How Often Should You Train For BEST Strength

Summary

Dr. Mike from Renaissance Periodization discusses the impact of training frequency on strength plateaus. He explains the benefits of higher frequencies, such as increased opportunities for muscle growth and improved technique through more frequent, lower-volume sessions. However, he also warns of the potential downsides, including joint irritation, systemic and psychological fatigue. He suggests adjusting training frequency by either adding technique-focused sessions or reducing overloading sessions to find the optimal balance for individual progress.

Takeaways

• 🏋️ Training frequency can impact strength gains, with higher frequencies potentially leading to more progress opportunities.
• 📈 Splitting training volume across more sessions can sustainably increase weekly volume and muscle growth.
• 🍽️ An analogy to eating habits explains how spreading training sessions throughout the week can be more effective than fewer, larger sessions.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Fewer sets per session at higher frequencies can lead to higher quality sets due to less fatigue and better technique.
• 💪 Technique development is enhanced with more frequent training, especially beneficial for those learning new movements.
• ⏰ The recovery-adaptation curve is a critical factor in determining how often one can effectively train a particular movement.
• 🚫 High frequency training can lead to joint and connective tissue irritation, a common issue in powerlifting.
• 😓 Systemic and psychological fatigue are significant risks with high frequency training, potentially leading to burnout.
• 🔄 To break through plateaus, consider adjusting training frequency by either adding technique-focused sessions or reducing overloading sessions.
• ⚖️ Normative training frequencies for strength training typically range from two to four hard sessions per movement type per week.

Q & A

What is the main topic of discussion in Dr. Mike's video?

The main topic of discussion in Dr. Mike's video is optimizing training frequency to break through strength plateaus.

What are the benefits of higher training frequencies according to the video?

Higher training frequencies offer more opportunities to stimulate progress, potentially lead to more muscle growth, allow for a higher total volume per week when volume is split, and can improve technique development.

How does eating frequency relate to training frequency in the video?

The video uses the analogy of eating frequency to explain training frequency, suggesting that spreading out meals or training sessions throughout the day can lead to better absorption and performance, just as spreading out training sessions can lead to better training quality and volume.

What is the impact of fewer sets per session with higher training frequency?

With higher training frequency, fewer sets per session can lead to higher quality sets because fatigue and technique deterioration are less pronounced, allowing for better performance and technique.

What are the potential downsides of high training frequency mentioned in the video?

The potential downsides of high training frequency include joint and connective tissue irritation, systemic fatigue, and excessive psychological fatigue.

Why might some lifters avoid ultra-high frequencies in their training?

Some lifters avoid ultra-high frequencies because it can lead to unsustainable levels of fatigue and potential injury, especially for those with large volumes of training.

What is the recommended normative frequency for strength training according to the video?

The recommended normative frequency for strength training is generally two to four overloading sessions per movement type per week.

How can one adjust their training frequency if they suspect they are overdoing it?

If one suspects they are overdoing their training frequency, they can reduce the number of overloading sessions and replace one with a technique-only session to reduce fatigue and maintain technical development.

What should be the first step if someone is considering increasing their training frequency?

The first step in increasing training frequency should be to add a technique-only session to improve technical development without significantly increasing fatigue.

What is the advice for someone who is not seeing improvements after adding a technique-only session?

If there are no improvements after adding a technique-only session, one should assess whether they feel sufficiently challenged and if their joints can handle more frequency before deciding to add more overloading sessions.

Outlines

00:00

💪 Optimizing Training Frequency for Strength Gains

Dr. Mike discusses the importance of optimizing training frequency to break through strength plateaus. He highlights that increasing training frequency (e.g., from two to three sessions per week) provides more opportunities for muscle growth and allows for higher weekly volume. He compares it to eating multiple smaller meals to meet high-calorie requirements, emphasizing that spreading out training volume across more sessions can improve set quality, technique, and overall results.

05:02

🏋️‍♂️ Balancing Training Frequency and Joint Health

Dr. Mike explores the potential downsides of high-frequency training, particularly the risk of joint and connective tissue irritation. He warns that frequent heavy lifting, especially in powerlifting, can lead to cumulative stress on the body, resulting in chronic pain and fatigue. High-frequency training might also cause excessive systemic and psychological fatigue, making it challenging to sustain intense efforts across multiple sessions per week.

