When it comes to hypertrophy – the process of increasing muscle size through resistance training – few debates are as persistent or as polarising as the one between training volume and training intensity. Walk into any gym or browse any fitness forum, and you’ll encounter lifters swearing by high-rep, high-volume routines, while others evangelise for low-rep, high-intensity methods that push you to failure. But what does the evidence actually say? And more importantly, how should your training change depending on your experience level?
In this article, we’ll break down the concepts of volume and intensity, examine what the science and coaching experts say, and explore how to apply it all practically, whether you’re a beginner or seasoned bodybuilder.
What Do We Mean by Volume and Intensity?
Before diving into the research, it’s important to clarify what we mean by volume and intensity, as these terms are often misunderstood or used interchangeably.
Volume refers to the total amount of work done during a training session or over a period of time. In hypertrophy training, volume is typically calculated as:
Volume = Sets × Reps × Load
So, for instance, doing 3 sets of 10 reps at 60kg on the bench press equates to a total volume of 1,800kg. Volume reflects the overall workload placed on the muscles and is generally associated with metabolic stress and mechanical tension, both key drivers of muscle growth.
Intensity, on the other hand, refers to how heavy the load is in relation to your one-rep max (1RM). For example, lifting at 80% of your 1RM is higher in intensity than lifting at 60%. However, intensity is also sometimes used to describe effort – such as training to failure – which can muddy the waters. For this article, we’ll mainly refer to intensity in terms of load percentage, though effort level is also relevant to hypertrophy.
What the Research Says: Is More Always Better?
Over the past decade, hypertrophy research has exploded, and many of the older beliefs have been challenged or refined. A key finding is that both volume and intensity matter, but their effectiveness can vary depending on context.
Volume and Hypertrophy
A meta-analysis by Schoenfeld et al. (2017) found a clear dose-response relationship between volume and hypertrophy, up to a point. That is, more sets generally produced greater muscle growth – with ten or more weekly sets per muscle group being more effective than fewer sets [1]. This supports the idea that higher volume training, especially when done close to failure, is beneficial for hypertrophy.
However, there are diminishing returns. Beyond a certain threshold, increasing volume can lead to overtraining, reduced recovery, and even muscle loss. This threshold varies based on training age, genetics, sleep, and nutrition.
Intensity and Muscle Growth
High-intensity training (lifting heavier loads, closer to 80–90% of 1RM) has traditionally been associated with strength gains. However, research shows that hypertrophy can occur across a wide range of loads, provided the sets are taken close to failure. Schoenfeld et al. (2015) found that both high-load (3–5 reps) and moderate-load (8–12 reps) protocols resulted in significant hypertrophy when training volume was equated [2].
What’s interesting is that light-load training (15–30 reps), when taken to failure, can also stimulate muscle growth, although it tends to be more fatiguing and less efficient time-wise.
What Expert Coaches Recommend
Top coaches often fall on different points of the volume-intensity spectrum, depending on their training philosophy and client base. However, most agree on one thing: hypertrophy is best achieved by striking a balance between sufficient volume and appropriate intensity, tailored to the individual.
Brad Schoenfeld, often dubbed the “hypertrophy guru,” advocates for moderate loads (6–15 reps), performed with a high level of effort and sufficient weekly volume – typically between 10–20 sets per muscle group, depending on experience level and recovery [3].
Mike Israetel, a sports scientist and co-founder of Renaissance Periodization, introduced the concept of “maximum recoverable volume” (MRV) – the most volume you can do and still recover from. He suggests gradually increasing volume over a mesocycle (a 4–6 week block), then deloading to allow supercompensation.
John Meadows, the late and beloved coach known for Mountain Dog Training, often programmed moderate-to-high volume with strategic use of intensity techniques like rest-pause, drop sets, and controlled eccentric movements, especially in advanced trainees.
In short, most experts agree: moderate-to-high volume with moderate-to-high effort (close to failure) is the sweet spot for hypertrophy.
