Stop Calling It “Junk Volume”

I need to rant about something real quick. I keep hearing people call training volume “junk,” as if doing more sets is automatically a waste of time. That’s pure and utter nonsense. Whether a certain amount of volume is useful depends on the person doing it—and what they need to keep making progress.

Here’s what’s behind the “junk volume” concept: Some people do a lot of volume, decide it doesn’t work for them, and then tell everybody else it’s a waste of time. 

That’s an “N of one,” as we say in the scientific community. One subject’s experience. It may tell you what worked for that person, but it doesn’t prove that the same approach will work—or fail—for everybody else.

Here's what the science says about training volume and why most of the "junk volume" talk you hear on social media is... junk.

Your Training History Matters

If you’re new to lifting, you probably don’t need to walk into the gym on day one and do 12 sets for chest right out of the gate. You can make progress with less volume, especially when you’re still learning the exercises and building consistency.

But that doesn’t mean 12 sets—or more—is automatically junk. I’ve been training for decades. For me, getting enough work for a muscle group means doing at least 16 sets per week for that body part, and sometimes closer to 20. That’s what I’ve found I need to keep progressing. It doesn’t mean every lifter should copy my routine. It means that my needs aren’t the same as a beginner’s.

As you gain experience, you may need to adjust your training to keep making progress. The amount of work that was enough early on might not be enough later. And one influencer’s preferred set count can’t tell you how much volume your body can handle.

Don’t Confuse One Person’s Experience With a Rule

A lot of the junk volume debate comes down to people assuming that what works for them must work for everyone. But your own experience is just that: your experience. If you tried a high-volume routine and felt run-down or stopped progressing, that tells you something about how you responded to that routine. It

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