For maximum results in building muscle, what is the ideal amount of sets per week per body part?

I wanted to design a full body workout I could use during the Dirty Dozen challenge. What do you guys think? What has worked for you in the past?

I read this on a well know forum..

Just so you know all my bulking was natural. All I use is food,protein and BCAA's.

30-40 sets a body part per week is completely normal, it is whats required for new growth. You need to be working each muscle group twice a week, with atleast 4 exercises for that muscle group per session. How can you think that doing 3 sets a body part a week possibly make you grow? That is not enough to accomplish anything, trust me. Sure you may make a few noobie gains with this program but they will stop within like 2-3 weeks if you go this low of volume.

Btw bodybuilders and powerlifters alike use steroids. Who is bigger? a bodybuilder. Who is stronger? a powerlifter. So to oversimplify this, if you want to get bigger train like a bodybuilder, if you want to get stronger, train like a powerlifter. Either way though, you need more sets/reps.

You will not reach anywhere your goal with your current program, plain and simple.

Any thoughts on this advice?

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That cannot be true, surely ? :-0

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Sounds ludicrous. ALso note the qualifying statement that they are on steroids. Since you aren't ste, what they are saying may not be of use to you

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4 sets x 4 exercises x twice a week = 32. So yes, it's possible and there are probably a lot of people out there who do it. I've seen loads of routines that are 4 sets of 10 for 4 exercises per body part.

But there are so many different bodybuilding routines and approaches out there that one guy cannot say definitively that his method is the only way to build mass.

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I'd question this. How does your body know when it has done the 30-40sets required. Your muscles can't count! It is intensity not volume you should concern yourself with.

If you did your 30-40 sets half arsed, and someone else did much less sets, balls to the wall. Who is going to grow? Your body adapts when the stimulus exceeds it's current ability.. failure. Not when a certain 'volume' is reached.

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I think Matt is probably right (not that I know).

I think in general though, the important thing is to buy into a routine.
If your not behind it, your not going to give it your all. Then, you might switch routines which probably isnt a good thing.

Trust people like Matt/Ant and give it your best shot. Its only 12 weeks of your life STE, if it doesnt work you can always try something else.

I am sure the "muff" in the Summer will wait for you to get buff.

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Bingo!

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I thought just as much to be honest mate. I just thought it might stir a debate.

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Mass debates like this are always good... :p

Like lardass said, you need something that works with good reason (no gimmicks) and that you believe in. If you have no faith in the system, it won't work for you.

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I suppose there are many ways to add bulk to a skinned rat!

I suppose weightlifting has many different views.

There's big big guys
hardcore guys
steroid guys
guys who have never really bulked for more than a few months (like me)

Not one way will work for everyone, I guess if you have a decent amount of muscle then it becomes more difficult to add mass, hence they try more intense routines to try and stimulate growth.

I suppose we should look at the consistencies between each.

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