Are You Pressed For Time In The Gym?

Well then you'll find this study particularly interesting...

Dr. Chris Hass and colleagues from the University of Florida recently found that increasing training volume from one set to three really didn't make much of a difference on muscle size and strength in weight-training athletes.

The researchers had 40 well-trained guys train three times a week using one or three sets for eight to 12 reps to failure. Muscle strength and percent fat and percent lean body mass were measured before and after the 13-week training period.

"After 13 weeks of training, both groups had significantly improved their muscular strength and body composition," writes Dr. Hass. "However, there were no significant differences between groups in the improvement of muscular strength, and both groups experienced similar improvements in body composition."

The Bottom Line:

The data from this study shows that single-set programs are an effective alternative to high-volume training when time is of the essence.