10:03

⚖️ Adjusting Frequency to Break Through Plateaus

Dr. Mike offers practical advice on adjusting training frequency to overcome plateaus. For those experiencing overtraining, he suggests reducing frequency by converting one of the overloading sessions into a technique-focused session, which eases the physical and mental burden while maintaining technical development. Conversely, for those undertraining, he recommends gradually increasing frequency by adding technique sessions before intensifying them to overloading sessions, ensuring recovery and adaptation are maintained.

Keywords

💡Training Frequency

Training frequency refers to the number of times per week an individual performs a specific exercise or training session. In the context of the video, it is discussed as a potential factor that could be causing strength plateaus. The script suggests that higher training frequencies can lead to more opportunities for progress and muscle growth, but also carries the risk of overtraining and plateaus if not managed properly.

💡Volume

Volume in strength training denotes the total amount of work performed during a training session or a week. The video script explains that by increasing training frequency, one can potentially increase the total volume sustainably, provided the volume per session is reduced. This strategy is likened to eating more frequent, smaller meals to increase daily caloric intake without feeling overly full.

💡Set Quality

Set quality pertains to the effectiveness and intensity of each set performed during a workout. The script argues that by reducing the number of sets per session through higher training frequency, the quality of each set can be maintained at a higher level. This is because performance, including the ability to lift heavier weights and maintain good form, tends to decline after several sets.

💡Technique Development

Technique development focuses on improving the skill and form of a particular exercise. The video emphasizes that higher training frequencies, especially with a focus on technique rather than overload, can accelerate the learning and refinement of exercise techniques. This is compared to practicing a sport like tennis, where frequent practice is necessary for skill improvement.

💡Stimulus Recovery Adaptation (SRA) Curve

The SRA curve is a concept used to describe the physiological process of training, recovering, and adapting to stress. The video script explains that different exercises have different SRA curve lengths, which can influence how often one can effectively train a particular movement. Shorter SRA curves allow for more frequent training sessions without overtaxing the body.

💡Systemic Fatigue

Systemic fatigue refers to the overall tiredness or exhaustion felt throughout the body, often as a result of intense or frequent training. The script warns that high training frequencies, especially with high-intensity workouts, can lead to excessive systemic fatigue, which can hinder progress and recovery.

💡Psychological Fatigue

Psychological fatigue is the mental exhaustion that can result from the stress and effort of frequent, intense training sessions. The video script describes how the constant demand to perform at a high level can lead to a significant psychological burden, potentially causing a plateau or decline in performance.

💡Normative Frequencies

Normative frequencies are the typical or standard training frequencies followed by most strength trainees. The script defines these as two to four overloading sessions per movement type per week. This serves as a baseline for comparing individual training programs and adjusting frequencies to avoid plateaus.

💡Overloading Sessions

Overloading sessions are training sessions designed to push the body beyond its current capabilities, typically involving heavy weights and lower repetitions. The video script discusses these in the context of adjusting training frequency, suggesting that reducing or converting overloading sessions to technique-focused sessions can help break through plateaus.

💡Technique-Only Sessions

Technique-only sessions are training sessions that focus solely on practicing the form and execution of an exercise without the intent to overload or maximize strength. The script suggests incorporating these sessions as a way to increase training frequency without exacerbating fatigue, potentially aiding in the recovery from plateaus.

Highlights

Training frequency could be the factor causing strength plateaus.

Higher training frequencies provide more opportunities to stimulate progress, including muscle growth.

Splitting volume across more sessions can lead to a higher total weekly volume sustainably.

An analogy is made comparing training frequency to eating frequency for optimal intake.

Fewer sets per session at higher frequencies can lead to higher quality sets.

Technique development can be improved with more frequent training sessions.

The stimulus recovery adaptation curve is shorter for technique, allowing for more frequent training.

Higher frequencies can lead to joint and connective tissue irritation.

Systemic fatigue can accumulate with high frequency and intensity training.

Psychological fatigue is a significant factor with high frequency training.

Higher frequency training can be powerful but also overwhelming.

Normative frequencies for strength training are generally two to four overloading sessions per movement type per week.

