Unlike powerlifters or other athletes, bodybuilders typically have longer weightlifting sessions that involve numerous sets for each muscle group. This higher volume of training used by bodybuilders is to promote muscle hypertrophy or growth. High-set training is necessary for stimulating maximum muscle fiber recruitment and continuously encouraging muscle growth.
High-set Training
Bodybuilders use high-set training for two primary reasons. First, bodybuilders tend to be advanced weightlifters who have been lifting weight consistently for more than a year. In many instances, bodybuilders may have reached a plateau in muscle growth and one method of overcoming a plateau is increasing the number of sets in your workouts. Secondly, using a high-set volume will force the muscle to recruit more and more muscle fibers with each set, thus encouraging greater muscle hypertrophy, notes Arnold Schwarzenegger in the "Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding."
Muscle Hypertrophy
Muscle size increases when you perform a high volume of sets per muscle group using a moderate to a high number of repetitions per set. A bodybuilder will typically perform three to six sets -- not including warm-up sets -- for each exercise. The repetition range usually stays between six and 12 reps per set, depending on the exercise, using a load between 67 and 86 percent of your one-rep maximum. A bodybuilder might perform fewer reps for compound movements such as squats or deadlifts, and higher reps for isolation exercises such as leg extensions or leg curls. Furthermore, muscle hypertrophy is encouraged when the next set is started before full recovery has occurred. Keep rest periods between sets short to moderate in duration -- 30 to 90 seconds.
Exercises and Sets
Bodybuilders also perform more exercises per muscle group in their training program to ensure that each muscle is stimulated from every possible to angle to create balance and symmetry. The increase in exercises per muscle group increases the total set volume per workout. In a basic training program for beginners, it is recommended to include one or two exercises per muscle group for two to three sets for each exercise, totaling about six sets for each muscle, according the the National Strength and Conditioning Association. An advanced bodybuilder might perform four to five different exercises per muscle group, which totals about 20 to 25 sets per muscle group.
Considerations
Experience level plays a large role in the number of total sets you should perform for each muscle group to promote muscle growth. Beginners who have been training for less than six months will experience muscle growth by completing just one or two exercises for three sets of eight to 12 repetitions. If muscle growth begins to stall, gradually add in one extra set for each exercise or add in a new exercise to your training program.
References
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; National Strength and Conditioning Association; 2000
- "Encyclopedia Of Modern Bodybuilding"; Arnold Schwarzenegger;1985
- American College of Sports Medicine: Physical Activity & Public Health Guidelines Guidelines
Member Comments