The Summary
Researchers conducted a meta-regression of 67 studies involving 2058 participants to determine how training volume and frequency impact muscle size and strength. They found that increasing weekly workout volume boosts both hypertrophy and strength, though strength gains experience sharper diminishing returns. Additionally, training frequency independently increases strength gains, also with diminishing returns, but higher frequency has negligible effects on muscle hypertrophy. The study highlights that properly classifying indirect versus direct exercises is crucial for accurately predicting fitness adaptations.
Why this is interesting
People often wonder if they should lift more often or do more sets to get bigger and stronger. This study shows that while doing more total sets builds more muscle and strength, your strength gains will plateau much faster than muscle size. Interestingly, hitting the gym more days a week helps you get stronger, but it won't necessarily make your muscles any bigger. For you, this means prioritizing total weekly sets for muscle growth, but spreading workouts out more frequently if your main goal is pure strength.