Time

Alex

Alex Parry, MSc, BA

Alex’s experience includes 7+ years within strength & conditioning, including supporting 2 major universities, 2 national talent pathways and a selection of international level athletes.

He is also a tutor and educator for British Weightlifting