How to Programme Strength Training for Optimal Muscle Growth

Training volume: working sets per muscle group per week
What is a working set? A working set uses enough load to provide a significant training stimulus. It is not a warm-up set, but a set that challenges your body.

How many working sets do you need?
Research shows that the total number of working sets per muscle group each week is the strongest predictor of muscle growth. Brad Schoenfeld and colleagues (2016) demonstrated a clear dose-response relationship: more volume generally produces more muscle growth, up to a point.

• Beginners (0–2 years of consistent training): 10–12 working sets per muscle group per week, spread across at least two sessions.
• Intermediate lifters (2–5 years): 12–18 working sets per muscle group per week.
• Advanced lifters (5+ years): 18+ working sets per muscle group per week.

More is not always better. What matters is effective volume that you can recover from. An advanced athlete can handle more volume because their body recovers more efficiently and their technique is better developed. A beginner who immediately attempts 20 sets per muscle group will burn out.

Repetitions, intensity and differences between men and women
The repetition range

Almost any repetition range can produce muscle growth, provided sets are performed close to muscular failure. However, there is a sweet spot for most people:

• 6–20 repetitions per set is effective for hypertrophy.
• 8–12 repetitions is the most efficient range: heavy enough to develop strength, light enough to accumulate volume.

Differences between men and women

• Men often have greater maximum strength but less local muscular endurance. They fatigue sooner and can usually perform fewer repetitions at a given percentage of their one-repetition maximum (1RM). In practice, men often train optimally with 6–10 repetitions in their working sets.
• Women generally have better local muscular endurance and can perform more repetitions at the same relative weight (Hunter, 2014). They may therefore benefit from a slightly higher range of 8–15 repetitions while maintaining training quality.

Technical failure versus muscular failure
A crucial distinction in training is the difference between technical failure and muscular failure.

• Technical failure: the point at which you can no longer maintain correct technique. For example, in a barbell back squat, you can no longer keep your trunk stable even though your leg muscles could manage another repetition.
• Muscular failure: the point at which the target muscle can no longer complete a correct repetition, even with perfect technique. For example, in a leg extension, your quadriceps can no longer lift the weight.

Why this distinction matters
With large compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts and bench presses, training to muscular failure is unsafe and inefficient. Technique deteriorates, injury risk increases, and a supporting muscle group—your core, lower back or grip—often fails before the target muscle.

Therefore:

• Compound lifts: train up to technical failure, but no further. Keep one or two repetitions in reserve (RIR).
• Isolation or machine exercises: these allow you to train safely to muscular failure because the movement is guided and the chance of technical errors is small.

Examples:

• Back squat: stop as soon as your technique deteriorates, even if your quadriceps do not feel exhausted.
• Hack squat or leg extension: you can continue to muscular failure because the machine supports you.

Exercise selection: combine intelligently

An optimal programme combines heavy compound lifts with targeted isolation exercises.

• Compounds, such as squats, bench presses and deadlifts, recruit many muscles and develop strength, but are often limited by technical failure.
• Isolation exercises and machines, such as leg extensions, chest flyes and hamstring curls, allow you to push the target muscles to their limit.

A practical approach for the quadriceps:

• Three working sets of back squats: compound, technical failure.
• Three working sets of split squats or lunges: a more targeted compound movement.
• Three working sets of leg extensions: isolation, muscular failure.

That gives you nine working sets for the quadriceps in one session. Twice a week puts an intermediate lifter in the optimal range for muscle growth. Beginners could choose two of these exercises. As a trainer, I would choose a split squat combined with a leg extension for a beginner, unless they prioritise strength over muscle growth.

Training programmes by experience level

Beginners: 0–2 years

• Sets: 10–12 per muscle group per week.
• Repetitions: 8–12.
• Focus: technique, consistency and basic compound movements.
• Structure: full-body training two or three times a week works best.

Intermediate lifters: 2–5 years

• Sets: 12–18 per muscle group per week.
• Repetitions: 6–10 for men, 8–15 for women.
• Focus: progressive overload and split routines, such as upper/lower or push/pull/legs.

Advanced lifters: 5+ years

• Sets: 18+ per muscle group per week.
• Repetitions: greater variation, from 6–20, and periodisation.
• Focus: addressing specific weaknesses and using advanced techniques such as tempo work, drop sets and rest-pause training.

Age groups and training

• Ages 18–30: maximum capacity to adapt; progressive overload can be more aggressive.
• Ages 30–50: substantial muscle growth is still possible, but recovery capacity decreases slightly. Rest and sleep become more important.
• Ages 50+: maintaining muscle and strength is the priority. Technique, lower impact and functional exercises matter. At least two strength sessions a week prevent sarcopenia, or muscle loss.

Practical summary

• Working sets: 10–20 per muscle group per week, depending on experience.
• Repetitions: 6–20 is effective; lower for men, slightly higher for women.
• Failure: technical failure for compounds; muscular failure for isolation exercises and machines.
• Programme: combine large compound movements with targeted isolation.
• Recovery: allow 48–72 hours between sessions for the same muscle group.
• Age: adapt volume and recovery to your stage of life.

Putting it together:
A good training programme is not guesswork. It follows clear training principles. The right number of working sets, sensible repetition ranges and knowing when to approach technical or muscular failure make the difference between standing still and progressing.

Science provides direction, but the skill lies in personalisation: your body, recovery capacity and goals. That is where Fundamentals makes the difference. We translate this knowledge into a programme that fits your level, age and ambitions.

Still have questions? You will find the FAQ below.

Kickstart your journey

FAQ: strength training and training principles

1. How often should I train each muscle group?
Twice a week is ideal. It lets you distribute your working sets more effectively and stimulates muscle growth more efficiently than doing everything in one session.

2. Which matters most: weight, repetitions or sets?
All three matter, but total training volume—sets × repetitions × weight—largely determines your results.

3. Should I always train to muscular failure?
No. With large compound movements, train to technical failure: stop when technique breaks down. Isolation and machine exercises can be taken to muscular failure.

4. Which is better: six or fifteen repetitions?
Both work. For men, 6–10 is often optimal; women can also grow well in the 8–15 range. Training close to failure is what makes it effective.

5. How much recovery do I need between sessions?
Allow 48–72 hours per muscle group. For example: legs on Monday, upper body on Wednesday and legs again on Friday.

6. Is strength training still worthwhile after 50?
Absolutely. It helps maintain muscle and bone density, prevents injuries and supports vitality. Training at least twice a week is strongly recommended.

7. How do I know whether I am a beginner, intermediate or advanced lifter?

• Beginner: 0–2 years of consistent training.
• Intermediate: 2–5 years.
• Advanced: 5+ years, with clear plateaus overcome.

8. What if I am not sore? Does that mean I did not train well?
No. Soreness is not a measure of muscle growth. Consistency, progressive overload and sufficient volume matter much more.

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