What is your volume per week?

[qbkilla]

And what do you consider low, high, medium?

I do a bro-split and my total volume

Abs-15
Quads- 6
Hams - 6
Chest - 9
Biceps - 12
Triceps - 12
Front Delts -6
Side Delts -12
Rear Delts - 12
Back -12
Calves - 0
Traps - 10

Legs are lower because I get a ton of work doing cardio, and they are the first to not recover when I do cardio and diet. Chest is less because I believe too many people use too much volume on chest in relation to back, causing injury, and I have poor delts and a larger chest would make them look worse. Arms and side delts get more volume because I can't load them heavy like back, chest, and Legs, and Traps. Calves have never grown and I don't compete, so see no reason to waste my time. Abs are similar but I care about abs so I still try lol.

 

[thethinker48]

FT training right now

Sets to true failure or beyond

Chest: 3
Back:4
Legs: 5
Shoulders: 2

Pump sets (12-40 reps):
Biceps: 4
Triceps: 8
Rear delts: 4

CNS is shit when I train heavy and progressive; if I'm beating numbers every week, I can only keep this up for like 5-6 weeks max.

Then I'll deload, train mountaindog style (which still has heavy sets, but not logbook based for me), give my joints a break and feel really good, then get tired of that and come back to FT.

Edit: Calves are basically EO workout. We have this little plate loaded tibialis anterior contraption in my gym which is a godsend

 

[qbkilla]

Wow, very low volume IMO. When you train mountain dog what does the volume look like? so you basically alternate between a low and high volume program? I need to deload soon myself, a little worried on a cut, last time I took a deload on a cut I lost size and never regained it (until bulking again).

 

[thethinker48]

So I don't count any of the sets leading up to my working set. Let's say I'm doing barbell rows: 135 x 12, 185 x 8, 225 x 5, 245x 2, 265x 1, 295 x 10 (this is the working set), The other sets are just there to establish rhythme and warm up the cns. It's low volume, but it trashes me; also get anxiety when it comes to certain exercises. Before my knee injury, I was able to do 12 plates per side for 15-18 reps on the leg press (I have short legs, and good leverage for that exercise, a2g explosively), and just starting a warm up on that exercise would start giving me anxiety. Later on I learned to slow the descending rep, lighten load, and got better growth that way.

When I do MD style training; I'll do about 2/3 of John's volume. So like 2 sets per exercise, Ex: Chest might be 8 sets (with maybe 1-2 to true failure, and I'm not logbooking, just go by feel). They're high frequency programs, so like maybe 16 sets for chest over 9 days or something.

Push
Pull
Off
Legs
off
Push (pump)
Legs (pump)
Off
Repeat

Something like that if I want to focus on my chest, shoulders and legs as primary growth areas. John has less rest days in his programs, but I tailor it to my own recovery abilities.

The harder you can take your sets, the less you can do total volume wise; and vice versa. Guys have gotten big both ways, just find whichever one suits your personality, and lifestyle and stick to it while aiming to get stronger long term.

 

[jeroendebleser]

I always do 3 exercises per BP with 2 warmup sets and 1 to failure top set on each. Also on a bro-split with everything hit directly once a week. I've found this to work the best for ME. Anything more (or less) gives me lesser results. Tried higher frequency so many times before, never worked better for me, in fact quite the opposite. I do train 7 days a week though, even hamstrings and traps have their own day. I do have a very sedentary job so training 7 days a week might not be for everyone.

I like this quote from thethinker as it basically sums it all up: ' The harder you can take your sets, the less you can do total volume wise; and vice versa.'

qbkilla: what's the reasoning behind doing 15 sets for abs? That sounds like overkill imo. I've found they grow more than enough just from heavy and hard training of other body parts and whether you see them or not as you know is purely a matter of diet(ing).

 

[USMuscle9403]

I always do 3 exercises per BP with 2 warmup sets and 1 to failure top set on each. Also on a bro-split with everything hit directly once a week. I've found this to work the best for ME. Anything more (or less) gives me lesser results. Tried higher frequency so many times before, never worked better for me, in fact quite the opposite. I do train 7 days a week though, even hamstrings and traps have their own day. I do have a very sedentary job so training 7 days a week might not be for everyone.

I like this quote from thethinker as it basically sums it all up: ' The harder you can take your sets, the less you can do total volume wise; and vice versa.'

qbkilla: what's the reasoning behind doing 15 sets for abs? That sounds like overkill imo. I've found they grow more than enough just from heavy and hard training of other body parts and whether you see them or not as you know is purely a matter of diet(ing).

This is 100‰ the way I train, although I've had to adjust volume due to a changing work schedule. I don't see how guys spend hours in the gym, I can barely survive thirty minutes lol

 

[NEMSZ]

I kinda go by feeling in terms of volume, but I always keep intensity high and I workout Push/Pull/Legs/Off/Repeat...

For example my last workout was legs on Thursday and I did 10 sets of 30 rep squats with 26lb kettlebell and I did 10 sets of 30 reps Kettlebell swings with 60 second rest in between..

Looking on it now I usually do about 20-25 sets in total depending how I’m feeling, sometimes I’ll go higher and sometimes lower..

 

[Ashop]

I'm doing really lower volume than usual for me right now. Push/pull routine @ around 6-8 sets per bodypart.

 

[qbkilla]

thanks for the replies.

im feeling run down dieting only 6 weeks into it, not a good sign. thinking of dropping volume during my cuts because gaining muscle, for someone who has trained and used for years, simply wont happen on a cut, so what is the point in stressing the body if low volume is sufficient to maintain muscle?

especially in legs, it feels like the combination of cardio and working legs moderate volume has them constantly sore and if it hurts my ability to do cardio hard, then the cut will last longer, and more muscle loss overall. seems like common sense to lower it during a cut, although I know some like to raise it to burn the calories but I read that lifting actually burns very few calories

 

[bigdog123]

Legs - 3
Shoulders - 2
Chest - 2
Arms - 2
Back - 2

That's to failure

Few warm ups before each too

People do way too many sets

5'9, 240 on HRT.

