Training Volume Calculator
Enter exercises to find total tonnage and volume per muscle group.
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Understanding Training Volume
Training volume is the total amount of work performed. It can be measured as total sets, total reps, or tonnage (sets × reps × weight). Tonnage is the most comprehensive metric.
For muscle growth, research supports 10–20 hard sets per muscle group per week. Progressive overload means gradually increasing volume or intensity over time.
Training volume = sets × reps × weight. This is the total tonnage lifted in a session, week, or training cycle. Volume is one of the three primary drivers of hypertrophy (alongside intensity and frequency), and tracking it allows systematic progression.
Example: 4 sets of 8 reps at 185 lbs = 4 × 8 × 185 = 5,920 lbs of volume for that exercise. Summing across all exercises in a session gives total session volume. Tracking weekly volume per muscle group allows you to identify if you're under- or over-training specific muscles.
Hypertrophy research (Schoenfeld et al.) suggests 10–20 sets per muscle group per week as an effective range, with beginners thriving at the low end and advanced lifters potentially benefiting from 20+ sets per week for lagging muscles. Each set should be taken to within 1–3 reps of failure to count as a productive stimulus set.
Volume landmarks: Minimum Effective Volume (MEV) — minimum to make progress; Maximum Adaptive Volume (MAV) — sweet spot for growth; Maximum Recoverable Volume (MRV) — above this, recovery fails and performance drops. These are individual and vary by exercise, muscle, training experience, and recovery quality (sleep, nutrition, stress).
See also: 1RM Calculator · Progressive Overload Calculator