Doing just one set of strength exercises a few times a week can still build significant muscle strength and improve daily physical function, whether you are new to working out or already experienced. Cutting down on the number of sets does not stop your muscles from getting stronger as long as you are working the big muscle groups.

Lifting heavy weights at least twice a week, doing full movements for a few sets each time, and doing it early in your workout can help healthy adults get stronger compared to not exercising or doing other types of training.

If you're already fit and lift weights, doing 5 to 10 sets per muscle group each week will make you stronger—but doing more than that (like 15 to 20 sets) won't make you any stronger, no matter how hard you push.

Lifting extremely heavy weights or pushing your muscles to their absolute limit every day or almost every day can quickly make you stronger. This happens because your nervous system and muscles adapt to the heavy stress, giving you big strength gains without needing to spend hours in the gym.

If you lift weights the same total amount each week, it doesn’t matter if you do it in one big session or split into three smaller ones—you’ll get just as strong and build just as much muscle.

Doing all your weekly weightlifting in just one day can still make you stronger and fitter, even if you've never worked out before. This means you don't need to train multiple times a week to see real results, as long as you do a full-body routine.