One Set vs Four Sets: How Much Volume Builds Muscle

Hello friends,

The other day, I caught myself rushing through another quick workout.

As someone with a sports background, I've always valued efficiency. One set, maximum power, get it done. That approach served me well when performance was the goal.

But at 37, my fitness goals are shifting.

While I still love efficient training, a new study made me question whether my "get it done quick" approach is actually giving me what I need now.

This week in building health 👇

More Sets, Better Results

The study I’m sharing today challenges our assumptions about exercise volume, especially when it comes to building muscle.

The research focused on older adults doing leg exercises, and the findings were eye-opening:

With just one set per week:

• 60% of participants showed no significant muscle growth

• Though they still gained strength

With four sets:

• Only 19% were "non-responders"

• Most people saw better results

• Though interestingly, about 15% actually did worse

Match Your Workouts to Your Goal

Sometimes we want workouts to be efficient. I get it - I'm always looking for ways to optimize my time too.

But if your goal is building muscle, those quick one-set workouts might not be enough.

Here's the interesting part: strength gains were similar between both groups. So if your goal is simply getting stronger, you might be able to get away with less volume.

Maybe this means focusing on one body part but doing more sets. The key is matching your approach to your goals.

→ Read more on this here

My favorite health things for the week

// one

Finding Joy in Movement

12 minutes | Sam Sager

Traditional exercise often relies on external motivation - do this many reps, lift this much weight.

But what if we focused instead on how movement makes us feel?

This article explores "embodied exercise" - paying attention to physical sensations and developing a more intuitive relationship with movement. As someone who's always trying to listen to my body, this resonated deeply with me.

→ Read more on this here

// two

Should We Prescribe Food as Medicine?

7 minutes | Cate Collings, MD

There's a growing push to treat food like medicine, with major organizations and even the government supporting this approach. But here's the challenge: even if doctors start "prescribing" healthy eating, will patients actually follow through?

As a coach, I see this struggle daily. The hardest part isn't knowing what to eat - it's helping people make sustainable changes in their daily lives.

→ Read More About it Here

// three

Eggs May Actually Be Okay for Your Heart

8 minutes | Don Rauf

This one made me laugh because I often rant about how clients would rather cut out eggs than address their snack and junk food habits.

The study suggests eating up to 12 fortified eggs weekly might not impact heart health as previously feared. While the research has limitations, it's a reminder that we often focus on the wrong dietary villains.

→ Read More About it Here

Until next time

Have a Healthy Weekend