Does a Genuine Upper Limit of Training Volume Truly Exist - Facts or Theory?
Wojciech Wiśniewski
2026-03-18
4 min. read
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The mistake of exercising without prior planning is made very often. The lack of control over strength progress can lead to stagnation, both in terms of weight lifted in exercises and lack of visible effects of fat reduction or muscle building. Intensity, frequency, and volume are the three main components of the training plan, which need to be appropriately adjusted to achieve the goal. Can one truly reach the genuine upper limit of training volume through regular training, whose exceeding will not bring results?
Extent of training
The extent of training pertains to the volume of work performed during exercises. It facilitates management of the number of training sets executed for a specific muscle group. This parameter impacts progress in building strength and shaping physique. An insufficient training extent will not yield results, while an excessively high one may lead to exhaustion or even overtraining.
Why you should consistently augment your training volume
Frequently, one encounters individuals who, despite routine workouts and dietary habits, still appear the same, lift the same weights, and fail to see any progress. How is this possible? The human body, to properly develop in terms of strength, endurance, and muscle mass, requires increasingly potent stimuli. The advancement of training volume should be the paramount component of any workout program. This volume should be tailored to the individual, depending on the objective and taking into account the individual's training level, training history, and available time for training. Both excessive and insufficient volume can negatively impact training results and lead to stagnation, making it essential to devise an effective strategy.
Methods to elevate the number of workouts
An elevation in the number of workouts can be achieved, for instance, by: - increasing the number of training cycles for a specific muscle, - adding extra repetitions to the training cycles, - broadening the range of motion during the execution of certain exercises, e.g., squats or deadlifts, - escalating the training intensity (load).
Frequency and Quantity of Workouts
In 2016, an examination was conducted comparing the increase in lean body weight and strength in high- and low-frequency training groups. The examination involved 19 participants divided into two groups. The first group engaged in high-frequency training, exercising each muscle group three times a week. The second group carried out planned low-frequency exercise units, also three times per week, but each day trained different muscle groups.
Number of training cycles for a specific muscle group
In an analysis published in 2019, the effect of different strength training volumes on endurance and muscle growth in trained women was evaluated. The study involved 40 women who were divided into four groups. The first group performed 5 training cycles for each muscle group in one training session for 24 weeks, the second group 10, the third 15, and the fourth 20. Both before and after the start of the study, the participants took part in a test in which they performed exercises: bench press with barbell lying down, rowing with barbell to the back, leg press on the machine, and deadlift on a straight leg for 10 repetitions (maximum number of repetitions). It was found that the groups that performed 5 and 10 training cycles for each muscle group achieved greater muscle growth than the other groups (M. Barbalho et al., 2019). These results may be significant for individuals who have time constraints and can only devote one day a week to training. In such cases, it is worth planning 10 training cycles for each muscle group. However, it can be assumed that as the training frequency increases, the training volume will also increase. Regardless of the amount of training, it is worth training at least twice a week, which helps achieve better physical and aesthetic results.
Summary
Training volume seems to be the most significant factor that influences proper body shaping and strength building. If we have only one day a week for training, we should perform a maximum of 10 work sets per muscle group. A larger number does not offer any additional benefits. Additionally, it can be assumed that as the frequency of training sessions increases, the maximum volume may also increase. However, every body is different, so there are no strict guidelines for training volume.
