How many sets for legs per week?
For the front of the thigh (quadriceps), a systematic review names 12 to 20 working sets per week, split across two sessions, as the optimal range in trained men. For glutes and hamstrings, there are hardly any studies that directly compared different set numbers.
What studies show about leg volume
Baz-Valle et al. (2022) reviewed studies comparing different weekly volumes in trained individuals. Volume was grouped into three levels: low (fewer than 12 sets), moderate (12 to 20 sets) and high (more than 20 sets per week). For muscle growth in the quadriceps, there was no difference between moderate and high volume. The authors conclude that the optimal range for the quadriceps lies between 12 and 20 sets per week when each muscle group is trained twice a week.
Does even more volume mean more growth?
Some studies suggest so. Schoenfeld et al. (2019) had trained men perform 9, 27 or 45 sets per week for the legs. Thigh muscle thickness increased more in the higher-volume groups, while maximal strength did not. Brigatto et al. (2022) also observed greater lower-body gains with 32 weekly sets than with 16.
Other results point the other way: in Aube et al. (2022), lifters who could squat more than twice their body mass saw no difference between 12, 18 and 24 weekly lower-body sets. The largest meta-regression to date, Pelland et al. (2026) with 67 studies, does find more muscle growth with more training volume, but with diminishing returns per additional set.
Practical guideline
| Weekly leg volume | Context |
|---|---|
| at least 10 sets | Minimum recommendation for hypertrophy (ACSM, 2026) |
| 12–20 sets | Guideline for the quadriceps (Baz-Valle et al., 2022) |
| more than 20 sets | sometimes more growth, evidence is mixed |
What about glutes and hamstrings?
The available volume studies measured almost exclusively the quadriceps. Controlled comparisons of different set numbers with direct measurement of the glutes or hamstrings are still missing. Until then, it makes sense to use the same guidelines. Multi-joint exercises like squats or leg presses load several muscles at once. That is why the meta-regression by Pelland et al. (2026) counts sets that work a muscle only indirectly as half sets.
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- Baz-Valle, E., Balsalobre-Fernández, C., Alix-Fages, C. & Santos-Concejero, J. (2022). A Systematic Review of The Effects of Different Resistance Training Volumes on Muscle Hypertrophy. Journal of Human Kinetics, 81, 199–210. PubMed
- Schoenfeld, B. J., Contreras, B., Krieger, J., et al. (2019). Resistance Training Volume Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy but Not Strength in Trained Men. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 51(1), 94–103. PubMed
- Brigatto, F. A., Lima, L. E. M., Germano, M. D., et al. (2022). High Resistance-Training Volume Enhances Muscle Thickness in Resistance-Trained Men. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 36(1), 22–30. PubMed
- Aube, D., Wadhi, T., Rauch, J., et al. (2022). Progressive Resistance Training Volume: Effects on Muscle Thickness, Mass, and Strength Adaptations in Resistance-Trained Individuals. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 36(3), 600–607. PubMed
- Pelland, J. C., Remmert, J. F., Robinson, Z. P., Hinson, S. R. & Zourdos, M. C. (2026). The Resistance Training Dose Response: Meta-Regressions Exploring the Effects of Weekly Volume and Frequency on Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Gains. Sports Medicine, 56(2), 481–505. PubMed
- Brigatto, F. A., Braz, T. V., Zanini, T. C. C., et al. (2019). Effect of Resistance Training Frequency on Neuromuscular Performance and Muscle Morphology After 8 Weeks in Trained Men. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 33(8), 2104–2116. PubMed
- Currier, B. S., et al. (American College of Sports Medicine) (2026). Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Function, Hypertrophy, and Physical Performance in Healthy Adults: An Overview of Reviews. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 58(4), 851–872. PubMed