I spent way too long thinking more sets automatically meant more gains. Lately Iāve been cutting out some of the fluff and putting more effort into the sets that actually matter. Curious where everyone here draws the line between productive volume and just doing extra work.
100% agree. I used to stack sets on top of sets thinking I wasnāt doing enough. Once I cut the junk volume and started making the working sets count, recovery got way better.Heislertm1 wrote: āFri Aug 21, 2026 11:10 pm I spent way too long thinking more sets automatically meant more gains. Lately Iāve been cutting out some of the fluff and putting more effort into the sets that actually matter. Curious where everyone here draws the line between productive volume and just doing extra work.
Thereās definitely a point where more just becomes more fatigue. If my numbers are moving, technique is solid, and Iām recovering between sessions, Iām not adding another 5 sets just for the hell of it.
I learned this the hard way 
. Used to leave the gym absolutely smoked and think that meant it was a great workout. Now Iād rather have 10 killer sets than 20 half-assed ones.
. Used to leave the gym absolutely smoked and think that meant it was a great workout. Now Iād rather have 10 killer sets than 20 half-assed ones.
For me it comes down to whether Iām actually progressing. If Iām adding reps or weight and recovering good, I leave the volume alone. If Iām stuck for weeks and everything else is dialed in, then Iāll make a small adjustment instead of doubling my workload.
The junk volume trap is real. Especially when youāve been training for a while and feel like you need to do MORE every session. Sometimes dropping a couple exercises is exactly what you needed.
Iāve started looking at my last few sets pretty differently. If the quality is falling off hard, adding more sets probably isnāt helping much. Iād rather keep the session productive and get out of the gym with something left in the tank.
Sleep and recovery tell the story for me. If Iām dragging all week, performance is flat, and Iām constantly sore, thatās usually a sign I got carried away with volume. More work isnāt automatically better work.Heislertm1 wrote: āFri Aug 21, 2026 11:10 pm I spent way too long thinking more sets automatically meant more gains. Lately Iāve been cutting out some of the fluff and putting more effort into the sets that actually matter. Curious where everyone here draws the line between productive volume and just doing extra work.
Biggest change I made was stopping the āI need to feel destroyedā mindset. A solid session doesnāt have to leave you crawling out of the gym. Quality reps, good progression, recover, repeat.
I think the sweet spot is different for everybody. Some dudes can handle a ton of volume, others grow and progress on way less. Iām finally learning to judge it by results instead of copying whatever the biggest guy at the gym is doing.