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WKG
v2.84.0

Free workout tools

Sets per muscle and per week

Count the sets targeting a muscle over one week, then compare your total with categories studied in the research.

Choose a muscle and count its direct working sets. Don’t include warm-up sets. The calculation assumes the same number of sets in every workout.

Sets for this muscle per week

12

Studied categories, not universal targets

  • Fewer than 5 sets per week
  • 5 to 9 sets per week
  • 10 or more sets per week

Your experience, effort, and recovery matter too. More sets are not automatically better for you.

Understand the calculation

The meta-analysis by Schoenfeld and colleagues (2017) examines these three volume categories. The IUSCA consensus (2021) proposes about 10 sets per muscle per week as a general guideline for hypertrophy in an athletic population, while recognizing that some people respond to less. It is neither a minimum required for progress nor a ceiling that applies to everyone.

Weekly sets for a muscle = direct sets per workout × workouts for that muscle.

Scientific sources

  1. 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. J Sports Sci. 2017;35(11):1073-1082. doi:10.1080/02640414.2016.1210197.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Fisher JP, Grgic J, Haun CT, Helms ER, Phillips SM, Steele J, Vigotsky AD. Resistance Training Recommendations to Maximize Muscle Hypertrophy in an Athletic Population: Position Stand of the IUSCA. Int J Strength Cond. 2021;1(1). doi:10.47206/ijsc.v1i1.81.

Your questions

Should I count warm-up sets?
No. Count the working sets that target the selected muscle. A bench press set may also involve the triceps, but the tool does not automatically convert this indirect work into direct sets.

What if my workouts have different volumes?
Add up the sets from each workout. For example, 5 sets plus 7 sets equals 12 sets for the week. The calculator reaches this total with 6 sets per workout across 2 workouts.

Do I have to reach 10 sets?
No. This number is a general guideline from the IUSCA consensus, not an individual requirement. Some people progress with less. Monitor your workouts and recovery before increasing your volume.
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