Your Strength Training Reference Guide (Reps, Sets, and How to Progress)

Mar 16

Written By Ashley Gadelha

Save this. You'll come back to it.

I get asked these questions constantly:

How many reps should I do?
How many sets?
How do I know when to add weight?
What if I miss a workout?
Do I have to lift heavy to see results?

This is your answer to all of them — backed by research, written in plain language.

The Short Version

If you want to skip straight to the numbers:

✔ 6–30 reps per set (research supports this full range when training close to fatigue)

✔ Get close to fatigue — your last 2–3 reps should feel genuinely hard

✔ 4–8 sets per muscle group per week to start — build from there

✔ Train each muscle group 2x per week for consistent progress and adequate recovery

✔ Progress gradually — small increases in weight, reps, or sets over time

That's the foundation. Everything below is the "why" behind it.

How Many Reps?

The short answer: anywhere from 6 to 30 — as long as you're working close to your limit.

For a long time, the belief was that you had to lift heavy (low reps) to build strength and muscle. The research has shifted on this. Studies now show that a set of 25 bodyweight reps taken close to fatigue produces similar muscle and strength gains as a set of 8 reps with a heavier load. What matters most isn't the number — it's the effort level at the end of the set.

What this means practically:

You don't need heavy weights to make progress
Bodyweight and resistance band training absolutely counts
Higher rep sets are not "easier" if you're actually working hard

A good rule of thumb: if you could keep going for another 5+ reps and feel totally fine, you haven't done enough. The last 2–3 reps of every set should feel hard — controlled, but hard.

How Many Sets?

Research supports 4–8 sets per muscle group per week as a solid starting range for most people. More experienced lifters may benefit from higher volume, but more is not always better — especially when returning to training or managing life stress alongside your workouts.

A simple way to think about it:

If you're training a muscle group twice a week, that might look like:

2–3 sets per exercise × 2 sessions = 4–6 sets total for that muscle group per week

You don't need to do 6 exercises per session. Two or three well-chosen movements, done consistently and close to fatigue, will get you further than an exhausting rotation you can't sustain.

How Do I Know When to Progress?

This is the part most people overthink. Here's a simple rule:

When an exercise feels manageable throughout — it's time to progress.

Signs you're ready:

You finish your set and feel like you had 5+ reps left
You've used the same weight for 2–3 weeks without it feeling harder
Your form feels completely solid and controlled throughout

How to progress:

Add 1–2 lbs for upper body exercises
Add 2–5 lbs for lower body exercises
Add 1–2 reps per set before jumping to a heavier weight
Add one additional set before increasing load

You don't have to do all of these at once. Small, consistent increases over weeks and months add up to significant strength gains over time. This is progressive overload — and it's the most important principle in strength training.

How Often Should I Train?

2–3 sessions per week per muscle group is the research-supported sweet spot for most people.

More isn't always better. Muscles don't grow during training — they grow during recovery. If you're training the same muscle group every day without adequate rest, you're limiting your own progress.

A simple structure that works:

Full body training 2–3x per week with rest days in between
Or upper/lower splits that allow each muscle group to recover before the next session

Rest days are not wasted days. They're where the adaptation happens.

What If I Miss a Workout?

You pick back up where you left off.

Missing one session doesn't undo your progress. Missing a week doesn't either. Consistency over months and years is what builds lasting strength — not perfection week to week.

If you miss a session, don't try to "make it up" by doubling the next one. Just continue with your regular program. If you've had a longer break (2+ weeks), reduce your weights slightly for the first session back and rebuild from there. Your strength returns faster than it took to build — this is well-documented in the research.

The most important thing is getting back to it.

Do I Have to Lift Heavy?

No — and this is one of the most freeing things the research has given us.

Studies consistently show that lighter loads (even bodyweight) produce similar strength and muscle gains to heavier loads when sets are taken close to fatigue. The weight is just a tool for creating effort. If a resistance band or a pair of light dumbbells is what you have — use them well, work hard, and progress when you can.

What doesn't work: going through the motions with a weight that feels easy the entire time. The stimulus comes from the effort at the end of the set, not the number on the dumbbell.

The Recap

Where to Start

Pick 2–3 exercises for the muscle group you want to train. Do them consistently, 2x per week. Work close to fatigue. Progress when you're ready.

That's it. You don't need a complicated program to build real strength — you need a simple one done consistently over time.

When You’re Ready to Take it Further

Start with Train to a Stronger You, a 4-week strength program built to protect your bones — under 30 minutes, no gym required.
Work with me 1:1, a 12-week coaching program built specifically around you

Disclaimer: This post is educational and not a substitute for medical care. If you have concerning symptoms, please consult your healthcare provider.

Ashley Gadelha