How many total sets in one workout?

[MR.BICEPS]

How many total amount of sets can you do in one workout before getting that overtrained feeling?

I'm not referring to total amount of sets per body part but total amount of sets in a workout session..

Ive read were some only do 12 sets total per workout while others may do 20 or more...

The stronger I get the more difficult its becoming to do a lot of sets in my workouts. I used to do 25 sets per workout but here lately anything over 18 sets and I am drained..Its like I just run out of gas....The intensity is no longer there regardless of how I split up my routine...

Anyone else experienced this?


My guess is the stronger our muscle become the more intensity we are able to generate which makes it much easier to overtrain the nervous system in one given workout if its too long...

 

[Vander_V]

i do 9-12

 

[MR.BICEPS]

i do 9-12

Have you ever tried doing up to 20 to 25 sets before? Is so how did you feel afterwards or towards the end?

V your workouts couldnt be over 30 to 45 minutes hugh?

 

[G-S]

9-12 also, all heavy, to failure. I don't train to a number.

 

[MR.BICEPS]

9-12 also, all heavy, to failure. I don't train to a number.

Are you still doing a 4 day split?

 

[haze324]

Sets

6-9 depending on what I'm doing and not counting warm-ups. On deadlift days its a smaller number because I'm smoked.

I used to do over 15 sets but never had the strength I have now or the recovery.

 

[big_byrd52]

smaller like bis and tris i do 6-9 sets
chest and shoulders 9-12
legs depend on if i squat, but 9 sets not counting squats, just work to max of 5.
back depends on DL or not, but 12-15

 

[gravityfighter]

Mr. B, it depends whether I'm on or off....there is nothing worse than over training, just wish I would have learned it many years ago
GF

 

[MR.BICEPS]

I'm only doing about 9 sets per body part once a week these days. Thats not the problem. Its 1 1/2 hour workouts I can no longer do.. 45 minutes to 1 hour is plenty since I have been on steroids. 1 1/2 overtrains my nervous system..

It seems the bigger I get, the stronger I get,the faster I burn out, and the less I need to do to get a full pump . Its like the farther you go the less sets you want or need to perform..

Maybe I'm just getting lazy...

 

[Vander_V]

when i was younger i did chest back bieps and shoulders EOD 16 - 20 sets and it worked very well i felt as if i could do it so i went on feel i recovered just fine ,, now i dont need so much my body grows faster when only hitting 9-12 sets , my muscles are maxed out and pumped to hell and it feels like i cant go on so i simple listen to what it needs that day some days ill do 14 depending on how i feel ,,,its all about being intune i beleive but hey what do i know im no guru scientist dude ahahahaha best of luck

 

[Conan21]

muscle recovery

There is no evidence to really show you need longer time to recover as you get larger. although perhaps you may be able to tax your nervous system much harder if ur stronger if you train improperly which then u would need longer breaks.

if anything, you body should be able to cope with the stresses of weight training better as you become more conditioned

I think the Bulgarian weightlifters said it best....."your body becomes its function"

most overtraining occurs b/c of overtraining the CNS and repeated sets to failure (fatigue).

good powerlifters/olympic lifters often train muscled eod or sometimes multiple times the same day. but there is method behind the workouts, sets and reps, and they are usually not that taxing, compared to how many bodybuilders train

its really not as simple as saying how many sets to determine overtraing. you can over train doing 3 sets and not overtrain doing 6 sets depending on other factors.

training in GVT style or 5x5 method. I don't think 15 sets is too bad at all. but going all out on every set then yes high sets will zap u

 

[Trulyhuge]

20 sets, lol! I use DC religiously and cannot fathom the thought of doing all those sets. To each their own!

TH

 

[MR.BICEPS]

20 sets, lol! I use DC religiously and cannot fathom the thought of doing all those sets. To each their own!

I can remember not so long ago 20 sets per session was looked upon as low volume. Now its looked upon as too much by many trainers if those sets are pushed to failure..

One can only wonder how bodybuilders will train 100 years from now..

 

[bigheinz]

5 to 9, counting the warning up bc i use to warm up each muscle with 80% of the total weight i can handle and i get failure i my first set. by this way i warm up, get fullness and muscle failure, then go to 100 to 120% and make my best set to maximum stimulation of strenght and size, some times i repeat this set again for maximun failure after 10 secs of rest.

Hit is the way....

 

[Coopie]

This is a suprising thread...

When I was younger and smaller I used to hit 10-12 sets total per bodypart. As the years went by, and I put on size I found myself constantly needinto to increase the number of sets I do per part for growth.

Now, at 33 years old and 210 lbs (I'm only 5'7" tall), I do 20 sets for each bodypart. All sets to failure, always pyramiding up win weight and down in reps on sets.

Even during PCT and off-cycle I feel that if I "lower to bar", then I will be hampering my gains made while on-cycle. I do need to drop the weight considerably, but I basically try to mimic my routine as if I were on-cycle even when completely off.

Maybe I am just really obsessive about OVERLOADING the muscle, but I feel that only 10 sets (the halfway point of my workouts) into it, I'm just about warmed up and ready for action. Maybe I've trained myself to be this way - but HELL, I'd prefer shorter workouts if they worked.

BTW, I complete my workout in 1 hour flat - start to finish, except for legs which takes an additional 15 minutes.

Thoughts?

 

[bigbaldbulldog]

I guess it all depends on what bady parts i am working...but it is fair to say 9 actual working sets total..3 warm ups, 2 meduim and 1 heavy per body part..

 

[bigheinz]

not for biceps and triceps, only 2 to 3 sets without warm up,bc they are very hot from chest or back workouts,
Train chest shoulders and triceps to avoid overtrain the triceps and let them rest, same for back and biceps.

 

[Big A]

My guess is the stronger our muscle become the more intensity we are able to generate which makes it much easier to overtrain the nervous system in one given workout if its too long...

Exactly.

With me is between 3 and 8 depending on the workout. Work sets obviously, not counting warm-ups.