Training volume calculator
Pick your training experience to see how many sets per muscle group you should be aiming for each week, the same research-backed ranges that guide GetFitArchitect's workout plan tool.
How are these ranges set?
Beginners generally make solid progress on 8-12 sets per muscle group per week. Intermediate lifters, who need more stimulus to keep adapting, typically do best around 12-16 sets. Advanced lifters often need 16-20 or more sets per week to keep progressing, spread across the week to manage recovery.
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 make progress on relatively low volume because everything is a new stimulus. As you adapt, you generally need more total volume to keep progressing, which is why intermediate and advanced ranges climb higher.
Is more volume always better?
No. Past a certain point, additional sets stop adding progress and just add fatigue and recovery demand. These ranges represent a well-supported sweet spot, 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, especially once you count the indirect work they get from compound lifts.