How Much Gym Work Is Enough? Science Weighs in

By Adebowale Bello. B.Tech Microbiology, Freelance Health Writer. Medically reviewed by the DLHA team.

Partial view of a black male performing weight training for muscle building and strength

In gyms, it’s not uncommon to hear the phrase "no pain, no gain" tossed around. Many people believe that the more time you spend in the gym, the more muscle and strength you’ll gain. Some even feel guilty if their workouts are short.

However, does doing more exercise sets actually help you build more strength and muscle?

This question led a group of researchers to dig into dozens of exercise studies to find out how the number of sets you do in each workout really affects your results. 

Whether you’re a student, a busy parent, a worker with limited time or just someone trying to stay healthy, new research has shown that you don’t need to train for hours to see real results. In fact, doing too much might even hold you back.

This research gives you clear, science-backed guidance on how to train smarter and not just harder.

About the Study

Researchers looked at data from many past studies involving people who lifted weights to get stronger and build muscle. Their focus was on how many sets people did in a single workout session.

They then compared these results to how much strength and muscle those people gained. Some people did just a few sets. Others did many. The goal was to find the “sweet spot”, not too little, not too much.

What the Study Found

Here’s what the study discovered:

• Doing more sets per session can help you build both muscle and strength.

• But there’s a limit. After a certain number of sets, doing more doesn’t bring more results.

• To build strength, doing about 2 sets per muscle group each workout, gave the best results. Adding more sets didn’t help much.

• For muscle growth, doing around 8 to 11 sets per muscle group each workout gave the most benefit.

In short: More sets help, but only up to a point. Doing too many sets can waste your time and energy and may just lead to unnecessary fatigue or injury.

What This Study Means for Africans

Across many parts of Africa, there’s growing interest in health, fitness and weight training. More people are signing up at gyms or lifting weights at home, often following routines they find online or get from friends. But not everyone has the luxury of time, equipment or professional coaching. This study offers helpful insights that can guide effective and efficient workouts.

1. Quality Over Quantity

You don’t need to spend two hours in the gym doing 10–15 sets for each muscle group. The research shows you can get strong and build muscle by doing as few as 2 to 5 effective sets per muscle, especially if you focus on proper form and intensity.

2. Avoid Overtraining

In many African countries where young people are excited to transform their bodies quickly, the temptation to over train is real but this study reminds us that more is not always better. Overtraining can increase your risk of injury and delay your progress.

3. Use The Equipment You Have

If your gym doesn’t have many weights or machines, that’s okay. You can still make progress with a few well-chosen exercises and the right number of sets. Focus on compound exercises, keep your sets focused and intense, and stop thinking that high volume is the only way to grow.

4. Be Patient and Consistent

You won’t see results overnight. Whether you’re doing 2 sets or 10, what matters is staying consistent, eating well and resting.

Wrap Up

Here are three simple recommendations based on the study:

• Keep your workouts short and focused. Aim for 2–5 sets per muscle group per session.
• Track your progress. Measure strength gains and changes in muscle size over weeks and not days.
• Don’t follow hype. Social media may show influencers doing 20 sets a day, but science says you can gain well with far less.

For Africans looking to build a stronger, healthier body, this is good news. With fewer sets and consistency, you can still achieve the gains you’re after even without fancy gyms or long hours of training.

Source: Florida Atlantic University news release

Related:

8 Best Gym Hygiene Practices for Africans

High-Intensity Interval Training: A Better Fitness Approach for Africans

7 Tips for Sustainable Exercise for Beginners in Africa

Published: July 17, 2025

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