“How many sets should I actually be doing?”

That is one of the most common questions we get. More sets must mean more progress… right?⁠

A new 2025 meta-analysis by Jacob F. Remmert and colleagues, “Is There Too Much of a Good Thing?”, looked directly at this question by specifically examining how per-session volume (how many sets you do in a single workout) affects both hypertrophy (muscle growth) and strength.⁠

Here’s what they found and what it means for you.⁠

First: More Sets Do Increase Results

The data showed a clear positive dose-response relationship:

• More sets per session → more muscle growth

• More sets per session → more strength gain

  ⁠

So yes ... volume matters. BUT here’s the important part…There Are Diminishing Returns.The relationship wasn’t linear. Instead, results improved quickly at first and then tapered off.

For strength:

• The “point of undetectable outcome superiority” (the point where extra sets likely stop meaningfully improving results) was around ~2 direct sets per exercise per session.

For hypertrophy:

• That point was around ~11 fractional sets per muscle per session.

In simple terms:

• Strength responds very efficiently to low per-session volume.

• Muscle growth tolerates and may benefit from more volume.

• But after a certain point, you’re working much harder for very little additional return.

⁠

Most of you don’t need marathon gym sessions. Especially for strength. What's needed is one high-quality, focused set performed close to muscular failure/ fatigue consistently and repeated 2–3x per week.

More is better… until it’s not. The sweet spot is enough stimulus to drive change without accumulating fatigue that blunts recovery.