What if I told you there was a way to continue to gain muscle growth and strength while cutting your gym time nearly in half and not changing which workouts you do at all? That’s the idea behind one of the latest studies examining the “minimum effective dose” (MED) of training, aka the absolute least amount of time you can spend in the gym and still get results.
In the study, aptly titled “Less Time, Same Gains,” currently available as a pre-print ahead of publication (meaning it’s not yet peer-reviewed), researchers compared the efficacy of supersets to traditional straight sets for six resistance training exercises (1).
The results are everything a busy, aspirational gym lover could hope for: Supersets save nearly 40 percent of time compared to straight sets but elicit similar results in muscular strength, size, power, and endurance.
Time savings are a big deal for weight training enthusiasts. But just how much time can you really save without compromising results? We ransacked the web for research and consulted with a strength coach and an exercise physiologist to find out.
About the Experts
James Brady is a UK-based certified personal trainer at OriGym. He’s an expert in training methods and the psychology of fitness and healthfulness
Chris Mohr, Ph.D., R.D., is a fitness and nutrition expert and performance coach. He was the consulting Sports Nutritionist for the Cincinnati Bengals and the University of Massachusetts Athletic Program.
What Is the “Minimum Effective Dose”?
James Brady, a UK-based certified personal trainer at OriGym, explains that the concept behind a minimum effective dose (MED) is all about maximizing efficiency in your workouts.
“The MED of exercise refers to the smallest amount of training needed to achieve the desired strength and hypertrophy gains,” Brady says. “In the context of strength and hypertrophy training, MED focuses on efficiency by identifying the least volume, intensity, and frequency of workouts required to stimulate muscle growth and strength improvements without unnecessary additional training.”
This approach challenges the ever-persistent culture of “more, more, more” that haunts the fitness industry.
Brady points out that more time in the gym doesn’t always equal more gains, Brady says. “Many people believe that spending long hours in the gym every day is necessary for significant muscle growth, but muscle growth is more about the quality of workouts rather than the quantity of time spent.”
How Much Time Do You Need to Keep Making Gains?
Exercise scientists have conducted plenty of studies trying to answer this question, yet none—as of yet—have nailed down a true MED for building muscle mass or strength.
It’s possible they never will. The reason? A bonafide MED would vary widely from person to person due to factors like age, sex, body type, training history, current training status, training goals, and, of course, genetics.
But—and this is a big but—there is no shortage of research that can help motivated people substantially shorten their workouts and still achieve significant gains. Here’s what it says.
Beginners make progress with as little as one workout per week
Because it’s impossible to combine all the data on strength training into one neat, logical dataset, this 2024 narrative review summarizes the bulk of the existing literature on training minimums (2). The evidence suggests that for beginners, even one strength training session per week can be enough to make progress.
The beginners in the study trained a load under half of their one-rep max, performing 6-15 reps with fewer than three working sets of compound exercises. The researchers found that greater intensity—achieved through more reps or more weight—tends to yield better results, but the review still proves, at least for beginners, that there’s more than one way to skin a cat.
Upping the intensity can lower time spent in the gym
In a study designed to find the minimum training dose for powerlifters of varying experience levels, researchers concluded that people can make meaningful progress with as few as 3 working sets perweek (3). With a few caveats.
The subjects of this study were powerlifters, so they were already incredibly strong. Plus, their three working sets were spread across one to three training sessions per week. They used loads greater than 80 percent of their one-rep max lift, performed at very high-intensity levels, and stayed consistent for 6 to 12 weeks.
Plus, these powerlifters often used “back-off” sets—performing the same exercise with less weight or intensity. There’s a good chance these lifters were warming up with significant loads as well, seeing as they’re powerlifters.
That said, it’s crystal clear that increased intensity can reduce the time you need to spend in the gym.
Hard, heavy sets get “suboptimal yet significant” gains
The 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis concluded that a single set performed one to three times per week produces “suboptimal yet significant” gains in squat and bench press one-rep max in men with resistance training experience (4). Meaning: While greater volume might lead to more significant strength improvements, you can still make progress at a lower training dose.
There are caveats, of course:
Your load should be 70 to 85 percent of your one-rep max (1RM)
Stick to a rep range of 6 to 12 reps
Your intensity (effort) must be high, reaching volitional or momentary failure
The researchers tried to find the MED for increasing deadlift 1RM but were unable to draw any conclusions due to a lack of previous research.
This study investigated whether training frequency had any effect on muscle growth when factoring total volume—i.e. load x sets x reps—into the equation. The conclusion? A resounding “no.”
The study authors confirmed as long as your total volume stays the same, how often you train a specific muscle doesn’t really matter. The practical takeaway: Whether you train your calves once a week or every day, you’ll get the same results as long as the total volume is consistent (5).
Fewer sets get fewer gains, but gains nonetheless
Contrary to some of the other data we’ve covered, the researchers behind this meta-analysis found that a low weekly set volume (fewer than 5 sets of multi-joint exercises or isolation exercises) doesn’t deliver the same results as a medium weekly set volume (5 to 9 sets) or high weekly set volume (more than 9 sets), even in novice lifters (6).
