If you slowly add more sets to your leg workouts every two weeks, you’ll get stronger in the squat than if you keep doing the same number of sets the whole time.

Scientific Claim

Progressively increasing weekly resistance training sets by four or six sets every two weeks for 12 weeks causes greater gains in barbell back squat one-repetition maximum strength in resistance-trained males compared to maintaining a constant volume of 22 sets per week.

Original Statement

“Regarding 1RM, multiple comparisons revealed that 6SG elicited higher muscle strength gains than 4SG (P = 0.002) and CG (P < 0.0001), and 4SG had greater improvements than CG (P = 0.023).”

From study:Effects of Different Weekly Set Progressions on Muscular Adaptations in Trained Males: Is There a Dose–Response Effect?

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

definitive

Can make definitive causal claims

Assessment Explanation

The study is a randomized controlled trial with statistical significance and control of confounders, allowing definitive causal language. The reported P-values and confidence intervals support strong causal inference for strength outcomes.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Effects of Different Weekly Set Progressions on Muscular Adaptations in Trained Males: Is There a Dose–Response Effect?

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2024 Mar 1

People who gradually added more squat workouts every two weeks got stronger than those who did the same number every week, with the biggest gains in the group that added the most sets.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Effects of Different Weekly Set Progressions on Muscular Adaptations in Trained Males: Is There a Dose–Response Effect?

Score: 52

DOI: 10.1249/mss.0000000000003317

Similar Assertions

For guys who already lift weights, doing short bursts of heavy lifts with brief rests in between can help them lift a little more weight after 8 weeks than doing regular sets, even if they do the same total amount of work.

82%

When trained men do 15 or 20 sets per muscle group each week, they don’t get as strong as those doing only 5 or 10 sets — more work doesn’t mean more strength.

82%

If you're already experienced with weightlifting, doing rest-pause sets (short breaks between reps) for 8 weeks might help you lift a little more weight in squats than doing regular sets, but not better than drop sets.

81%

Doing short bursts of heavy lifts with brief rests in between can make you stronger in squats a little more than doing regular sets, if you're already trained and doing the same total amount of work.

81%

If you're already trained, doing light weights with short or long breaks between sets gives you about the same strength boost in your chest and legs after 8 weeks.

79%