Any resistance training works. For more muscle: 10+ sets a week
Key finding
Any resistance training works. For more muscle: 10+ sets a week
Context
Position stand of the American College of Sports Medicine, based on 137 systematic reviews with more than 30,000 participants.
- ≥ 10: Muscle growth — sets per muscle per week
- ≥ 80 %: Strength — of 1RM, 2–3 sets, at least twice a week
- 30–70 %: Power — of 1RM, moved fast
Limits
137 reviews are not 137 independent data sets; many primary studies overlap. Most studies ran for only a few months.
Sources
- American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand. Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Function, Hypertrophy, and Physical Performance in Healthy Adults: An Overview of Reviews · Currier · 2026 · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise PubMed DOI Study note
Guides
- How do you progress from week to week?
- How do you start strength training?
- Free weights or machines?
- Is strength training worth it after 50?
- How do you read a study properly?
Related studies
Summaries by SetCtl, not medical advice.