TRAINING VARIABLE #2
FREQUENCY
❱❱ FOR STRENGTH
Science tells us training
a muscle group 2 to 3
times per week is better
than once a week if your
goal is to become as
strong as possible. More
volume usually means
more gains. Zourdos et al.,
(2015) recorded strength
gains made by well-trained
powerlifters and found that
they were making good
progress with daily 1RM (the
maximum amount of force
that can be generated in one
maximal contraction) training.
In their research Zourdos
et al. stated: “It is unlikely
this type of training can nor
should be maintained year-
round and rather may be
more appropriate as a single
intensity block (mesocycle)
to peak for competition
within a macrocycle of sound
periodization principles.
Furthermore, it is advisable
that only lifters with multiple
years of training experience
and technical proficiency
should engage in daily 1RM
training; novice/ intermediate
trainees can make progress
with much lower volume/
frequency and should take
advantage of the opportunity
to progress with less
demanding training.”
❱❱ FOR HYPERTROPHY
“IF YOUR GOAL
IS TO BECOME
STRONGER IN A
PARTICULAR LIFT
YOU SHOULD
USE MODERATE
FREQUENCY AS
THE FOUNDATION
OF YOUR
PROGRAMME
BEFORE ADDING
PERIODS OF
INTENSIFIED
TRAINING TO
INCREASE POWER
AND STRENGTH.”
Training a muscle group
2 to 3 times per week is
better than the typical
bodybuilding split of only
once a week, because most
of the scientific evidence
available shows a positive
trend for hitting a muscle
group twice a week for
muscle gains. Looking at
recent studies of Crewther
et al., 2016, Schoenfeld
et al., 2016, Gental et al.,
2015 and Benton et al.,
2011 research definitely
favours a higher frequency
per muscle group if you are
a bodybuilder. There was
only one study (Thomas and
Burns, 2016) that showed
no statistically significant
difference between a high
or low frequency training
protocol.
❱❱ IN PRACTICE
Most of the studies that
favour training a muscle
group twice a week have
limiting factors, such as
the tests predominantly
being conducted on
untrained participants, old
and obese participants.
The experiments were also
short in duration, which
raises the question of the
effect of higher-frequency
routines in the long term.
If your goal is to become
stronger in a particular lift
you should use moderate
frequency (i.e. 1-3 times)
as the foundation of your
programme before adding
periods of intensified
training (i.e. 3-6 times)
to increase power and
strength. Bodybuilders who
chase hypertrophy should
cycle between high and low
training frequencies (e.g.,
1-2 per muscle group per
week) for best results. There
is, however, no one-size-fits-
all recommendation.
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