Effects of Knowledge of Total Set Volume on Bench Press Repetition Performance in Resistance-Trained Men

Aim Resistance training volume is one of the most important variables to induce muscular adaptations. However, high-volume training can be exhausting and cause prior knowledge of training volume in a session to negatively affect the total number of repetitions performed, thus reducing the overall training effect. This study was designed to determine the influence of prior knowledge of the number of sets to be performed on total training volume. Methods Eleven men with previous resistance training experience (≥ 12 months) performed six sets of bench press under three different conditions: a control trial (CL) where participants were informed that they would perform six sets and complete six sets; a deception trial (DC) where participants were informed they would perform three sets but had an additional three sets added after completing the first three sets, and an unknown trial (UN) in which participants received no information about how many sets would be performed but actually completed six sets. Conditions were randomized among all participants. All sets were performed to momentary concentric failure using 70% of one-repetition maximum. Results Results showed no significant difference among the three conditions for the total number of repetitions (CL = 62.4 ± 8.5, DC = 61.1 ± 13.2, UN = 62.2 ± 2.8, P = 0 .94). Conclusion These results suggest that prior knowledge of the number of sets to be performed in a training session has no significant effect on total training volume achieved in resistance-trained men.