The authors recommended that new-to-intermediate lifters aim for a medium or high weekly set volume, while intermediate-to-experienced lifters should target a medium or high volume. That said, the low weekly set volume still did result in some gains, reinforcing the idea that some is always better than none.
How to Minimize Time in the Gym
Don’t fear failure
If there’s one common theme across research on doing the bare minimum and still getting gains in the gym, it’s this: intensity—or effort—is a critical piece of the muscle growth puzzle. The majority of studies that suggest you can grow muscle or build strength with fewer than five sets per week also stipulate that those sets must be done at a high intensity (greater than 70 percent one-rep max) and at a high RPE (it’s gotta feel tough).
This aligns with some relatively recent findings suggesting that the load itself isn’t as crucial as bringing the muscle to failure. Exhausting the muscle fibers seems to be the driving force behind growth, mass-wise (7) (8).
One more thing: Be honest about your effort level. Some research indicates even those with a year or more of resistance training experience can be garbage at accurately evaluating their effort during lifts. You might be able to fool yourself out of that last rep, but your muscles know better (9).
Editor’s Note: training to or close to failure is a powerful means for developing strength and size, but also comes with more risk. Be safe in the gym and, when needed, call over a spotter for workouts where failure may endanger your person.
Prioritize compound exercises
Compound (multi-joint) exercises—like squats, lunges, deadlifts, shoulder presses, and bent-over rows, —should be your go-to moves. These exercises, which involve multiple joints and muscle groups, help you maintain a healthy, functional life but also deliver more bang for your weightlifting buck than isolation (single-joint) exercises such as leg extension, hamstring curl, and triceps extension.
Research consistently shows that multi-joint exercises produce greater strength and muscle gains than single-joint exercises, even when frequency, volume, and other variables are taken into account. For those new to training, single-joint exercises are unlikely to provide any significant added benefit (10) (11).
Shorten rest intervals
Conventional powerlifting wisdom tells us to rest 3 to 5 minutes between sets to maximize lifting potential—and by extension, your strength-gaining potential—for each set. Newer research suggests this advice might not be so cut-and-dry, at least not if your goal is muscle hypertrophy.
A preprint of a systematic review and meta-analysis by researchers from the CUNY Lehman College, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, and Robert Gordon University asserts that you can achieve meaningful hypertrophic results with rest intervals as short as 60 seconds. For those new to training, a mere 1 to 2 minutes may also be enough to maximize strength gains.
How much time could you save each day—or week—if you took your rest intervals down from 3 minutes to one for each set (12) (13)?
Incorporate supersets and drop sets
Supersets (or drop sets) could be the ultimate time-saving factor for experienced lifters (1) (14) (15).
“Super sets, where exercises are done continuously without rest, are a time-efficient way to increase exercise intensity and can lead to hypertrophy, just like traditional straight sets,” says Chris Mohr, Ph.D., R.D. “Drop sets, where the weight or number of reps changes across sets, may increase muscle tension and may be helpful for preventing strength plateaus.”
Importantly, Mohr points out that these methods can also lead to increased muscle fatigue and require a bit more caution to avoid overtraining. “Just because something is harder, doesn’t mean it’s necessarily better,” Mohr says—but when employed safely and effectively, these strategies may have substantial impacts on muscle size and strength.
James Brady, a UK-based certified personal trainer at OriGym, provides this sample weekly workout split, which focuses on saving time and making gains.
3-Day Full-Body Workout Split
For all sets of exercises, try to work at an RPE of at least 7. Keep rest intervals to 60 to 90 seconds between sets to minimize time spent in the gym.
Day 1: Full Body Workout A
Back Squats: 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Superset: Bench Press + Bent-Over Rows
Bench Press: 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Bent-Over Rows: 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Overhead Press: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Plank: 3 sets, hold for 30-60 seconds
Day 2: Rest or Active Recovery
Light activities like walking, stretching, or yoga
Light activities like walking, stretching, or yoga
Day 5: Full Body Workout C
Superset: Leg Press + Romanian Deadlift
Leg Press: 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Romanian Deadlift: 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Dips: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Hanging Leg Raises: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Day 6: Rest or Active Recovery
Light activities like walking, stretching, or yoga
Day 7: Rest
The Bottom Line
The concept of a minimum effective dose is wildly appealing, especially to individuals who struggle to find the time to train, and those who are simply disinterested in training but want to support their health and well-being. To minimize time in the gym while still getting gains, do this: train to or close to failure, prioritize compound lifts, shorten your rest times between sets, and experiment with supersets and drop sets.
Amanda Capritto is a content writer and journalist with extensive experience in health, fitness, lifestyle, nutrition, and outdoor recreation. Her work has appeared in featured in Byrdie, CNET, Garage Gym Reviews, Prevention, LIVESTRONG, Verywell Fit, and more.
