Will you still lose gains if you train with half the appropriate volume required?

[CheekyCuntt]

So until November I won't be able to lift at an optimal volume due to school exams and such.

Could I expect to lose gains or could I still maintain my physique?

[Heisman2]

If you push yourself really hard with the sets that you are able to do, I would be surprised if you lost any gains, assuming you're natural. It is much easier to keep the progress you have already made than it is to make new progress.

[air2fakie]

Depending on your program you may want to adjust it rather than just split volume exactly in half (e.g., lower volume of isolations more than compounds). As said above, you can probably find a way to reduce volume and maintain.

[XinXom]

Muscle maintenance volume is typically much lower than what it takes to grow them so even if your only hitting them all once a week you should be able to maintain on that.

[Mrpb]

So until November I won't be able to lift at an optimal volume due to school exams and such.

Could I expect to lose gains or could I still maintain my physique?

What do you think is optimal volume?

How much volume will you be training with? How many times a week?

[CheekyCuntt]

What do you think is optimal volume?

How much volume will you be training with? How many times a week?

I consider optimal like 12 sets per large muscle group like chest, back

Then 8-9 sets for arms and shoulders

So from now until November I might be doing like 8 sets of chest from now on, 4-8 for arms, 4-8 for back and shoulders

[Mrpb]

I consider optimal like 12 sets per large muscle group like chest, back

Then 8-9 sets for arms and shoulders

So from now until November I might be doing like 8 sets of chest from now on, 4-8 for arms, 4-8 for back and shoulders

It will probably be easy to maintain muscle with that kind of volume, assuming you train, eat and sleep right.

The idea that 12 sets per muscle group is optimal is speculation. And individual variability is large.

[1MANU]

Intensity > Volume.

[boo99]

Intensity > Volume.

Most definitely this ^^^^

This sentence on training from the late great Mike Mentzer sums it up well:

“Training should be brief and intense“

[Mrpb]

Most definitely this ^^^^

This sentence on training from the late great Mike Mentzer sums it up well:

“Training should be brief and intense“

His way of training was one way of training that works for some but there are many people who grow well on higher volume training.

Have you changed your training now?

[SubWooferCooker]

I am currently doing single set training due to going through a pretty stressful time right now i don't have the same motivation to train, my goal was to simply try and maintain but i have been pleasantly surprised to see my lifts are still going slowly going up.

[WolfRose7]

I consider optimal like 12 sets per large muscle group like chest, back

Then 8-9 sets for arms and shoulders

So from now until November I might be doing like 8 sets of chest from now on, 4-8 for arms, 4-8 for back and shoulders

Per week, per session. How do we decide what are chest sets and not arms? A decent flat bench is as much triceps as chest for example.

I think if you pick your movements well you, and if you do feel the need for isolations use density or myo work to save time then you can probably continue to progress with less "volume" than you do right now.

I'm not in the extremists camp of just up intensity to stupid levels and that compensates for sets either though.

Moderation is usually a good call. Imo

[boo99]

His way of training was one way of training that works for some but there are many people who grow well on higher volume training.

Have you changed your training now?

Yes I have

Mainly because the gym here allows only about 50 working minutes of training each session due to some ridiculous paranoia over a generally mild virus

So high volume is not possible, just intensity at this point

[1MANU]

^It may be a blessing in disguise. Intensity and low volume - new stimulus for the body.

OP you have 8 sets for chest as an example. That is plenty. If you are training with intensity and take those sets to failure you should be completely spent by set #8. I would have you crying around set #6-7. Guaranteed.

[boo99]

^It may be a blessing in disguise. Intensity and low volume - new stimulus for the body.

Exactly

Total shock to the body with totally new stimulus after months of no gym and I’m sore and dead AF post workout, I dig it

Actually I’ve been wanting to train this way for a while and you are right....a blessing in disguise!

[Mrpb]

Exactly

Total shock to the body with totally new stimulus after months of no gym and I’m sore and dead AF post workout, I dig it

Actually I’ve been wanting to train this way for a while and you are right....a blessing in disguise!

And how does it affect your strength levels?

Any idea about body comp effect?

[boo99]

And how does it affect your strength levels?

Any idea about body comp effect?

It’s only been less than three weeks since gyms reopened so hard to tell cause I’m still not back at full strength pre gym closing

I will have to give it some more time