Training for size vs training for strength. Sets, reps and weights explained.
What’s more important, sets, reps or weights?
The answer will always begin with, it depends. Context matters here. Perhaps a more pertinent question is, which of those matter most for muscle growth? In which case, I can answer that.
New meta analysis shows that training to failure isn’t necessarily needed to produce muscle growth.
Now before we begin, let me start by clarifying something. Muscle size and muscle strength aren’t the same thing. This is not to say that they cannot exist in conjunction with one another, it simply means the ideal load for strength and the ideal load for size aren’t necessarily the same.
This new research is quite interesting because for decades bodybuilders and PT’s have often argued that in order to build muscle, you have to lift to failure. If you come from the school of hard knocks and garage gyms you’ll already know what that means, but if you’re a lifting newbie, lifting to failure simply means taking your reps to the point of no longer being able to perform them with good form or in some cases squeezing out the very last rep until absolute failure.
According to latest research, overall volume is more important when it comes to building muscle.
Overall volume in this case refers to set x reps x weight. Basically what this means in the latest research is that it didn’t matter how much weight you lifted as long as the overall volume was the same, you’d still yield the same muscle gain results.
So when does weight actually matter?
For increasing strength, an athlete would need to lift at moderate to high weights, this refers to working at 59%-80%+ of the 1 rep max. This is hardly surprising though since in order to build strength you’d have to increase the load if you want to increase your 1 rep max.
With all of that said, the benefits to resistance training still stand regardless of what your goals are (strength or size), because here is what we know to be consistent in all of the research: resistance training can help you…
Increase or maintain strength
Increase or maintain muscle
Enhance or maintain performance of other recreational sports
Increase functionality of the body especially in older and frail elderly adults
Conclusion:
When it comes to building muscle size the weight doesn’t matter as long as you are reaching the overall volume (sets x rep x weight). For strength, working at above 59% of the 1 rep max will yield best results.
Whatever your goals is, resistance training should be incorporated into your weekly program especially if you want to continue to maintain lean mass.
Resources
Chen, N., He, X., Feng, Y. et al. Effects of resistance training in healthy older people with sarcopenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Eur Rev Aging Phys Act 18, 23 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s11556-021-00277-7
