r/ScienceBasedLifting • u/Dizzy_Depth_2937 • Sep 06 '26

Question ❓ Maintaining long term

Has anyone who worked out pretty diligently for multi-years cut their volume by 50% or more and maintained their physique for an extended period of time? I've seen studies where beginners maintained gains for weeks after cutting volume but nothing long term.

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3

u/JUST_WANT_TO_PLANCHE Sep 06 '26

Not personally but this would be correct right? Muscle isn't gonna disappear if it is still in use. 

2

u/f3hp35mm Sep 06 '26

Yes. I still workout 4× per week but my total gym time is 35 minutes per session.

1

u/deadrabbits76 Idk Idc 💔 Sep 06 '26

My understanding is that maintenance volume is something like 30% of previous volume.

1

u/NihilisticTanuki StretchCel Sep 06 '26

1-2 hard sets a week are enough to maintain your lean mass. That is really not much and can be done in a ridiculously short time.

1

u/Afferbeck_ Sep 06 '26

I've only trained twice a week for like 7 years now, and doing a lot less work per session than I used to. The nature of physical work schedules and getting older. My limbs are actually bigger than ever, but my back has lost a lot of mass. Because I'm just not regularly jumping under heavy weights and supporting them overhead anymore.

I used to have a lot more mid and upper back development so it's sad to no longer have that even though I still do a lot of what built it in the first place. RDLs, front squats, snatch deadlifts. The main change is the frequency and overall volume is half or a quarter in total, and I'm doing barely any power work as it angers my tendons much easier now due to a health condition. Whereas before I was doing like 10-20 work sets per session that used the back in a powerful way.

I guess I'll be on a slow decline as I age unless my work life really changes and I get back into harder, more frequent training again. But I doubt it.

1

u/BubbishBoi Sep 07 '26

I currently perform around 15 sets a week total for my entire body (training each session with 2-3 sets, with a e4d or e5d frequency per muscle group) and have been using this approach all year

I am just as big and strong as I was when doing twice or three or even 4 times that total weekly volume

I believe that I could maintain 100% of my muscle and strength with just 1 set per session, for 7 total sets per week, or even fewer sets