In response to my recent article Muscle Building Myths: Workout Frequency and Muscle Atrophy someone asked why I recommend most people do two or three full-body HIT workouts per week instead of training the whole body only once a week or following a split routine working different muscle groups every four to seven days.
I replied there are some people who need to limit their workout volume and frequency to a split routine performed only once or twice a week, but it is not a good starting point for most people.
Most people will get better results training the whole body two or three times a week starting out, when they are still learning how to and getting accustomed to training more intensely. Eventually, as they learn to train harder most will need to cut back to slightly briefer workouts performed only twice a week, and some will need to split their routines and/or reduce their frequency even further, but very few will need to cut back more than that.
Often, people reduce their volume and frequency prematurely because they believe they are overtraining when their real problem is they have unrealistic expectations of how quickly they should be able to continue to gain muscular strength and size beyond their first few years of training. By doing so, they only slow their progress down even more.
I talked about this in more detail in a recent live video on my public Facebook HIT page, and posted it to my YouTube channel:
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Hi Drew,
Thanks for another session of straight talk and valuable information. I understand your points about genetic variation and adjusting your volume/frequency based on observable and measurable progress. Clearly, this will lead to optimal results. Due to business travel, I have found that a once a week Big 5 approach is all that is practical for me. If this is ultimately not optimized for my genetics (e.g. I would benefit from more frequent workouts) what is the more likely long term outcome? A- That I would never reach genetic potential or B- That I would reach genetic potential, but require a longer time period?
Thanks,
Dan
You’ll get there, just not as quickly.
While only a few compound exercises are required to effectively work all the larger muscle groups you should also include some direct exercises for smaller muscle groups not effectively worked by these including the neck, forearms, lower legs, and trunk.
Drew,
I have been lifting for 5 years now from an extreme endurance background. In that time I have tried to gain as much strength and muscle as possible through heavy lifting and diet. It was hilarious the other day trying to get my old Tri wetsuit on. I couldn’t get it past my knees due to my thighs. My waist is smaller now than when I ran ultra distance.
I have made enough progress to hit goals like 2.5 BW DL and 1.5 bench etc., so now I have been on a quest of holding on to the muscle and looking as lean as possible without sacrificing social situations and measuring things. I am 46 5/8 and 160ish.
I had been lifting 3 days per week and doing airdyne Tabata and walking daily. Doing the big 5+ lifts following a mix of your recommendations and Martin Berkham’s RPT. Just recently I went back to HIT one set. I know you know how brutal it is. I actually had a panic attack 36 hours later after my last one because the ache was so deep in the muscle and the full length of the muscle upon any use (like reaching for a pencil).
I wanted to do every 4-5 days, but literally cannot imagine doing this more than 1x/wk. I am not a stranger to pain, and work and I know the difference between pain/sore and injury. Should I push past this to get gains aesthetically? Following you and Dr. McGuff
Hey Jeff,
Pain sensitivity and tolerance varies a lot between individuals and some people get this worse than others, but the delayed onset muscle soreness lessens and gets more tolerable with time. This is why I start new clients with a somewhat less intense “break in” period and gradually build them up to the point where they’re training more intensely.
After reading several of your articles, I have been working on correcting frequency and volume for last few months. I am 56 years old. In a session, I do around 7 exercise of one set, each lasting about 90 seconds (7-8 repetitions with avg 4/8 cadence) to near MMF. For a given muscle group, IF I exercise with a gap of 8-10 days, I am able to perform well and improve on strength. However visibly not so great as the muscles start loosening. Alternatively, I am also able to reasonable repeat a given muscle group after 5 days. In this case (later), visibly it is better, but strength wise not as efficient with longer rest days. What should be the approach here?
Related to the above, I am able to achieve reasonable MMF in the first 4 exercises (one set each), but not in last 2-3 exercises, as rest of the body is not able to cope. At that point, I feel that the involved muscles can lift more, but I start feeling light headed. So to even out, I end up stopping just short of MMF right from the start. Is this OK?
Getting a few extra rest days between workouts will not cause your muscles to atrophy but it is rare for someone to need that much time between workouts to recovery. If you’re feeling light headed after only a few exercises you may need a little more rest between exercises. If you want to discuss this in more detail I’m available for consultations via phone or, if outside of the US, skype.
Hi!
I was wondering if you ever had customers (or personal experience) with too much fatigue as a result of slow reps. Higher TUL and or inroad, or something of that sorts? I don’t know how to explain my situation, but I will try.
For example. I do a program with the recommended repetition speeds, such as 3-5s up, 3-5s down, and 8-10 exercises. 1 set to failure, no set-extension/advanced techniques. With or without rest in between sets. The results will be overall fatigue, insomnia, raised heart rate etc. I could cut the volume in half or whatever, but the result is the same.
But… If I do the same with “fast” repetitions (my “fast” is still pretty slow: smooth and controlled turn-arounds, no jerking etc.), and even if I do 2 sets to absolute failure per exercise, and on top of that absolutely insane extension/advanced techniques (not with just one drop-set but 2-3 per exercise; meaning I will do, lets say, 8 reps to failure, then rest-pause for 3-4, then immediately drop weight and do X, immediately drop weight do X etc.), then end result is gains with no insomnia or any other problems.
How can this be? I’m a HIT advocate, and I do 1-2 sets per exercise, but my problem is that my body can’t handle the slow reps. How can that be? I would like to do them, I think they are safer and perhaps more effective, but somehow the metabolic stress or whatever (not the local muscle-fatigue) just kicks in the nuts. Have you encounter this?
I even tried to lower the TUL with slow reps. TUL of 30-50s average and still the end result is “overtraining”, “over-fatigue” or what the heck my situation happens to be. LOL. Anyway, I like your stuff and I would appreciate input on my situation. Keep up the good work.
Slower reps allow for more efficient muscular loading and inroading. This stuff is supposed to be hard. You should feel like you need to lay down on the floor for a while after workouts.