 

[xpoc]

Trying to bring up delts and arms right now. These are working sets (taken to positive failure except for squats and deads...I take those to technical failure).

Chest: 9 sets per week
Back: 9 sets per week
Traps: 6 sets per week
Side delts: 9 sets per week
Rear delts: 6 sets per week
Front delts (military press): 6 sets per week
Biceps: 12 sets per week
Triceps: 12 sets per week
Quads: 9 sets per week
Hams: 6 sets per week (note, I count squats as a quad exercise...but I know it hits hammys too)
Calves: 6 sets per week

Split is:
Chest/Tris
Back/Bis
Delts/Traps
Arms
Legs
Delts/Traps
OFF
Repeat

 

[xpoc]

Trying to bring up delts and arms right now. These are working sets (taken to positive failure except for squats and deads...I take those to technical failure).

Chest: 9 sets per week
Back: 9 sets per week
Traps: 6 sets per week
Side delts: 9 sets per week
Rear delts: 6 sets per week
Front delts (military press): 6 sets per week
Biceps: 12 sets per week
Triceps: 12 sets per week
Quads: 9 sets per week
Hams: 6 sets per week (note, I count squats as a quad exercise...but I know it hits hammys too)
Calves: 6 sets per week

Split is:
Chest/Tris
Back/Bis
Delts/Traps
Arms
Legs
Delts/Traps
OFF
Repeat

And to clarify, this is what I am doing RIGHT NOW. Generally, I am a Push/Pull/Legs guy either 3 on and 1 off or 6 on and 1 off. During the quarantine I was limited on equipment so every day was an upper body push (dips, OH press, floor press), upper body pull (pull ups, upright rows or bent rows), a lower body exercise (squats or deads) and farmer walks. My Legs responded very well to this. They got bigger for sure. My arms shrank. This is why I am on this split you see above.

 

[Tom]

Not sure if it even counts right now! Still doing the resistance band training at home . Gyms still closed here but
7 sets chest
12 sets back
10 sets shoulders
10 sets arms
No legs right now but 6 times per week 4 mile walk on a bike path

 

[bigdog123]

You all do too many sets

 

[Backfrominjury]

A lot of volume for me. Takes me up to 1 hour per workout.
Day 1 Chest 18 sets
Day 2 Legs 20 sets plus 6 sets calves
Day 3 Shoulders 23 sets including traps
Day 4 Rest
Day 5 Back 18 sets
Day 6 Bis and Tris 12 sets each
Day 7 off

 

[NEMSZ]

You all do too many sets

Well I’m personally limited to the amount of weight I can do because I only do functional fitness/kettlebells etc though I can go a bit heavier than I have been as I have some heavier kettlebells and resistance bands I can work with to make pull ups and such a lot harder. But I’m actually thinking of lowering the volume some, I’m like on week 3-4 of this 3 days on 1 off and repeat shit and I’m getting exhausted.. I don’t know how guys did it back in the day with 2-3 hour workouts a day, sometimes twice a day and 6 days a week...

I’m thinking just going as heavy as I can, as controlled as I can and focus on Push/Pull/Legs on Monday/Wednesday/Friday and do some type of cardio or “active recovery” in between those days depending how I feel...

 

[pheenix]

Gym closed Doin 30-35 sets on bar work, chins, pulls, various push ups, hand positioning with plate carrier, 2 sapi plates, 6-8 sets abs, dragon flags, etc. Tell you, way harder then gym for me. Plus, walk to and from is 1 - 3/4 miles through rough terrain in woods. Totally destroyed when i get back. Been enjoying this!

 

[juggy38]

6-8 sets per large bodypart. 3-4 sets smaller. Hit muscles every 5th day

 

[Delt123]

So I don't count any of the sets leading up to my working set. Let's say I'm doing barbell rows: 135 x 12, 185 x 8, 225 x 5, 245x 2, 265x 1, 295 x 10 (this is the working set), The other sets are just there to establish rhythme and warm up the cns. It's low volume, but it trashes me; also get anxiety when it comes to certain exercises. Before my knee injury, I was able to do 12 plates per side for 15-18 reps on the leg press (I have short legs, and good leverage for that exercise, a2g explosively), and just starting a warm up on that exercise would start giving me anxiety. Later on I learned to slow the descending rep, lighten load, and got better growth that way.

When I do MD style training; I'll do about 2/3 of John's volume. So like 2 sets per exercise, Ex: Chest might be 8 sets (with maybe 1-2 to true failure, and I'm not logbooking, just go by feel). They're high frequency programs, so like maybe 16 sets for chest over 9 days or something.

Push
Pull
Off
Legs
off
Push (pump)
Legs (pump)
Off
Repeat

Something like that if I want to focus on my chest, shoulders and legs as primary growth areas. John has less rest days in his programs, but I tailor it to my own recovery abilities.

The harder you can take your sets, the less you can do total volume wise; and vice versa. Guys have gotten big both ways, just find whichever one suits your personality, and lifestyle and stick to it while aiming to get stronger long term.

What Volume tier is that? Do you add sets to the tier you’re doing? I remember FT didn’t have a lot of sets for arms.

 

[Dens228]

I do a 3 on- 1 off split. Just counting working sets to failure per workout
Chest 3
Back Width 3
Back thickness 3
Calves 3 but in two out of my three workouts
Delts 3
Biceps 3
Triceps 3
Quads 3
Hamstrings 3