I Cut My Workouts In Half (And Maybe You Should Too)

Summary

In this 100-day experiment, the speaker explores the effects of drastically reducing workout volume while cutting fat. By lowering his volume to just 1-2 sets per exercise, compared to his usual high-volume approach, he tests whether less can still yield muscle maintenance and fat loss. The results show that, despite the lower volume, he maintained strength, gained lean mass, and improved physique definition. The video also discusses scientific research on training volume, providing practical insights for those cutting or seeking more efficient workouts. Ultimately, the speaker advocates for lower-volume, high-intensity training during a cut for better recovery and time efficiency.

Takeaways

• 💪 The creator reduced his workout volume for 100 days, going from 3–4 sets per exercise to just 1–2 all-out sets, to test the effects on muscle retention and growth.
• 📉 Traditional science suggests that optimal muscle growth occurs with 10–20 sets per muscle per week, but the experimenter trained with roughly 6–7 sets per muscle weekly.
• 📚 Research over the past decade has generally shown a dose-response relationship—more training volume tends to produce more muscle growth, but with diminishing returns.
• ⚖️ Many scientific studies supporting high-volume training only tested one or two muscles at a time and didn’t account for full-body fatigue or real-world recovery limits.
• 🔥 During a caloric deficit (cutting phase), recovery ability decreases, making lower-volume, higher-intensity training potentially more effective and sustainable.
• 🧠 The 'focus effect' was a major benefit of low-volume training—fewer sets increased mental focus, effort, and execution quality for every set performed.
• 🩻 After 100 days, DEXA scans showed the creator lost 5.5 lbs of fat and only 1.8 lbs of lean mass, maintaining or even slightly improving muscle despite cutting.
• 🏋️ Strength improved or stayed consistent across lifts, including new personal records on the pendulum squat and chest press, even while losing body weight.
• 🕒 Shorter, more efficient workouts (around 45–60 minutes) boosted enjoyment, consistency, and recovery, making training more sustainable long-term.
• 🔁 The experiment led to a change in philosophy: during cuts, low-volume training is ideal; during bulks, focus on higher volume for one muscle group at a time, rotating focus periodically.
• 📱 The creator launched a new low-volume, high-intensity program called 'Minmax,' featuring short, effective workouts, detailed exercise demos, and scientific explanations.

Q & A

Why did the author cut his workout volume in half for 100 days?

The author reduced his workout volume to test the effects of low-volume training, specifically to see if it would lead to muscle loss, and to explore whether less volume could still maintain or even enhance muscle growth under certain conditions.

What is meant by 'training volume' in the context of the script?

Training volume refers to the total number of hard working sets you perform for a muscle each week. A high volume program involves performing more sets, while a low volume program involves fewer sets.

How did the author's workout routine change over the 100-day period?

The author shifted from a high-volume workout routine (3-4 sets per exercise) to a low-volume routine, doing only 1-2 sets per exercise, with most sets taken to failure. This new routine included a split of upper-lower-rest, repeated over 14 weeks.

What does the research generally say about the relationship between training volume and muscle growth?

The research consistently shows a dose-response relationship, where higher training volume tends to result in more muscle growth, with studies suggesting a range of 10-20 sets per muscle per week as optimal.

What practical issues did the author identify with high training volumes?

High training volumes can lead to recovery issues, especially when training multiple muscles at once. Additionally, high volume training is harder to sustain in a caloric deficit, where recovery capacity is lower.

Why did the author question the effectiveness of high-volume training in the long term?

The author questioned whether high-volume training truly provides long-term benefits or just short-term gains, as many studies only last 6-12 weeks and fail to examine long-term effects on muscle growth.

What was the biggest takeaway from the author’s personal 100-day experiment?

The author’s biggest takeaway was that low-volume, high-intensity training could be effective in maintaining muscle mass and strength, even while cutting, and might actually feel better and be more sustainable over time.

What are some advantages of low-volume training that the author highlighted?

Low-volume training was easier to stick to, more enjoyable, and allowed for higher intensity per set. The author also found that it improved focus, as shorter workouts helped avoid distractions and reduced fatigue.

What did the author’s results show after 100 days of low-volume training?

After 100 days, the author maintained muscle fullness and strength, losing 5.5 lbs of fat mass and only 1.8 lbs of lean mass. His DEXA scans also showed an increase in lean mass between day 30 and day 100, along with strength gains in key lifts.

What does the new 2023 study mentioned in the script suggest about low-volume training?

The 2023 study suggested that low-volume training, especially when taken to failure, can still lead to significant gains in muscle mass and strength. It demonstrated that even experienced lifters could make progress with a low-volume program.

How does the author’s perspective on volume training change when in a caloric deficit?

While the author initially believed that volume training should remain the same whether in a surplus or deficit, the low-volume experiment led him to conclude that low-volume, high-intensity training is better for maintaining muscle during a caloric deficit due to reduced recovery capacity.