“Minimum Effective Dose” Beats Maximum Volume — Every Time

You often hear the mantra “more is better”, yet nothing could be further from the truth—especially for strength and muscle gains. In reality, it's not about how much you do; it's about doing just enough, and then letting recovery do the rest.

I’ll be the first to admit it — Even with all the knowledge I thought I had, I was caught in the “more is better” trap for a few years.

Back then, I trained 5 to 6 days a week, convinced that if I wasn’t seeing the results I wanted, the solution had to be more. More sets, more reps, heavier weights, shorter rest, more supersets, more dropsets… if it had “more” in it, I was doing it.

I genuinely loved training, and at the time, I had the hours to spend in the gym. So I kept pushing. I thought the results would eventually catch up to the effort. But instead, I stayed stuck — spinning my wheels for years.

Fast forward to a couple of years ago, life got busier. I launched my coaching business, my workload ramped up, and my sleep quality and quantity took a big dip. Suddenly those long sessions weren’t realistic anymore. That forced me to rethink everything. I dug into the research, took a step back, and decided to experiment on myself.

The first big change was to cut my weekly volume in half. I dropped down to just three full-body sessions per week. And honestly, I was shocked — my strength went up, my energy came back, and my body composition actually improved.

Then I pushed it further. I switched to 4–5 short sessions per week, no more than 30 minutes each, with a focus on just two compound lifts per session. I was mind blown! My strength shot up in a way it hadn’t in years. It was a lightbulb moment.

It wasn’t about how much I was doing — it was about doing the right things, with intent, and letting my body recover properly.

My new mantra became to DO THE LEAST AMOUNT OF WORK TO PRODUCE THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF RESULTS which I first heard from Adam Scheifer from the great Mind Pump Podcast.

So enough of me! lets dive into what Minimum Effective Dose is and how it works!

What Is the Minimum Effective Dose?

The Minimum Effective Dose (MED) refers to the smallest amount of training needed to stimulate meaningful progress, while still allowing your body to recover fully. This approach isn’t about being lazy or avoiding effort—it’s about being smart, strategic, and focused. You train with intent, apply proper stimulus, and leave room for adaptation. That’s how progress happens.

Why Less (but Better) Often Wins

Imagine two scenarios:

1. Training 6 days a week, but constantly running on fatigue, sleep-deprived and undernourished.

2. Training 3 days a week, for 30–45 minutes, with laser focus, proper sleep, and nutrition.

Which one do you think delivers better results?

It’s almost always the second. Here’s why:

• Stress + Fatigue = Progress Killer: High frequency, low recovery = chronic stress and stalled gains.

• Consistency Beats Quantity: Overreaching makes sticking to a plan harder.

• Recovery is Essential: Adaptation happens when you're resting, not constantly pushing.

  
  

What the Research Shows

1. Less Training, Good Gains in Novices

A systematic review found that even one weekly session with fewer than 3 sets, and loads under 50% of 1RM can produce significant strength gains in untrained individuals over 6–12 weeks Link

2. 3 vs. 6 Days Per Week — Same Muscle Growth

In trained lifters, one RCT comparing 3 and 6 sessions per week, with total weekly volume held equal, found comparable hypertrophy and strength gains over six weeks. Link.

3. Minimal Volume Strategies Work

A review exploring “minimal dose” resistance strategies—like a single weekly session or even brief “exercise snacks”—found that muscle strength can improve significantly even with lower-than-recommended volume Link

4. Minimal Dose for Max Strength

Powerlifting research including controlled trials supports the concept of a minimum effective training dose (METD) for improving 1RM strength, even among elite athletes Link

5. Quality Over Quantity

A new preprint in SportRxiv showed that just two heavy, focused sets per exercise, done 2–3 times weekly, drove excellent strength gains—often outperforming longer, fluffier sessions Link

How to Apply MED in Your Program

1. Train hard, rest harder - Your recovery time is when strength happens. Without it, even heavy training is wasted energy.

2. Keep sessions sharp and short - Aim for 30–45 minutes filled with high-intent lifts—think compound movements and controlled tempo.

3. Avoid chasing burnout or soreness - Muscle soreness isn’t a badge of honor. Focus on performance and progress.

4. Match or bump volume carefully - If progress stalls, add another set or session—but only if recovery is solid.

   
   

Sample Week

Day	Focus	Notes
Mon	Squat + Press (3–4 sets each)	Heavy loads, controlled reps
Wed	Deadlift + Row (3–4 sets each)	Balanced compound focus
Fri	Overhead + Accessory (3–4 sets)	Maintain symmetry, finish strong

Progressively increase load, keep sessions intentional, sleep 7–9 hours, and eat enough to recover.

Final Takeaway

Stop thinking “I’ll grind harder.” Start thinking “What’s the least I can do to make progress—and actually recover?” That’s Minimum Effective Dose—and that’s where true strength lives.

I hope you found this helpful!

Until next time.