# How many sets is enough to grow muscle?



## OnTheFlye (Nov 28, 2014)

How many sets is enough?  I usually stay around 10. And I'll be sore as fuk the couple days.


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## losieloos (Nov 28, 2014)

I say about 10-14 sets you know.


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## MrRippedZilla (Nov 28, 2014)

Depends...

What are you training for & what rep range are you using?


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## Khazima (Nov 28, 2014)

Depends on too many different variables. Goals, reps, exercise, muscle group etc


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## DF (Nov 28, 2014)

Major muscle groups I do 12-16 sets.


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## snake (Nov 28, 2014)

I say four.


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## coltmc4545 (Nov 28, 2014)

Legs I do around 17-18. Back I do around 20. Chest is 17-20.


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## Pinkbear (Nov 28, 2014)

Are we talking sets or reps?

And are we talking about a single exercise or multiply?

I see everyone putting 10+ sets.... For one exerisice? That seems unessary. 
Or iv been doing it wrong all along....

But for a given lift I will do 4-6 sets


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## NbleSavage (Nov 28, 2014)

Large muscle groups, I tend to do 15-20 working sets per session, spread across 3-4 different lifts.


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## Maijah (Nov 28, 2014)

I do about 20-25 sets for each muscle group, I also only train one group per day.


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## IWannaGetBig (Nov 28, 2014)

NbleSavage said:


> Large muscle groups, I tend to do 15-20 working sets per session, spread across 3-4 different lifts.



For me, I'll probably do a total of 20 sets for a particular muscle. It might look like this:

Warm-up on bench
#85 approx 20-30 times
#135 approx 15 times
#185 approx 10 times
warm-up complete

Flat Bench

set1 275x10
set2 275x10
set3 275x10
set4 275x10

incline dumbells

set5 #70x10
set6 #80x10
set7 #90x10
set8 #100x10

Seated Dip

set9 180x10
set10 270x10
set11 320x10
set12 360x10

Cable pull downs Superset with rope spread pulldowns

set13 1/2 the stackx10 #20 on the ropex4-5*
set14 3/4 the stackx10 #20 on the ropex4-5*
set15 3/4 the stackx10 #20 on the ropex4-5*
set 16 the whole stackx10 #20 on the ropex4-5*

Standing over head dumbbell extension

set17 85x10*
set18 90x10*
set19 95x10*
set20 100x10*

*= or until failure


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## nastyNate (Nov 28, 2014)

there is no magic number. Depends on individual muscle fiber compassion and what kind of rep range like has been mentioned. Also, does one include warm up sets? Before doing a heavy set close to failure on a big lift I might do 5 or 6 warm up sets to grease the groove and get the joints feeling good. Lots of variables. No one right way though. A place to start that I think is reasonable for most is about 30 total work reps per exercise so not including your warm up sets. Most muscle groups somewhere around 3-5 exercises


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## goodfella (Nov 29, 2014)

Tell that chit is burning with fire from the pump!!!!!!


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## TriniJuice (Nov 29, 2014)

Pinkbear said:


> Are we talking sets or reps?
> 
> And are we talking about a single exercise or multiply?
> 
> ...



Lol ^^^^^^This^^^^^

I usually 3-4 exercises with 4-5 sets.....mostly all barbell exercises


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## ken Sass (Nov 29, 2014)

the answer is so simple yet is so complex. everyone is different but a beginner should grow on 12 sets major muscle groups 4 sets for the minor groups. this is under training a little but for a beginner it's a start


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## goodfella (Nov 29, 2014)

goodfella said:


> Tell that chit is burning with fire from the pump!!!!!!



Again, THIS ^^ABOVE^^ IS THE SIMPLEST DIRECT ANSWER!!!


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## strang (Nov 30, 2014)

losieloos said:


> I say about 10-14 sets you know.



 Six strict form sets is absolutely all that is neccessary for muscle growth , any more is counter productive .  I know this to be true and have used this for over sixty years.       I am now seventy seven and can still make gains as well as I always have , try it you'll like it .                                                 Don't laugh I weigh 230lbs and stand 6ft 1ins.


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## antique (Nov 30, 2014)

I never count sets or reps, I just go until the muscle is fatigued and fails.


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