How Many Sets for Legs Per Week

The Real Number of Leg Sets (And Why More Isn't Better)

To answer how many sets for legs per week you actually need, aim for 10-20 high-quality sets. For most people, anything over that is junk volume that creates massive fatigue with very little extra muscle growth. You're likely here because you're doing a brutal, 25-set leg day once a week, feeling destroyed for three days, and still wearing the same size jeans. You feel like you're putting in the work, but your quads and hamstrings refuse to grow. The problem isn't your effort; it's your math.

The effective volume range is surprisingly specific:

• Beginners (0-1 year of consistent training): 10-12 total sets per week.
• Intermediates (1-3 years of training): 12-18 total sets per week.
• Advanced (3+ years of serious training): 16-20+ total sets per week.

Notice the word "total." This isn't 20 sets of squats. This is the combined number of sets for your quads, hamstrings, and glutes. The key isn't just hitting a number; it's about the quality of those sets and how you distribute them throughout the week. Piling all 18 sets into a single Monday workout is one of the biggest mistakes that keeps people stuck with small legs forever. The soreness you feel isn't a badge of honor; it's a sign of inefficient training.

The 'Junk Volume' Trap: Why Your 25-Set Leg Day Is Failing

You believe that more work equals more growth. It makes logical sense, but it’s biologically wrong. The reason your marathon leg day isn't working comes down to two concepts: Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS) and Maximum Effective Volume (MEV) per session.

1. The 48-Hour Growth Window (Muscle Protein Synthesis):

When you train a muscle, you trigger MPS, which is your body's muscle-building process. This signal stays elevated for about 48-72 hours. If you train legs hard on Monday, you're growing on Tuesday and Wednesday. But then what happens from Thursday to Sunday? Nothing. You're leaving five full days of potential growth on the table. By training legs twice a week, you can trigger this growth process a second time, effectively doubling your opportunities to build muscle.

1. The Point of Diminishing Returns (Maximum Effective Volume):

Your muscles don't respond to endless volume in one session. The first few hard sets provide a powerful growth signal. As you do more, the signal gets weaker, but the fatigue and muscle damage skyrocket. Think of it like this:

• Sets 1-6: High stimulus, low fatigue. This is the money zone.
• Sets 7-10: Moderate stimulus, moderate fatigue. Still productive.
• Sets 11+: Low stimulus, massive fatigue. This is "junk volume." You're just digging a deeper recovery hole for very little, if any, additional growth.

Doing 25 sets in one workout means about 15 of those sets are creating more damage than growth. This is why you're so sore and why your legs never feel fully recovered. The solution is simple: instead of one massive, inefficient workout, you split your total weekly sets into two smaller, highly effective workouts. For example, instead of 16 sets on Monday, you do 8 sets on Monday and 8 sets on Thursday. Every single set is now a high-stimulus set.

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The 2-Day Leg Split That Actually Builds Mass

Stop thinking in terms of "leg day" and start thinking in terms of weekly volume. This four-step protocol will show you how to structure your training for consistent growth. We'll use an intermediate lifter aiming for 16 total sets per week as our example.

Step 1: Choose Your Total Weekly Volume

First, be honest about your experience level. More is not better if you can't recover from it. Pick your number from the ranges in Section 1.

• Beginner: 10 sets/week
• Intermediate: 16 sets/week (our example)
• Advanced: 20 sets/week

If you're unsure, start on the lower end. You can always add more later. Starting too high is a recipe for burnout.

Step 2: Divide Sets Between Muscle Groups

"Legs" isn't one muscle. You need to allocate your total sets across the major muscle groups. A balanced approach for 16 weekly sets looks like this:

• Quads: 8 sets
• Hamstrings: 8 sets
• Glutes: Get significant indirect work from squats and deadlifts, so they only need 2-4 direct sets.
• Calves: 4-6 direct sets (they are stubborn and need their own focus).

This is a starting point. If your hamstrings are a weak point, you could do 10 sets for them and 6 for quads.

Step 3: Structure Your Two Workouts

Now, split that volume across two non-consecutive days, like Monday and Thursday. This allows for at least 48 hours of recovery. You can structure them as two full-body leg days or focus one day more on quads and the other on hamstrings.

