Learn How Many Exercise Per Muscle Group Do You Need
Training your muscles is always good, actually great. Regular exercise has all the benefits, whether gaining muscle mass, strengthening bones, or managing weight. But the confusion is about how much to exercise. Do you need to work out on specific days of the week or daily? Should you make separate routines for your upper and lower body? How many reps and how many sets do you require in a day? This blog will answer all the questions and share how many exercise per muscle group you need.
How Many Exercise Per Muscle Group
Below is the information about how many exercises per body part to build muscles and gain strength.
Per Workout VS Per Week
The first question is, should we consider exercise per muscle group weekly or per workout? We need to address the training volume to find the answer to this question. The correct training volume will depend on our fitness levels, goals, and other factors. Addressing training volume as a weekly target would be best because it counts how many workouts you plan to train a specific muscle group weekly.
Training Volume = reps x sets x weight
Workout Sets VS Reps
Considering sets and reps is also important when learning how many exercise per muscle group. When thinking about weekly training volume, the more reps we complete, the fewer sets we need to do; this is likely due to a lower weight load. On the other hand, the fewer reps we do, the more sets we need to complete; this is likely with a heavier weight load. We can determine whether the workout will be set-heavy or rep-heavy, depending on the fitness goal.
Weekly Volume VS Frequency
To learn how many exercise per muscle group, it is important to understand whether we want to complete the training volume in one workout or not. The training frequency and number of sessions change how many exercises per body part are needed and can change the final outcome. We will suffer less fatigue, and the muscles will rest, allowing better performance in workouts.
Choosing the split
Many people choose full-body workouts to build muscle and gain strength. That is a good strategy, but workout splits target individual muscle groups during different workouts. It will impact the number of exercises per muscle group and the results. Below are the splits to choose from.
Full-Body
A full-body split allows you to hit all major muscle groups. It is useful for beginners or those with limited time.
Schedule:
- Monday – full-body
- Tuesday – rest
- Wednesday – full-body
- Thursday – rest
- Friday – full-body
- Saturday – rest
- Sunday – rest
Every rest day allows the body to recover after a workout, making it a good plan to start with. In this split, you must choose exercises for a full-body workout. If you wonder how many set per muscle group, a beginner should aim for three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
Body-Part
A body-part split workout routine will change the answer for how many exercise per muscle group is required. It targets each muscle individually throughout the week, so muscle building is guaranteed, but you need to train five days a week.
Schedule:
- Monday – chest
- Tuesday – leg
- Wednesday – rest
- Thursday – back
- Friday – shoulder
- Saturday – abs
- Sunday – rest
For the body part split, you need to aim for fewer reps and more sets. You can choose five exercises per workout and utilise 10 to 12 reps.
Upper-Lower
You divide your workouts into upper and lower body days in the Upper-lower split. It’s a four-day routine, with two days upper and two days lower body, so your answer to how many exercise per muscle group will again fluctuate.
Schedule:
- Monday – upper body
- Tuesday – lower body
- Wednesday – rest
- Thursday – upper body
- Friday – lower body
- Saturday – rest
- Sunday – rest
You can start this routine with two exercises for each muscle group. How many sets per muscle group? You can target three sets and 10 to 12 reps as a beginner.
Training Every Muscle Group
So, the answer for how many exercise per muscle group differs according to the workout plan and one’s fitness goals. While learning how many set per muscle group, you should also consider a few things, like stretching for at least five minutes before starting a workout. It will loosen your muscles and decrease the chances of injuries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is six exercises for the chest too much?
Four to six chest exercises per week would be sufficient for intermediate weight lifters aiming for hypertrophy.
How many exercises every leg day?
Five leg exercises per workout would be sufficient at a maximum. You may face overtraining consequences like kidney damage if you exercise more.
How many exercises for abs?
For the best results, train the abs twice to thrice weekly with two to three exercises per workout.
Are 4 exercises enough for the biceps?
Yes, 4 exercises would be enough to activate and strengthen bicep muscles.