Experience Level: Tailoring Volume and Intensity
Not all lifters are created equal. What works for a novice may be excessive for an intermediate, or insufficient for an advanced athlete. Here’s how volume and intensity should typically be scaled based on experience:
Beginners (0–1 years of lifting experience)
Focus: Building a foundation
- Volume: Low to moderate (6–10 sets per muscle group per week)
- Intensity: Moderate (60–70% 1RM, 8–12 reps)
- Why: Beginners respond well to almost any stimulus. The goal is to learn movement patterns, develop mind-muscle connection, and gradually build tolerance to training. High intensity isn’t necessary early on, and excessive volume can lead to burnout or injury.
Intermediates (1–3 years of consistent training)
Focus: Progressively overloading the muscle
- Volume: Moderate to high (10–15+ sets per muscle group per week)
- Intensity: Moderate to high (65–85% 1RM, 6–12 reps)
- Why: At this stage, progressive overload becomes more important. Intermediates often benefit from cycling volume and intensity, using periodisation strategies like linear progression, DUP (daily undulating periodisation), or hypertrophy blocks.
Advanced Lifters (3+ years, nearing genetic potential)
Focus: Maximising stimulus while managing recovery
- Volume: High, but personalised (15–20+ sets per muscle group per week, adjusted based on MRV)
- Intensity: Mixed – from moderate (8–12 reps) to heavy (3–6 reps) and light (15+ reps), often within the same week
- Why: Advanced lifters need novel stimuli to progress. Incorporating intensity techniques (e.g., drop sets, cluster sets, rest-pause) becomes more relevant, and managing fatigue through deloads and auto-regulation is critical.
Other Considerations: Recovery, Frequency, and Individuality
While volume and intensity are critical, they don’t exist in isolation. Their effectiveness depends on a few other key variables:
- Training Frequency: Hitting each muscle group 2–3 times per week is more effective for hypertrophy than once weekly, especially when total volume is equated [4].
- Recovery Ability: Poor sleep, high stress, or subpar nutrition will impair your ability to recover from high volume or high intensity training.
- Exercise Selection: Compound movements allow heavier loads and stimulate more muscle groups, but also create more fatigue. Isolation movements are lower intensity but useful for adding volume with less systemic stress.
- Effort (Proximity to Failure): Research shows that training to within 1–3 reps of failure is typically sufficient for hypertrophy, and going to complete failure on every set is not necessary – and may even hinder recovery when done excessively [5].
So, Volume or Intensity?
If you’re looking for a simple answer – “Should I train with high volume or high intensity for muscle growth?” – the most honest answer is: Both, but with context.
For most people focused on hypertrophy, moderate-to-high volume combined with moderate-to-high effort yields the best results. Lifting heavier isn’t necessarily better, nor is endlessly adding more sets. The trick is finding the minimum effective volume (MEV) and gradually working towards your maximum recoverable volume (MRV), while adjusting load and reps intelligently.
At the end of the day, hypertrophy training is as much art as it is science – and finding your own optimal blend of volume and intensity will come down to experimentation, feedback, and a solid understanding of the principles discussed here.
References
- Schoenfeld, B.J., Ogborn, D., Krieger, J.W. (2017). Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences, 35(11), 1073–1082.
- Schoenfeld, B.J., Peterson, M.D., Ogborn, D., Contreras, B., Sonmez, G.T. (2015). Effects of low- vs. high-load resistance training on muscle strength and hypertrophy in well-trained men. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29(10), 2954–2963.
- Schoenfeld, B.J. (2010). The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(10), 2857–2872.
- Grgic, J., Schoenfeld, B.J., Orazem, J., Sabol, F. (2018). Effects of resistance training frequency on measures of muscle hypertrophy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 48(5), 1207–1220.
- Helms, E.R., Cronin, J., Storey, A., Zourdos, M.C. (2016). Application of the repetitions in reserve-based rating of perceived exertion scale for resistance training. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 38(4), 42–49.