Example 16-Set Weekly Plan:

Workout A: Quad Focus (Monday)

• Barbell Back Squats: 3 sets of 5-8 reps (Works quads, glutes)
• Leg Press: 3 sets of 10-15 reps (Works quads)
• Leg Curls: 3 sets of 10-15 reps (Works hamstrings)
• Standing Calf Raises: 3 sets of 10-15 reps

*Total Sets: 9 (plus 3 for calves)*

Workout B: Hamstring Focus (Thursday)

• Romanian Deadlifts: 3 sets of 6-10 reps (Works hamstrings, glutes)
• Bulgarian Split Squats: 2 sets per leg of 8-12 reps (Works quads, glutes)
• Leg Extensions: 2 sets of 12-20 reps (Works quads)
• Seated Calf Raises: 3 sets of 15-25 reps

*Total Sets: 7 (plus 3 for calves)*

This split delivers your 16 total hard sets for quads and hamstrings for the week, all within the most effective ranges per session.

Step 4: Train with the Right Intensity

A "set" only counts if it's challenging. The best way to measure this is with Reps in Reserve (RIR). It means you end the set knowing you could have done only 1-2 more perfect reps before your form broke down.

• For heavy compound lifts (Squats, Deadlifts): Aim for 2 RIR. Leave a little in the tank to stay safe and manage fatigue.
• For isolation machines (Leg Curls, Extensions): Aim for 1 RIR. You can push these closer to failure safely.

If you're finishing a set of 10 reps feeling like you could have done 5 more, it doesn't count as a growth-stimulating set. That set was a warm-up. The last 2-3 reps of every working set should be a real struggle.

Week 1 Will Feel Wrong. That's the Point.

Switching from a once-a-week annihilation to a twice-a-week frequency feels strange at first. Your ego will take a hit, and you might question the process. Here is the honest timeline of what to expect so you don't quit before the magic happens.

Weeks 1-2: The Adaptation Phase.

You will feel weaker. Your squat numbers might even go down. This is because your body isn't used to the new stimulus and is in a constant state of low-level repair. You won't get that satisfying, crippling soreness you're used to. Instead, you'll feel a dull, persistent ache. This is normal. Your job is to trust the process, hit your target sets and reps with good form, and focus on recovery. Do not add more sets to chase the feeling of soreness.

Month 1 (Weeks 3-4): The Turning Point.

This is when your body adapts. Suddenly, the workouts will start to feel good. Your strength will return to your old baseline and then begin to surpass it. You'll walk into your second leg session of the week feeling capable, not dreaded. The low-level ache will be replaced by a feeling of being "primed." This is the signal that your body has successfully adapted to the higher frequency of training.

Month 2-3: Visible Progress.

Now the real results begin. Because you're stimulating muscle growth twice as often, the changes become visible. You'll notice more shape in your quads and a better curve in your hamstrings. Your lifts will be increasing consistently, whether by adding 5 pounds to the bar or getting one more rep than last time. This is progressive overload in action, and it's the ultimate proof that the system is working. If your strength isn't trending up by month two, and you feel constantly run-down, reduce your weekly volume by 2 sets. You likely overestimated your recovery capacity.

You read this far. You're serious.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Total Sets vs. Per Muscle Group

Your total weekly leg volume (e.g., 16 sets) is the sum of sets for each major muscle group. You must divide this total among your quads, hamstrings, and glutes. Simply doing 16 sets of squats is an unbalanced approach that will neglect your hamstrings.

Training Legs Only Once Per Week

While it's possible to grow your legs training them once a week, it's far less efficient for most people. To get enough growth stimulus in one session, you have to push into "junk volume" territory, which creates excessive fatigue and prolongs recovery for minimal extra benefit.

Counting Sets for Glutes and Calves

Glutes are heavily involved in squats, lunges, and deadlifts, so they get a lot of indirect work. Add 2-4 sets of direct work like hip thrusts or glute kickbacks per week. Calves, however, are stubborn and receive little stimulus from other lifts. They need 4-8 direct sets per week.

When to Increase Weekly Set Volume

Only increase your weekly sets when you've hit a plateau for 2-3 consecutive weeks (your lifts are stalled) AND you feel you are recovering well. If you're not sore and your energy is good, add 1-2 sets to the muscle group you want to prioritize.

Rep Ranges for Leg Growth

For big compound movements like squats and deadlifts, focus on the 5-10 rep range for strength and size. For isolation exercises like leg extensions, leg curls, and calf raises, a higher range of 10-20 reps is more effective for creating metabolic stress and muscle hypertrophy.