For the sake of example...low rep high volume
If 20 sets were needed for a certain goal say hypertrophy. Would there be a problem in spreading out the 20 sets over the training week. Instead of cramming then in on say 2 separate days cutting them up over 5.
Does volume have to be addressed per training session for specific gains or is total work volume okay to go by?
Spreading the volume out is exactly what to do if you want to avoid hypertrophy.
There has to be some accute fatigue as well as lots of tension to get significant structural adaptations for most people.
Thanks!
first of all I don't quite understand your question. Also what are your training goals? that might help with your question.
from what I am getting so far you want to spread out one workout over the whole week because you feel 20sets is too much, and you want hypertrophy? but you want to know if spreading out the sets or work volume will make progress retarded. I take it you are asking about results before knowing how a workout will work for you before modification and after program modification?
you also ask about total work volume done on spread out over 5 days. as I don't know what your specific goals are, you may want to find out why the workout calls for 20 sets. if it deals with maximizing limit strength over a period of time then you may not want to mess with breaking up the sets because it takes away from the max limit strength over a period of time. example- you are supposed to training to be able to lift max over a period of 20-30 minutes for a particular lift, but you instead spread it out over 5 days and instead only train to lift maybe a max for 1-3 minutes total.
one example for what I think you want to do are m&f mag workouts that cover 5 days a week of hypertrophy.