The Frequency Fix
I have often found that a lagging
body part simply needs more
attention than those muscles that
grow more easily. While hitting a
muscle with max intensity just
once per week is enough to ignite
hypertrophy in most cases, a
stubborn area may require two
to three workouts in a seven-day
period to effectively foster
growth. The reason for this is not
clear, but it may have something
to do with the recovery ability
of the slower-responding muscle
group. If the triceps, for example,
are overly resilient, recuperating
fully just 24 to 48 hours after
being worked directly, then
waiting too long to train them
again might be counterproductive.
They may need two or even three
hits per week to avoid regression
(in a one-step-forward, one-
step-back manner) and force
enough cellular microtrauma for
anabolism to be set in motion.
Using the triceps as the lagging
muscle, here’s an example of
how you can effectively train with
greater frequency to manifest
more rapid progress.
WHAT’S YOUR
FREQUENCY
WORKOUT
EXERCISE
SETS REPS
3 7–9
Monday
Smith Machine
Close-grip
Bench Press
3
Rope Pressdown
3 13–15
3 10–12
Wednesday
Overhead Cable
Rope Extension
3
Friday or Saturday
Lying Barbell
Extension
106
3
FLEX | MARCH ’18
1 x 13–15,
1 x 10–12,
1 x 7–9