https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/02/04/12/25/man-2037255_1280.jpg

Remember the formula below:

**Reps * Sets * Load=VOLUME.**

R*S*L=V means:

- R is the total amount of repetitions performed of an exercise for a particular muscle.
- S is the total amount of sets (a set of reps) performed of an exercise for a particular muscle.
- L is the load on the muscle which causes the mechanical tension (distance measured in percentage of from your 1 Rep Max)
- V is the outcome of multiplying R by S by L. 

So what is the volume of a typical workout for biceps if you have 5 sets of 5 reps? We call this a 5x5 bicep routine but without knowing how much weight relative to 1 Rep Max we do not know really what the load is. We determine load based on the 1 Rep Max which is the highest weight repetition which can be performed with perfect form.

So let's assume your 1 Rep Max is 40lbs in each bicep for the curl. This is the maximum amount you can curl with perfect form. To trigger muscle hyperthropy you would only require 60% of this amount which is a mild 24lbs. To be fair, since dumbells do not come in 24 lbs, it's safe to say you should be curling 25lbs.

So now we have L which is 25lbs. We can input this into our formula:

5x5x25=**625**

V = 625 for the bicep curl for a session. To provide progressive overload all an ordinary person must do is increase V over time.

> Progressive overload is the gradual increase of stress placed upon the body during exercise training.

The keyword here is "gradual". Evidence suggests that if you push too hard too soon you can over train. This means you overtax primarily your central nervous system and you surpass your maximum recoverable volume or MRV. To determine MRV you basically have to ramp up your volume until you get to the point of overtraining (when you stop seeing progress due to diminished ability to recover). 

The ideal or sweet spot for muscle growth is to hit the minimum effective volume or MEV. This is the minimum amount of volume you must provide your muscles to trigger adaptation. In addition, higher frequency can help, meaning if you work your biceps 5x5x25 for a total of 625 V, and you do this three times per week instead of once a week, then this increased work out frequency can be beneficial. But the volume has to be kept within your MRV limit and closer to your MEV which means what? It means you can get good results if you lower your load but lift very frequently rather than to go heavy all the time (if the goal is muscle growth rather than strength).



References
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Miranda, H., Simão, R., Moreira, L. M., de Souza, R. A., de Souza, J. A. A., de Salles, B. F., & Willardson, J. M. (2009). Effect of rest interval length on the volume completed during upper body resistance exercise. Journal of sports science & medicine, 8(3), 388.

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_overload
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-repetition_maximum
3. https://renaissanceperiodization.com/training-volume-landmarks-muscle-growth/