great discussion guys!!!
for me one of the main problems with volume training is TIME!!!!
doing 4 or more sets of one exercise means that for chest example you end up doing 15 or more sets to work your chest ex 4 sets of bench press,4 sets of incline press,4 sets of decline work ex.
doing this usually takes more than an hour plus by the time you get to your last exercises your muscles are so tired from all that work that it cannot be as fresh or as strong to stimulate REAL GROWTH!!!....most people don't know this but after 45 minutes the body's testosterone level drops dramatically and cortisol(the muscle eating hormone) begins to rise ..this means that anything done after 45 mins. and you body starts to 'eat' into those muscle stores and break them down

WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT THERE WAS A BETTER WAY ?? A WAY WHERE YOU SPEND HALF THE TIME BUT GET ALMOST TWICE THE RESULTS..(no, this is not an infomercial:rollin
seriously though there is no need for more than 3 sets IF YOU TRAIN INTENSELY!!!(the exception is legs as they are used to a little more volume so the need more work ....also after the 1st exercise the bodypart you're working should be sufficiently warmed up(if not you need to develop intensity!!) so you only need 2 working sets for the other exercises for that bodypart....ex... my chest workout is workout 1...bench press 10-8-6 reps
chest dips 8-6 reps
incline dumbell flyes 8-6
THATS IT ,I'M DONE ..i've worked my chest from ALL angles(flat,upper,decline) and as my chest was already warmed up from bench presses i can go straight into my 2 working sets and give it maximum INTENSITY!!!
my other alternate chest workouts are :
workout 2...incline dumbell press 10-8-6
flat dumbell flyes 8-6
dcline bench press 8-6
workout 3......incline bench press 10-8-6
flat dumbell press 8-6
decline flyes 8-6
my chest workout takes 20-23 minutes after which i'll hit my shoulders for about the same time
my typical workout time is anywhere from 30 min. to 50 min. (the 50 min. time is usually on a leg day because of those #@!# squats:rolleyes (especially after a set of 20 rep breathing squats or a heavy set of 8 reps where my physical body gives out at ythe 6 th rep and i have to use pure mental strength to finish)
that's it...train SHORT...HARD...AND HEAVY... AND THEN GO HOME....remember that the body does'nt grow while in the gym but when you're out ...this is where PROPER REST AND NUTRITION COME INTO PLAY AS THESE WILL MAKE OR BREAK YOUR PROGRESS!!!!