When you lift more, your muscles get bigger and stronger — and both keep improving together.
Scientific Claim
In trained individuals, higher resistance training volumes lead to concomitant increases in both muscle hypertrophy and maximal strength.
Original Statement
“Higher sets generally cause both greater size and strength increases.”
Context Details
Domain
exercise
Population
human
Subject
higher resistance training volumes
Action
lead to
Target
concomitant increases in muscle hypertrophy and maximal strength in trained individuals
Intervention Details
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (2)
Effects of Different Weekly Set Progressions on Muscular Adaptations in Trained Males: Is There a Dose–Response Effect?
More sets led to bigger strength gains, but muscle growth didn’t clearly improve with more sets—though it might have a little. So, the claim is mostly true for strength, maybe partly true for muscle size.
The Resistance Training Dose Response: Meta-Regressions Exploring the Effects of Weekly Volume and Frequency on Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Gains.
More lifting sets lead to bigger muscles and stronger muscles, even if the gains slow down after a point—this study proves it by analyzing lots of past experiments.
Contradicting (2)
MODERATE RESISTANCE TRAINING VOLUME PRODUCES MORE FAVORABLE STRENGTH GAINS THAN HIGH OR LOW VOLUMES DURING A SHORT‐TERM TRAINING CYCLE
More lifting doesn’t always mean stronger results — this study found that lifters who did a medium amount of training got stronger than those who did the most or the least.
Evidence of a Ceiling Effect for Training Volume in Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength in Trained Men - Less is More?
More lifting didn’t make trained guys stronger or bigger—those who did fewer sets actually got stronger than those who did way more.