If plateauing with high frequency, consider reducing overloading sessions and replacing with technique sessions.

Adding a technique-only session can be a good first step to increase frequency without adding fatigue.

If adding technique sessions doesn't help, consider reducing the total number of sessions.

If underdoing it, start by adding a technique-only session before increasing to overloading sessions.

Always consider whether you feel sufficiently challenged and if your joints can handle the increased frequency.

Transcripts

hey folks dr mike here for renaissance

periodization breaking through strength

plateaus video number nine

optimizing your training frequency

training frequency could be the thing

that is plateauing your strength

so let's take a look at the benefits

first of higher training frequencies

there are quite a few first of all

high frequencies like you know training

three times per week instead of two

times per week for like the same for

let's say bench or pressing or something

gives you more training sessions which

means more opportunities to stimulate uh

progress

which includes probably more muscle

growth all things being equal

and an interesting thing is if you do

more weekly sessions and you split up

the volume make it a little smaller your

total volume per week can actually be

sustainably a little bit higher than if

you

try you know fewer frequencies so at

some point you can actually just do more

weekly volume by splitting it up into

more frequencies it's kind of actually a

perfect analogy uh almost a homology

here is

you have you know people ask you know

strong men and stuff why do you eat five

or six times a day uh you could say oh

metabolic rate blah blah blah that's

bullshit but the real reason is

motherfucker if you have to eat 10 000

calories a day you fucking can't do it

in one meal not reliably after 5 000 you

get so full you don't want to eat for

hours and hours and hours and then you

go to sleep you're like fuck i only had

xyz number of calories you really want

to smash the cows you got to get your

ass on a schedule and eat like you know

like three or four times a day at least

probably more just like every time you

get a little less full you smash it in

again

same idea kind of with training or

similar like if you're gonna do like a

ton of work for your legs to get your

legs really strong

training legs once a week is kind of

like could you have done twice like yeah

i could have like was why didn't you

right

and a sort of a similar thing there

um

[Music]

