A new study found that it only takes 1 set of strength training exercises, 3 times per week to make gains in strength and hypertrophy.
However, if you’re looking to get buff for the summer, you’ll have to do more. They found the more sets you performed, the more hypertrophy (size) you gained.
From the study:
”Marked increases in strength and endurance can be attained by resistance-trained individuals with just three, 13-minute weekly sessions over an 8-week period, and these gains are similar to that achieved with a substantially greater time commitment. Alternatively, muscle hypertrophy follows a dose-response relationship, with increasingly greater gains achieved with higher training volumes.“
An important note. The set was performed to failure between 8-12 repetitions. And that was the key. In other words, intensity is the most important variable.