Training volume calculator
Pick your training experience to see how many sets per muscle group you should be aiming for each week, the same reference ranges that guide GetFitArchitect's workout plan tool.
How are these ranges set?
Research consistently finds that more weekly sets per muscle group tends to produce more growth, with diminishing returns at higher volumes. The ranges here turn that finding into practical starting points: around 8-12 sets per muscle group per week for beginners, 12-16 for intermediate lifters, and 16-20 or more for advanced lifters. They're reasonable reference points, not thresholds the research sets directly, and individual responses vary, so start at the lower end of your range and add sets only if progress stalls.
Source: Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. "Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: A systematic review and meta-analysis." Journal of Sports Sciences, 2017. Read the study on PubMed ↗
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a 'set' toward my weekly total?
Any working set taken reasonably close to failure for that muscle group, across every exercise that trains it that week. A bench press set counts toward chest, for example, and so does a cable fly.
Why does the range increase with experience?
Beginners can make good progress on relatively little volume because training is a new stimulus. More experienced lifters often add volume when progress stalls, which is why the higher ranges climb. The research doesn't pin an exact number to each experience level, though, so treat the higher ranges as room to grow into, not a requirement.
Is more volume always better?
Not indefinitely. Research finds diminishing returns as weekly sets climb, and past a certain point more sets mostly add fatigue and recovery demand. These ranges are a practical middle ground to start from, not a floor to always maximize.
Does this apply the same to every muscle group?
This calculator uses one general range for simplicity, but in practice smaller muscle groups like the biceps or triceps often need less isolated volume than larger groups like the back or legs, once you count the indirect work they get from compound lifts. The workout plan tool accounts for this: each set of a press counts as roughly half a set for the triceps, and each set of a row or pull-up as roughly half a set for the biceps, a common rule of thumb rather than a precise measurement.