another advantage is by doing more

frequency even if you keep the overall

weekly volume the same you end up doing

fewer sets per session right so if you

do 15 total sets for for squatting per

week over two days like one is eight and

one is seven sets okay

but if you split it up into three

workouts each workout has only five sets

in it what that allows you to do is

because it's fewer sessions per set each

set is a higher quality because remember

set quality both in how much weight you

can lift for how many reps the mind

muscle connection technique everything

tends to deteriorate like you know kind

of curvilinearly after the first few

sets it all fucking goes to hell so if

you're doing seven sets

some of those maybe last three two sets

are like meh not that high quality if

you do five sets they're kind of all

really high quality and drop off only

occurs after that is for both technique

and force output and everything so if

you can split up your session to the

smaller ones maybe you can do a better

job in each session and just never get

that tired so that's definitely a

consideration

another thing

is potentially much better technique

development especially if you're just

learning the technique but even for

long-term lifters

the stimulus recovery adaptation curve

how long it takes for you to train

something

get the uh so you have the sort of

fatigue occurs recovery occurs

adaptation occurs and the curve

completes itself so when you can train

again essentially the window of training

that you've bought yourself

those curves are different and if you

guys have seen the various books that

we've written at rp there's a whole lot

of information on that those curves are

different lengths for all kinds of

different stuff and strength so for

example if you really go all out and try

as hard as you can your sort of maximum

central nervous system ability to do the

best job you can geez those curves might

take like a week after a really really

hard session to come back to your best

techniques not the same technique

usually has a very short sra curves

which means you can stack a whole bunch

of them into a week and improve your

technique that much faster right

um

as a perfect example here how fucking

conceited am i on the perfect example a

fine example

is if you have a very technique heavy

sport it's almost never practiced very

little if you want to get good at tennis

do you practice tennis once a week what

the fuck nobody does that you practice

at gee whiz you know at least three or

four times a week maybe more like five

or six or even nine or ten you do two a

days because there's a lot of

opportunities to improve your technique

and your body recovers from technical

work really fast and there's another

opportunity to improve your technique

whereas you know a lot of people squat

heavy once a week and it's kind of like

okay your heavy squat technique is this

thing you practice once a week how much

better are you getting at it you could

be argued like not nearly as fast as you

could be if you just did more sessions

split throughout the week

and of course there's a direct

literature from actual studies a lot of

these are done on sort of weak

undergraduates that don't lift but some

of them are done on pretty strong people

and most studies show that

at least for some time

if you can recover from it

higher frequencies improve strength

faster and more than lower frequencies

on average right so there's something to

be said higher frequency is definitely

consideration that could make you better

now on the other hand there are costs of

higher frequencies and thus benefits to

lower frequencies first is joint and

connective tissue irritation it's a

fucking thing you can say i'm gonna

squat four days a week and then two

weeks in on day number seven or some

shit you're like my hips hurt and they

just never stop hurting and then you

stop lifting three weeks later i can't

fucking do this anymore it's especially

a problem in powerlifting for squats and

deadlifts both really seriously stress

the connective tissues in your lower

body and the musculature in your lower

body and thus if you're doing a crapload

of squat and deadlift sessions it's

fucking every time joint connective

tissues are getting pounded remember if

you're having a higher frequency that

means actually your performance per

session is higher than normal so now

it's more volume more load more

everything and all the fucking time no

breaks that can really start to add up

and one of the number one reasons why a

lot of the really biggest and strongest

lifters don't do ultra high frequencies

is because they can't survive it so you

have to be really really careful with

this one

something that sort of alluded to just

now you can do more volume and more load

if you have higher frequencies you can

generate an unbelievable amount of

systemic fatigue just doing that like if

you squat twice a week

you just at some point during those

workouts even if they're crazy you get

tired you go home so you can only impose

a certain amount of systemic fatigue for

the week with twice a week squatting

with four times a week squatting even if

each swat workout is you know 70 percent

as

fatigue as the other ones if you do the

math that's more systemic fatigue

nothing in this fucking world will crush

your ass like high frequency high

intensity strength training because

you're like oh my god i'm doing so much

volume and then three weeks later like

oh my god i'm doing so much volume i

would have never been able to do this if

i was training you know twice a week for

the same muscle group or movement

pattern but now that i'm training three

or four times i'm like gasping for air i

can't fucking survive this kind of shit

lastly

and this is very related to point number

two is you can get excessive

psychological fatigue just from the

frequency and the combined intensities

remember if you have a higher frequency

plan you get to go in more often and

you're fresh more often so you get to

try really fucking hard

the amount of trying hard all the

fucking time can catch up to you like

you may have currently in your program

if you're a low frequency person one

really heavy squat day per week one

really heavy deadlift day per week and

two heavy bench days so like you know

you there's a lot of down time there's a

lot of time to fucking go super hard and

there's a lot of time to be like i'm

good i have at least you know the rest

of today and tomorrow to take it easy

and then i got to start psyching up you

know drive to the gym get scared am i

really gonna survive this workout if you

do a high frequency plan oh my fucking

god

every day is fucking war and you're like

jesus christ just get me out of here i

have to get up for this all the fucking

time it's scary

especially in the same lift over and

over now you don't just have to go heavy

squats once a week you gotta do that

shit three times a week now monday heavy

squats you stare that fucking bar down

