One Set or Three Sets? Same Muscle Gains!
Pectoralis Clavicular and Sternocostal Thicknesses Increase Similarly in Response to One and Three Sets of Pec Deck Resistance Training in Untrained Young Men
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
No regional hypertrophy differences between clavicular and sternocostal portions of the pectoralis major.
Many trainers believe different chest exercises target different parts of the chest (upper vs. lower), but this study found no such difference—even with a single exercise.
Practical Takeaways
If you're short on time, try doing just one set of pec deck or similar chest exercises to failure—your gains may be nearly identical to doing three sets.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
No regional hypertrophy differences between clavicular and sternocostal portions of the pectoralis major.
Many trainers believe different chest exercises target different parts of the chest (upper vs. lower), but this study found no such difference—even with a single exercise.
Practical Takeaways
If you're short on time, try doing just one set of pec deck or similar chest exercises to failure—your gains may be nearly identical to doing three sets.
Publication
Journal
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Year
2025
Authors
M. D. Pinto, Cristiano Ughini, João Pedro Nunes, E. Cadore, R. S. Pinto
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Claims (7)
When people who’ve never lifted weights before start training, some gain just a little muscle—like half a kilo—while others gain a lot, up to three kilos, in about two to three months.
If you're new to lifting, doing three sets of an exercise might not build more muscle than just doing one set—as long as you push each set to the point where you can't lift anymore.
If you're a young guy who hasn't lifted weights before and you do pec deck exercises for 12 weeks, you'll probably get about 43–46% stronger, no matter if you do just one set or three sets each time.
If you're new to working out, both parts of your chest muscle might grow about the same when you lift weights.
Doing just one set of each exercise can still help build muscle, even if you're already fit — and it saves time.