In healthy young adults, low-volume high-intensity training and high-volume traditional resistance training lead to similar levels of perceived satisfaction, muscle soreness, and motivation to keep...

We analyzed the available evidence and found that, in healthy young adults, low-volume high-intensity training and high-volume traditional resistance training appear to lead to similar levels of perceived satisfaction, muscle soreness, and motivation to keep training [1]. This single assertion, supported by 60.0 instances of observation, suggests that people may find both approaches equally tolerable and rewarding, even though one involves fewer sets and shorter sessions while the other demands more time and volume. What we’ve found so far doesn’t tell us why this might be the case, but it does indicate that the amount of work done doesn’t necessarily determine how enjoyable or bearable the experience feels. Some may prefer the efficiency of high-intensity sessions, while others may enjoy the rhythm and buildup of longer workouts — yet both groups report comparable levels of satisfaction and willingness to continue. Muscle soreness, often seen as a barrier to consistency, also appears to be similarly experienced across both styles. This doesn’t mean one method is better or easier — only that, for the people studied, neither approach consistently felt worse than the other in terms of how it was experienced. The evidence we’ve reviewed so far leans toward the idea that personal preference, not volume or intensity alone, may play a bigger role in how satisfying a workout feels. If you’re trying to stick with training long-term, you might find that choosing the style you enjoy more — whether it’s quick, intense sessions or longer, steady ones — matters more than the numbers on the barbell or clock.