Calculate the optimal weekly sets per muscle group for your clients. Based on the MEV, MAV and MRV concepts from Mike Israetel, adjusted by level, goal and recovery capacity.
MEV (Minimum Effective Volume): minimum sets needed to make progress. MAV (Maximum Adaptive Volume): optimal growth range. MRV (Maximum Recoverable Volume): upper limit before overtraining. Based on Mike Israetel's research.
Select the groups you want to develop most. They will receive 20% extra volume.
Manage your clients, build custom programs and track their progress. Everything in one professional platform.
Research by Dr. Mike Israetel shows that most trainees make good progress with 10-20 weekly sets per muscle group. Beginners can grow with as few as 8-10 sets, while advanced athletes may need 16-22 sets to keep progressing. The key is finding the range that generates adaptation without exceeding your capacity to recover.
| Muscle group | MEV (sets/week) | MAV (sets/week) | MRV (sets/week) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chest | 8 | 12-16 | 22 |
| Back | 8 | 14-18 | 25 |
| Shoulders (lateral) | 6 | 12-16 | 22 |
| Biceps | 6 | 10-14 | 20 |
| Triceps | 4 | 10-12 | 18 |
| Quadriceps | 6 | 10-14 | 20 |
| Hamstrings | 4 | 10-12 | 16 |
Of all training variables — intensity, frequency, exercise selection — weekly volume has the strongest dose-response relationship with muscle growth. More sets per muscle group generally means more growth, as long as you stay within your recoverable range.
That is why tracking and progressively overloading volume is one of the most effective strategies a coach can use. Rather than guessing how many sets to assign, using evidence-based landmarks like MEV, MAV and MRV gives you a structured framework to design programs that keep clients progressing mesocycle after mesocycle.