wednesday stare that bar down friday the

bar stares you down instead you're like

get me out of here so a lot of times

it's not just physical fatigue that's

imposed but psychological as well high

frequency programming

is like this incredible you know

bowl of soup that we can chirp sort of

get our spoon into and get stronger but

that soup can be fucking hot as hell and

it can be too much you're like fuck fuck

it's worse than algae i've ever made but

in any case it's this thing that has

great power

but i guess

you know let's say some kind of like

anti-matter super fusion reactor like

yeah it puts out a shitload of power but

you fuck something up it's a lot going

on there that can really fuck you up now

the good thing with high frequency

training it doesn't just surprise blow

up in your face but after a few weeks of

doing it you could have sort of uh

poured a bit too much in the glass than

than the size of the glass and his solar

only realized that like holy shit i

can't survive this so it could be a bad

thing and in fact if you're currently

doing a program that's ultra high

frequency and you're hitting a plateau

it might be precisely that you're doing

too much frequency that is the very

problem

now

when we say higher frequencies lower

frequencies what are kind of the average

frequencies even recommended her

practice by strength trainees where are

we starting out from this is what sort

of called normative frequencies

generally two to four overloading

sessions hard sessions per movement type

you know press or pull or squat per week

are the norm so for example you may do

three pressing sessions that are

overloading difficult not just technique

only four squatting sessions some some

of the natty usapl folks do this kind of

thing and then two pulling sessions one

of them is really overloading one's

maybe a little bit lighter but still

challenging right

so

if you're training a lift one or two

times per week in an overloading way

maybe you're on the lower end of what

you may be able to do frequency wise

and if you're training a lift like

you're benching four or five times a

week pretty hard then you're probably in

the higher end of what you might be able

to do

now lastly and here's where the plateau

busting comes along

if you are on the higher end of this

frequency range you're training three

four five times a week for the same kind

of lift and movement pattern

and you think you might be overdoing it

what is your best course of action right

your best course of action in my view is

to take one of those overloading

sessions let's say your friday session

okay you're still training hard monday

and wednesday in the bench friday used

to bench really heavy you turn it into a

technique only session which if you

remember from a couple lectures before

it's just sets of three to six reps at

like a three to six rpe so it's just

technique work it's barely heavy just uh

you know a few sets to get your

technique right and really really

practice live well but without really

overloading your tissues or your

psychology much at all

what this does

is it eases up the burden

and still allows you to maximize

technical development because if you

just remove that altogether maybe it

would have been a good idea but then you

know there's less technical work and

maybe that would have counterbalanced it

so you're still plateaued but for

another reason so the technical session

replacement of an overload accession is

not a terrible idea because it still

allows you to get that technique work in

but without adding to a fatigue burn and

maybe even reducing it somewhat so

i just gave that i was going to read the

example off the slide but i just gave

that example good enough right now

if that's still too much if that third

bench session is still too much even

though it's technique only you can just

do just one less frequency so forget

that session monday wednesday friday for

bench the friday you tried to do

technique only that didn't really seem

to help it still seems like too much

pressing you take friday out you go

monday thursday hard benching and then

friday nothing happens you rest instead

and all of a sudden

maybe you'll get some better results and

see how that goes and reevaluate down

the road if it's still too much pull

another session out and replace it with

a technique session and so on and so

forth to see where you get your best

results the opposite thing occurs if

you're on the lower end you think you're

under doing it let's say you know oh

what's the example here you're squatting

hard two times per week

but you think oh man you know i think i

could benefit from a higher frequency um

what you do is you add a technique only

session first just a technique only

session and you see how that goes

because a lot of the benefits of prior

frequency is the technique improvement

which you can actually within just a few

weeks should make you better at the lift

so what you do is let's say you're

currently squatting monday thursday

relatively hard you go to squatting hard

monday and wednesday and then friday you

used to not squat at all you throw in a

technique-only squatting session right

so of three to six reps with a three to

six rp super easy super good technique

stuff

and then just boost your technical

development without adding much if any

fatigue because light exercise is

actually shown to reduce fatigue but

this is sort of not that light probably

adds no fatigue at all on average maybe

just a little bit

and if that goes well and you improve

that's awesome but if you're improving

and you're also like man honestly i'm

recovering super well i think i can do

three hard sessions go ahead and try

that but i would always try adding the

technique only sessions first because

i'll tell you this

if

you're feeling really challenged and you

added that technique session and and

you're still not gaining any sort of

ability

i don't think the answer is to take that

technique session and make it a super

hard one because you're already feeling

challenged so the only way you do this

try that technique session if it boosts

your abilities great i would just keep

it in for a while and change nothing and

then if you hit another plateau you have

to ask yourself do i feel sufficiently

challenged can i do more frequency uh

will my joints handle it so on and so

forth you probably have a good inkling

of an idea of whether or not that's the

case

if you think yeah yeah i'll try more

frequency great do it up take that

session and turn it from a technique

session into an overloading session but

if you think man fuck

uh there's no way i can do more don't do

anything stupid like squatting three or

four times a week and getting yourself

killed or at the very least weaker which

is to say the same thing metaphorically

folks i think we have one more video

left in the series i'm gonna sign myself

out and go do nothing i'll be scaring a

wall for the next uh whole week until i

come back to you in a week to do this

next video see you then

you