Muscle gain: supplements and training volume

Hypertrophy is a function of volume, proximity to failure and load progression. Priority: total weekly volume per muscle group and an increase in working weights.

Calculate for yourself Set up training

Weekly volume by muscle group

The weekly set range is a working orientation from research, not a norm: inside it volume is matched to recovery.

Muscle group	Sets per week
Chest	10–20
Back	12–22
Shoulders	8–18
Biceps	8–16
Triceps	8–16
Quadriceps	10–20
Hamstrings	8–18
Glutes	6–14
Calves	8–16
Abs and core	4–12

Frequency per muscle group

2–3 times per week per muscle group

Load

60–85 % of 1RM

Repetitions

6–15 (equivalent at equal effort)

Reserve to failure

0–3 repetitions in reserve

Rest between sets

90–180 seconds; for multi-joint compound exercises — up to 3 minutes

Progression

Add sets or weight when the top of the set range has been completed at the target RIR for two consecutive weeks.

Cardio

2 sessions per week, 3 minutes per week. low-intensity cardio for heart health and recovery

High-volume cardio on the same day as heavy legs impairs adaptation; separate them across days or place it after the strength session.

Deloads

Every 6–10 weeks, one week with a volume 40–50 % lower.

Block: 8 weeks, progression step 5 %. Deload on week 8 with volume 45 % lower.

Limitations

More volume is not always better: past a certain threshold, fatigue and time increase, not results.
If volume is growing but the weights on the bar have not moved for more than a month, the problem is in nutrition, sleep or the program, not in a lack of sets.

Supplements for this goal · 39

The level shows the strength of evidence, not importance: A means confirmed by reviews and meta-analyses, B means individual good randomised trials, C means data are scarce.

Supplement	Level	Dose by goal
Creatine monohydrate The most studied supplement: a consistent moderate improvement in strength and muscle gain	A	3–5 g per day daily; with resistance training about 1–2 kg of lean mass over 8–12 weeks
Curcumin Reduces creatine kinase and soreness after exercise; the effect is moderate	A	500–1500 mg of curcuminoids per day
Whey protein Tops up daily protein; the source of protein matters less than its total amount	A	20–40 g per serving, in total 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day
'Testosterone boosters' (ZMA, tribulus and others) They do not increase testosterone in healthy men	B	There are no studies for this goal — no dose is invented.
Ashwagandha A modest effect on strength; the studies are small and heterogeneous	B	There are no studies for this goal — no dose is invented.
Betaine A small and unstable effect on strength; it changes body composition little	B	2.5 g per day
Valerian One quality RCT showed improvement in sleep; there are no direct data on muscle and strength	B	There are no studies for this goal — no dose is invented.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) Corrects the deficiency but gives no gain in endurance; high doses interfere with adaptation	B	200–500 mg per day
Vitamin D Useful only in deficiency: it does not increase strength in those with adequate intake	B	1000–2000 IU per day to maintain the level
Weight gainer It is maltodextrin and sugar at the price of protein; ordinary food gives the same	B	There are no studies for this goal — no dose is invented.
Beef protein In a meta-analysis of seven RCTs it was not inferior to whey in lean mass and leg strength	B	20–40 g per serving, in total 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day
Pea protein Was not inferior to whey in a 12-week RCT; less leucine per gram than in milk proteins	B	25 g twice a day (50 g/day) is the studied dose; a reference point of 0.3 g/kg per serving
Casein protein A slow protein; an advantage over whey is not proven	B	25–40 g per serving within a total protein intake of 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day
Leucine A separate supplement confers no advantage when protein is adequate	B	2.5–5 g per day as a separate supplement or 0.025–0.05 g per kg of body mass; distribute protein at 0.4 g/kg per serving (4 servings)
Essential amino acids (EAA) Theoretically better than BCAA, but not better than a complete protein	B	6–15 g per serving, providing 2–3 g of leucine
Plant protein blends Blends of pea and rice are close to whey; single-component ones are weaker	B	25–40 g per serving; a 2:1 blend of pea and rice isolate, in total 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day (10–20 % more in a plant-based diet)
Soy protein A complete protein: in a meta-analysis of nine studies it was not inferior to animal proteins	B	20–40 g per serving (20–25 g in the meta-analysis), in total 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day
Zinc Deficiency reduces strength and testosterone; with adequate status there is no effect	B	15–25 mg of elemental zinc per day
Citrulline malate A modest effect: an increase in the number of repetitions is possible, the data are heterogeneous	B	There are no studies for this goal — no dose is invented.
BCAA (branched-chain amino acids) A weak effect: a complete protein does the same better and cheaper	B	5–10 g at a leucine:isoleucine:valine ratio of about 2:1:1
HMB (beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate) Almost useless for trained individuals: the evidence is contradictory	B	3 g per day, divided into servings
Arginine Works poorly orally; the effect is weaker than that of citrulline	C	There are no studies for this goal — no dose is invented.
Astaxanthin The data are few and point in different directions; there is no convincing effect	C	There are no studies for this goal — no dose is invented.
Boron The data on testosterone and strength are weak and contradictory; the effect is not proven	C	There are no studies for this goal — no dose is invented.
Vitamin A (retinol, carotenoids) There are no sports data; excess is dangerous — chronic overdose is toxic	C	There are no studies for this goal — no dose is invented.
Glycine There are no data on sports performance; it has been studied mainly as a sleep aid	C	There are no studies for this goal — no dose is invented.
Coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone) Raises the blood concentration, improves performance inconsistently	C	There are no studies for this goal — no dose is invented.
Creatine nitrate There are very few data; no advantages over monohydrate have been shown	C	3–5 g per day as a source of creatine
Creatine HCl No proven advantages over monohydrate; overpayment	C	3–5 g per day — for creatine as a whole. Choosing HCl specifically confers no advantages
Laxogenin A steroidal saponin from Smilax: there are no controlled data in humans	C	There are no studies for this goal — no dose is invented.
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) A single RCT showed no protection of muscle after exercise; data are scarce	C	There are no studies for this goal — no dose is invented.
Fenugreek Four RCTs out of six showed an effect, but the samples are small and the quality is low	C	about 500 mg/day of standardized extract, 8 weeks
Deer antler velvet The only RCT did not confirm a gain in strength or aerobic capacity	C	There are no studies for this goal — no dose is invented.
Oral ATP A meta-analysis of small studies; the quality of the data is low, the effect is unclear	C	There are no studies for this goal — no dose is invented.
Rice protein A hypoallergenic plant protein, but there are few direct comparative studies	C	25–40 g per serving (a larger serving than for whey)
Tryptophan Does not increase performance; the sports data are old and weak	C	There are no studies for this goal — no dose is invented.
Turkesterone There are no controlled studies in humans; the popularity is not supported by data	C	There are no studies for this goal — no dose is invented.
Ecdysterone One small RCT showed muscle gain, but the effect is weak and has not been reproduced	C	there is no single dose: in the only RCT several different doses of the products were tested
Egg protein The amino acid profile is reference-grade, but there are almost no supporting studies of the supplement	C	20–40 g per serving at a total protein intake of 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day (in the RCT — 20 g/day)

Doses are given for adults. For profiles under 18 the app does not show doses, and during pregnancy and lactation the personal calculation is replaced by advice to consult a doctor.

Sources by goal

Other goals

Fat burning Recomposition Strength measures Endurance