How Many Exercises Per Muscle Group Are Sufficient?
In order to make progress, it’s essential to keep in mind that you’re going to have to do enough exercises per muscle group to make continuous progress. The problem that most weight lifters face is that they tend to hit a wall that keeps them from making progress. Once that happens, they’re often lost on what to do next.
The key to making more gains is to up your volume, which refers to the number of reps, sets, or to extend the duration of your workout by just a few minutes. It’s important to keep challenging our body as our muscles tend to get used to the same old exercises.
Changing it up and killing yourself is the key to building muscle and surpassing each plateau. So, how many exercises per muscle group do you need?
The Research Behind Target Reps
There have been numerous studies that have taken place to determine the logistics behind the perfect rep. But where do you start?
After years of research, you begin to get a better idea of what specific programs are similar. No matter if you’re starting with arms, legs, shoulders, or other parts of the body, you’ll be using an essential set of volume.
One study to publicize this information was done by Wernbom et al. which demonstrates that there’s an Optimal Volume Range. This range is highly dependent upon if you’re starting out or if you’re a seasoned strength trainer.
The average for a beginner is at a minimum of 30 total reps per week, at a maximum of 60. On the other hand, if you’re a seasoned weight lifter, then start at 60 and work your way up to 120 per week.
Calculating Your Volume
You can split these workouts up any way you like. If you prefer to have multiple smaller workout sessions, then you may find it beneficial only to do 10 to 12 per rep for each muscle group. However, if you seem like you’re hitting a roadblock with your routine, you can get up your reps to a bit more than that.
As long as you’re doing the same amount every week, it won’t matter how you split them up. That means you can take two days to do the workouts, which isn’t recommended because it may tire you out or cause an injury. Or, you can take the longer routine and split them up to three to five days.
Every person is different, as well as the things that influence their ability to do so many at once. Don’t feel bad if you start and don’t have enough stamina to get through a full session. You always want to work your way up instead of forcing yourself through the whole set.
When Do You Know You’re At Your Limit?
A good indication of when you’re at the perfect rep is when you struggle to do the last two to three reps but aren’t in pain. Working out shouldn’t be painful, but it also shouldn’t be pleasant.
You want to be feeling the tension in your muscles throughout your workout and feel the contractions. If any pain starts to occur, you may want to bring your reps down by a few and check your form.
The problem with causing too much damage is that you risk permanently damaging your muscles and joints, which can affect any attempt to boost your strength in the future. On the other hand, if you use too little volume, you’ll find yourself making no progress or even starting to lose muscle mass. So, it’s essential to keep an eye out and make sure you’re in the right range.
So, How Do You Know What’s Best For You?
The number of sets you’re able to do of reps per week will differ per person for each session. Some may be able to work out one muscle group twice per week while others may find it beneficial to do smaller sets per week. Honestly, it differs from person to person and also depends on your experience.
If you’ve played sports or previously have worked out, then you may find that you can do more sets and reps at once. However, if you have an injury or have been injured, then you may find that you can do less than the average person. Overall, the best advice we can give you is to stay motivated.
Any Other Advice?
The last advice we can give you is to take the time and a bit of investment and get yourself the Visual Impact Fitness eBook. This program can help you if you can’t afford a personal trainer or prefer doing your workouts at home. The author, Rusty Moore has been where you’ve been and wants to help others attain a sophisticated physique.
As part of the program, the eBook inspires you with multiple types of workouts that isolate each muscle group. It will teach you how to become sleek and slim, but still, gain muscles in all the right places. Plus, the program gives you options on both machine and free-weight methods, which can be great for those who want to change up their routine.
Overall, it’s an affordable alternative that can help keep you on track with your fitness goals. It can be difficult if you’re just starting out or don’t know what direction you want to go in. However, with this fitness program, you can use it as a guideline to help you build a beach body that will look amazing all year round.
Conclusion
The problem with telling you a magic number is that it dramatically differs for each person. While one person may be able to keep up a certain amount of reps and sets per week, another person may struggle.
One of the essential methods is to take a look at a few different factors; age, level, weight, health, and diet. Using these factors as a guideline, you can help manage where you should begin and how much to increase. Hopefully, this has helped you learn how many exercises per muscle group to work out.
