I spent way too long thinking more sets automatically meant more gains. Lately I’ve 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 wasn’t doing enough. Once I cut the junk volume and started making the working sets count, recovery got way better.Heislertm1 wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2026 11:10 pm I spent way too long thinking more sets automatically meant more gains. Lately I’ve 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.
There’s definitely a point where more just becomes more fatigue. If my numbers are moving, technique is solid, and I’m recovering between sessions, I’m 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 I’d 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 I’d rather have 10 killer sets than 20 half-assed ones.
For me it comes down to whether I’m actually progressing. If I’m adding reps or weight and recovering good, I leave the volume alone. If I’m stuck for weeks and everything else is dialed in, then I’ll make a small adjustment instead of doubling my workload.
The junk volume trap is real. Especially when you’ve 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.
I’ve started looking at my last few sets pretty differently. If the quality is falling off hard, adding more sets probably isn’t helping much. I’d 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 I’m dragging all week, performance is flat, and I’m constantly sore, that’s usually a sign I got carried away with volume. More work isn’t automatically better work.Heislertm1 wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2026 11:10 pm I spent way too long thinking more sets automatically meant more gains. Lately I’ve 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 “I need to feel destroyed” mindset. A solid session doesn’t 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. I’m finally learning to judge it by results instead of copying whatever the biggest guy at the gym is doing.