When is one-set training worthwhile?

If you are a total beginner, it seems that one set will suffice to make significant strength gain. A study from Appalachian State University found almost any overload at all could instigate change in subjects who were totally inexperienced at strength training. In addition, one-set training as been shown to be sufficient to offset the loss in muscle tissue associated with losing weight. Research published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that adding one-set strength training to aerobic exercise and diet attenuated muscle loss while still allowing fat loss to take place. And finally, if your main goal is to develop your aerobic fitness(say, for example, you are training for a half marathon or a charity bike ride), one set may be enough to create a base of muscular strength and more robust connective tissue. It is worth mentioning that one-set groups in research studies do get stronger just not as strong as the multiple-set groups. For example, in one study they gained 6% in thigh strength compared to 15% for the multiple-set group.