Question regarding amount of sets per muscle group...?

[bbweld04]

Just wanted to know how many sets I should be doing per muscle group in order to get good muscle gains. I have already lowered the amount of sets and have tried to increase weight but am not sure if I'm still over working. I know everyone's body recovers diferent but id imagine there's a good rule of thumb for gaining size.
As of now here's how many sets I'm doing. I'll put my entire routine down if that helps.
I won't put exact reps but I try and get 8 to 10 reps for ever work out except sets to failure I sometimes get a little more

Monday chest biceps
Flat barbell - 1 warm up 2 working sets 1 drop to failure
Incline dumbbell - 3 working sets
Pec dec - 3 working sets
Incline Flys - 3 incline sets
Total of 13 sets

Close grip chin ups - 4 sets to failure
Either spider curl or dumbbell curl - 3 working sets
Rope curls - 1 set to failure
Total of 8 sets

Tuesday legs
Squats - one warm up 3 working sets
Leg press - 3 working sets
Leg extensions - 4 working sets
Calf raises - 4 working
Total of 15 sets

Wednesday is off day

Thursday shoulders triceps
Seated press - one warm up 3 working sets
Front raises - 4 sets
Reverse flys - 4 sets
Total of 12 sets

Triceps
I do one warm up set of skull crushers then I do three working sets of skull crushers but after each set I'll go straight into a quick set of about 8 to 10 close grips using the same weight with no pause. I don't know if that would be considered 3 sets or 6 sets...?
Seated behind the head extension - 3 working sets
Total sets...? Either 7 or 10. Not sure what to consider it.

Friday back
Dead lifts - 1 warm up 3 working sets
Pull ups - 4 sets to failure
Close grip pull down - 4 sets
Some type of row ( I like to switch it up) one warm up 3 working sets
Total sets 16

So how does it all look? Should add somewhere or drop somewhere?
Ive worked out for a while but am now taking it alot more serious. I've been trying to learn as much as possible to make sure I succeed in my goals.
Thanks guys!

[gonnagethuge]

Glad you posted this. I wanted to know similar from the current members of the forum.

Ive browsed he internet and im not even sure what the definition of a 'work set' is.

At the moment i typically do 2 bodyparts per day. 2-3 exercises per group. For the first exercise of each group i do 4 sets with one warm up. Two heavy sets and then my heaviest sets to failure where i cant get another rep out. For the second exercise i drop the easy warm up. All of my reps are aimed at the 8-20 rep range.

I train each bodypart once per week. I'd say im a level above beginner in terms of lifting experience.

[FireGuy]

It really depends on the individual. An experienced bodybuilder can destroy a muscle in fewer sets than a beginner can. After awhile you really get intuned with your body. I have a general idea how many sets I plan on doing but I almost stop a set or two short or go a set or two past depending on how the muscle is feeling that workout.

[t-gunz]

It really depends on the individual. An experienced bodybuilder can destroy a muscle in fewer sets than a beginner can. After awhile you really get intuned with your body. I have a general idea how many sets I plan on doing but I almost stop a set or two short or go a set or two past depending on how the muscle is feeling that workout.

is this just from experince and knowing your body?

[M302_Imola]

It really depends on the individual. An experienced bodybuilder can destroy a muscle in fewer sets than a beginner can. After awhile you really get intuned with your body. I have a general idea how many sets I plan on doing but I almost stop a set or two short or go a set or two past depending on how the muscle is feeling that workout.

I agree...you can feel when the muscle is exhausted and has given you everything it has. No use in continuing to lift while the muscle is running off of fumes.

[gonnagethuge]

Yes but thoughts on a good reference point for the less experienced lifters?

[gonnagethuge]

For example, i never feel like anything is destroyed unless i go failure. Would some guys here be takin numerous sets to failure per bodypart of do you give the muscle some challenging workouts with one big failure set or can you simply attain this feeling through non failure type lifting. All that i ever read confuses me. I keep reading 3 exercises of 3 work sets for 8 reps etc etc what does this mean? Go to 8 and then stop? I would never feel fatigued unless my muscle fails or i super set or drop set etc. But i can do this through one exercise with 4 sets so why employ additional exercises per bodypart etc?

[ThatAthlete82]

If you are less experienced, the short answer is 12 work sets per muscle group. Source: Ronnie Rowland

[gonnagethuge]

What defines a work set? Are sets to failure included in work sets? And how many sets to failure shoukd a novice aim for per muscle group? Generally i take the final set of all exercises to failure therefore 2 or 3 sets to failure on chest for example i.e final set of bench, final set of incline and final set of flyes for examole. Is this too much?

[kelkel]

I tend to look at it this way....If you not taking it to failure, it's still a warm up. Warm up sets and working sets are two different things IMO. When it comes to how many sets per body part, larger muscle groups such as back can handle far more than smaller muscles such as biceps. I may do 12 sets for back but can crush my biceps in only 6 sets. One mans meat is another mans poison, so to speak. You just have to find what works for you. Fireguy is dead on...

[gonnagethuge]

This is kind of in line with how i'm thinking. Where people define a set as working to me its basivally a warm up.

Are you then saying that your 12 sets of back are all to failure? I would have to guess not. If not then how many to failure?

[Revelations]

If I'm hitting it with lower reps I usually go with 3 (or 4) exercises per muscle group with 4 sets of 8 and 4 sets of 6. But those sets are usually with enough weight to make reps #4-8 tough as H#%@. So in a way I'm working to failure.
Ex: bench (4 sets)
#1 - (8 reps) 45 sec rest
#2 - (8 reps) 45 sec rest
#3 - (6 - 8 reps) 45 sec rest
#4 - (6 - 8 reps)

I'm adding weight on each set to make my muscles fail on the last 2-3 reps. This works for me, but u will just have to play around to see what works..

[guitario]

I just tend to pyramid up to my target weight and then I'm done for that exercise/bodypart. For example.

For my last chest workout I did flat db chest press - 26kg db for 8, 32kg db for 8, 36kg db for 6, 40kg db for 6, 42kg db for 4-6. That's my set. I consider 3 of those sets to be working sets and 2 as warm ups. I go all out though on the last set and I'm pretty fried after. Then I would do another exercise like dips or incline flyes to end off with a typical 3x6-8.

This seems to work best for me and I use this method for all body parts.

When I was 21 I could do 16 sets per bodypart and grow, but now I'm 31 I find lower sets but higher intensity to be better for growth.