There are two main camps in the debate over how many sets you should do. One group believes that one set is enough and you get little to no benefit from doing extra sets. The other group believes that multiple sets will make you significantly stronger. Which group is right? How many sets should you do?
The Studies:
There are some individual studies supporting both sides of the argument. However, a couple of relatively recent meta analyses strongly support multiple set programs. The first found that multiple sets were responsible for a 48% strength increase over single sets. Significant gains were found in the 2- 3 set range, with slightly larger, but insignificant results found in the 4- 6 set range.
The other meta analysis found that multiple sets let to 40% greater hypertrophy (muscle growth) than single sets. It found that 2- 3 sets outperformed 1 set and 4- 6 sets outperformed 2- 3, but not by a significant margin.
Both studies found benefits of multiple sets for both untrained (lifting for less than 1 year) and trained (lifting for more than 1 year) participants.
Conclusion:
Because most of the studies analyzed compared 1 to 3 sets, 3 sets per exercise is a good starting point. You will also experience strength and hypertrophy gains from only doing 1 set per exercise (albeit not as much). If you are a bodybuilder or otherwise trying to gain as much muscle as possible, you might want to move into the 4- 6 set range even though the incremental benefits of those additional sets won’t be as significant. But it can help you to reach your fitness goal, and if you do take part in bodybuilding, you’ll want to get there as soon as possible. Some people are now making the decision to turn to cannabis when it comes to giving them a headstart because they may have heard that smoking weed and bodybuilding can complement each other if they go hand in hand. Whilst you’ll still have to work out in the gym, cannabis can help to increase focus and energy, as well as giving you an improved pain-threshold, which means you can exercise for longer. But it will be pointless exercising if you aren’t doing the workouts that will help with your fitness goals, so knowing what they are could be very beneficial.
Citations:
Krieger, James W. “Single versus multiple sets of resistance exercise: A meta-regression.” The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research 23.6 (2009): 1890-1901.
Krieger, James W. “Single vs. multiple sets of resistance exercise for muscle hypertrophy: a meta-analysis.” The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research 24.4 (2010): 1150-1159.