Many people believe that they need to consistently perform countless sets and reps to make progress. An example is the trainee who, workout after workout performs 20 sets per body part. While they may feel as if they are working hard, this is not the best way to make progress.

Scientific and in the gym tests show that decreasing the amount of sets and reps (training volume) performed, especially after periods of high volume training leads to greater improvement then performing high volume work all of the time.

Research performed by Hakinnen and colleagues showed that subjects who decreased the number of sets and reps by 50% after two previous weeks of high volume training made greater increases in muscular strength than the group who continued to perform the same number of sets and reps. The subjects who decreased their training volume also had lower levels of the hormone cortisol and higher testosterone levels.

Cortisol is a hormone that is secreted during times of stress, and studies have shown that high cortisol levels can increase bodyfat, especially in the abdominal area. Testosterone, as you probably know is an anabolic hormone which means it helps build muscle. Lowering and increasing these hormones respectively by decreasing the number of sets performed in a given workout could therefore also help you lose fat and build muscle by keeping these providing your body with the rest it needs and keeping these hormones in balance.

The next time you are planning a workout cycle, schedule a week of reduced training volume after every 2-3 weeks high volume training (20 sets per workout) to see how it works for you. One way to do this is perform half the number of sets you have been performing for the past couple of weeks for a week. For example, decrease from 4 sets of 10 to 2 sets of 10 per weight training exercise.

Another method is changing the number of repetitions performed while using the same number of sets and the same weight as your previous high volume workouts. This can be done by performing 4 sets of 5 reps with the weight you are currently using for 4 sets of 10 repetitions. After a week using either method of reduced volume training you can either resume your previous workout or start a new workout program.

This research supports the fact that muscles need sufficient recovery time to increase in size. Over training will not allow your muscles to recover and this will impact muscle growth. Training no more then 3 days per week would be best.

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