If you're a guy who already lifts weights, doing lower-body workouts for 8 weeks will build leg muscle — and it doesn't matter if you do your usual number of sets or increase them by 30% or even 60%.

What we've found so far suggests that increasing weekly set volume by 30% or 60% does not lead to greater muscle growth in trained males doing lower-body resistance training over an 8-week period [1]. Our analysis of the available research shows that muscle growth happens with lower-body training, but adding more sets beyond the usual routine — even up to 60% more — doesn’t appear to increase that growth further [1]. We looked at one key assertion from the data, supported by 47.0 studies, with no studies refuting it [1]. This means the evidence we've reviewed leans toward the idea that, for men who already lift weights, doing more sets per week for lower-body exercises doesn’t result in noticeably more muscle gain within 8 weeks. The muscle growth seen with standard training volume is similar to what’s seen with higher volumes [1]. It’s important to note that this finding is based on a specific group: trained males, over a set period of 8 weeks, focusing on lower-body workouts. We can’t say from this evidence how results might differ over a longer time, with untrained individuals, or in upper-body training. Also, while the number of supporting studies is high, we’re still working with one distinct claim — so our current analysis reflects a narrow but consistent picture. We don’t know yet whether higher volume helps or hurts beyond this timeframe or in different conditions. The evidence we’ve reviewed doesn’t address recovery, injury risk, or motivation — all of which might still be affected by how many sets someone does. Practical takeaway: If you're a guy who already lifts and trains your legs, doing more sets than usual — even 30% to 60% more — probably won’t give you extra muscle growth in the short term. Sticking with your current routine may work just as well.