Muscle Training Volume: Which Muscles Benefit From More, and How to Adjust

Which muscles need more volume?

The optimal training volume for muscle growth and strength is not uniform across all muscle groups; smaller muscles, those with a higher proportion of slow-twitch fibers, and those trained with less systemic fatigue often benefit from, and can recover from, higher training volumes.

Understanding Training Volume

Training volume, typically quantified as the total number of sets and repetitions performed for a given muscle group within a training session or week, is a critical variable in resistance training. While progressive overload (increasing load, reps, or sets over time) is paramount for continuous adaptation, the specific volume required for maximal hypertrophy and strength can vary significantly between different muscle groups due to their physiological characteristics, functional roles, and recovery capacities.

Factors Influencing Volume Requirements

Determining which muscles benefit from higher volume involves considering several interconnected physiological and practical factors:

• Muscle Fiber Type Composition: Muscles are composed of a mix of fast-twitch (Type II) and slow-twitch (Type I) muscle fibers. Fast-twitch fibers are primarily responsible for powerful, short-duration contractions and have a higher hypertrophic potential but also fatigue more quickly. Slow-twitch fibers are more endurance-oriented, fatigue-resistant, and may respond better to higher repetitions and thus higher volumes. Muscles with a higher proportion of slow-twitch fibers (e.g., calves, postural muscles) may tolerate and benefit from more volume.
• Muscle Size and Recovery Capacity: Larger muscle groups (e.g., quadriceps, glutes, back) typically involve more overall muscle mass and require greater systemic energy expenditure and recovery resources. Training these muscles to high volumes can be incredibly taxing on the central nervous system (CNS) and overall recovery. Smaller muscle groups (e.g., biceps, triceps, deltoids) recruit fewer motor units and cause less systemic fatigue, allowing for more frequent and higher volume training without overtraining.
• Proximity to Failure & Effort: The number of effective sets (those taken close to or to muscular failure) is a key driver of hypertrophy. If sets are consistently taken to failure, fewer sets may be needed. However, if some sets are not taken to failure, or if the load is lighter, more sets may be required to achieve sufficient stimulus.
• Training Experience & Adaptation: Novice lifters generally require less volume to elicit a training response. As an individual becomes more advanced, their body adapts, and higher volumes may be necessary to continue progressing. However, there's a point of diminishing returns where excessive volume can lead to overtraining, injury, and stalled progress.
• Specific Muscle Function & Anatomy: Some muscles are primarily involved in large, compound movements (e.g., pectorals in bench press, quadriceps in squats), receiving significant stimulus indirectly. Others, like the lateral deltoids or biceps, are often best targeted with isolation exercises, which might necessitate dedicated, higher-volume work to ensure adequate stimulus.

Muscles That Often Benefit from Higher Volume

Based on the factors above, certain muscle groups are frequently observed to respond well to, and tolerate, higher training volumes:

• Smaller, Recovery-Apt Muscles:
  • Deltoids (especially lateral and posterior heads): Often require dedicated isolation work and can recover quickly. The lateral deltoid, responsible for shoulder width, benefits from higher volumes of lateral raises.
  • Biceps: A relatively small muscle group that recovers quickly and can be trained frequently.
  • Triceps: Similar to biceps, these are smaller muscles that can handle more direct volume.
  • Calves (Gastrocnemius & Soleus): These muscles are highly accustomed to endurance work (walking, standing) and have a high proportion of slow-twitch fibers. They often require very high volumes and frequencies to grow.
  • Abdominals & Obliques: As core stabilizers that are active throughout the day, they are highly resilient and can tolerate high volumes and frequencies.
• Muscles Predominantly Type I Fibers:
  • Calves: As mentioned, their high slow-twitch fiber composition means they respond well to higher reps and sets.
  • Forearms: Similar to calves, they are constantly active and can handle significant volume.
• Muscles Requiring Specific Shaping/Detail:
  • Shoulders (all heads): To achieve a well-rounded shoulder, targeting each head (anterior, lateral, posterior) often requires specific exercises and sufficient volume for each.
  • Arms (Biceps & Triceps): For significant arm development, dedicated volume beyond what they receive in compound pulling/pushing movements is often necessary.

Muscles That May Require Moderate or Varied Volume

While all muscles can benefit from appropriate volume, some large, systemically taxing muscles may not always benefit from maximal volume due to their recovery demands and involvement in compound movements:

• Large, Systemically Taxing Muscles:
  • Quadriceps & Hamstrings: Training these muscles (e.g., heavy squats, deadlifts) is highly fatiguing. While they need sufficient volume, pushing to extremely high volumes can quickly lead to overtraining and impaired recovery, impacting subsequent sessions.
  • Glutes: Similar to quads and hamstrings, heavy glute training (e.g., hip thrusts, squats, deadlifts) is taxing.
  • Back (Lats, Traps, Rhomboids, Spinal Erectors): These large muscle groups are heavily involved in complex pulling movements and deadlifts, which are very demanding on the CNS and recovery.
• Muscles Involved in Compound Movements: Muscles that are heavily recruited in fundamental, multi-joint exercises (e.g., pectorals in bench press, lats in pull-ups/rows) often receive substantial indirect volume. While some direct work can be beneficial, their primary stimulus often comes from these heavy lifts, which are inherently high-volume when considering the total work done.

Practical Application: How to Adjust Volume

• Start Conservatively: Begin with a moderate volume (e.g., 10-12 sets per muscle group per week) and gradually increase if recovery allows and progress stalls.
• Monitor Recovery: Pay close attention to signs of overtraining, such as persistent fatigue, decreased performance, poor sleep, or irritability. If these occur, reduce volume.
• Prioritize Progressive Overload: Volume is one aspect of overload. Ensure you are also focusing on increasing weight or reps over time, as this is the primary driver of adaptation.
• Periodization: Varying your training volume over time (e.g., higher volume phases followed by lower volume, recovery phases) can be an effective strategy to manage fatigue and promote long-term progress.
• Listen to Your Body: Individual response to volume varies greatly. What works for one person may not work for another. Experiment, track your progress, and adjust based on your body's unique response.

Conclusion

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to which muscles need "more" volume, but general principles suggest that smaller, more recovery-resilient muscles and those with a higher proportion of slow-twitch fibers (e.g., deltoids, biceps, triceps, calves, abdominals) often tolerate and benefit from higher weekly set volumes. Larger, more systemically fatiguing muscle groups (e.g., quadriceps, glutes, back) still require sufficient volume for growth but often reach their effective volume threshold more quickly due to recovery demands. The key is to find the optimal volume that provides adequate stimulus for growth without exceeding your individual recovery capacity, always prioritizing progressive overload and intelligent program design.