Is high volume resistance training better than low volume for building upper body muscle in beginners?
What the Evidence Shows
What we've found so far suggests that for beginners, high volume resistance training may not be meaningfully better than low volume when it comes to building upper body muscle. Our analysis of the available research shows that doing just a few sets per workout might be enough to stimulate muscle growth in those new to lifting [1].
We reviewed 20 studies or assertions on this topic, and all of them support the idea that low volume training — meaning fewer sets per exercise — can be effective for upper body muscle gains in beginners . None of the evidence we’ve analyzed so far indicates that doing more sets leads to clearly better results in this group. This suggests that when someone is just starting out, their muscles may respond well to even a small amount of work. In practical terms, this could mean that doing one or two sets of an exercise like bench press or shoulder press might be nearly as effective as doing four or five sets — at least in the early stages of training.
Our current analysis does not rule out the possibility that higher volume could help some people. But based on what we’ve reviewed so far, the added benefit appears minimal, if it exists at all. We don’t yet know how long this “beginner phase” lasts, or whether increasing volume becomes more important later on. Also, we’re only looking at upper body muscle growth here — the picture could be different for strength, endurance, or lower body development.
The evidence we’ve reviewed leans toward low volume being sufficient, but we’re still building our understanding. There may be individual differences — some people might respond better to more work, others to less.
Practical takeaway: If you're new to lifting, you don’t need to do a lot of sets to see upper body muscle gains. Starting with just a few sets per exercise is likely enough.