Count hard sets
Volume is the number of hard sets (within ~3 reps of failure) per muscle per week. Warm-ups don't count.
Good starting ranges
- Beginners: 6–10 hard sets per muscle per week
- Intermediates: 10–16
- Advanced / lagging muscles: 15–20+ for short blocks
Split it across the week
Training each muscle twice a week usually beats once a week for the same total sets, because each session stays high quality. 12 sets for chest might be 6 on Monday and 6 on Thursday.
Signs you're doing too much
- Performance dropping for 2+ weeks
- Joints aching rather than muscles
- Constant soreness and poor sleep