The frequency of training for gaining muscle mass. Is it possible to exercise every day
What will unsettle you, or you just hit the ceiling. Training should be beneficial to the body, but not harmful, and for this optimal frequency workouts per week, a clear plan and schedule. In this article, we will try to determine the optimal frequency of training per week for the best progress.
How often do you need to train for muscle growth?
Most experts say weight training shouldn't be done every day because it creates micro-tears. muscle fibers, and the muscles then need rest within 24-48 hours to repair themselves and become stronger. But in reality, it all depends on many factors, such as: gender, age, what weight you work out with, how you recover, whether you use additional drugs, etc. If we take into account general recommendations subject to all the rules of progress, then train each muscle group can be no more than 2 times a week and at least 1 time in two weeks! And then it all depends on the methodology you choose and on the correctly drawn up plan. 
The optimal value here would be a range of 3-5 workouts per week, depending on the split you choose. Beginners are recommended to train 2 times a week (conditionally dividing the whole body in half). And for the more advanced and those who use pharmacology, you can train 6-12 times a week, i.e. do 2 workouts a day (strength + cardio). But again, everything depends not on quantity, but on quality, i.e. you should get bigger and stronger from every workout, but not vice versa, and for this you need to learn yourself and your body in order to (constantly) intelligently grow and achieve the effect of supercompensation.
How often should you exercise to lose weight?
- these are, first of all, questions, i.e. the total calorie content of food eaten per day should be lower than your daily costs. You must burn 300-500 more calories than you eat to lose weight. And the rate of weight loss should not exceed 1 kg per week, otherwise, along with fats, you will lose precious muscles.
Well, as for the question of the frequency of training, then for weight loss it is recommended to carry out them at least 3 times a week, these should be mainly low-intensity cardio workouts lasting about 1 hour. If you train in the gym, then it is recommended to spend 30 minutes after strength training. cardio, which will give a significant fat burning effect .
How often can you do cardio workouts?
well suited for strengthening the heart, losing weight and relieving depression. brisk walking, swimming, aerobics, elliptical trainer or moderate pace cycling should not strain the muscles for too long (more than 60 minutes), otherwise it can lead to catabolism processes, i.e. muscle loss.
If you combine cardio and strength training, then for this approach it is recommended to do cardio training 3 times a week, taking into account 3 strength training sessions. If we talk about low-intensity cardio, then you can train up to 6-7 times a week, and for high intensity cardio spend no more than 3 days a week.
How often do stretching / stretching?
The frequency of classes is always determined by the intensity of the loads themselves, i.e. it all depends on what kind of stretching method you use (there are about 11 in total). If you use simple methods like passive and static stretching (the most popular in general), then the optimal frequency of training is daily training, and even more optimal is 2 times a day, but with less volume. For example, if you stretch daily for an hour, then switching to a 2-time one, you need to do a morning workout 30 minutes long and an evening workout 20 minutes or vice versa.
Stretch at least 2-3 times, and ideally train 5-7 times a week.
Day of rest
Give yourself at least one official day off per week from any physical activity and daily routine work. Such a day will only benefit not only your body, but will also allow you to relax mentally and emotionally. But if you want to make the day off more functional and spend it for the benefit of the body and body, then you can just take a walk, which is very useful for a person.
Most people are sure that for a set muscle mass and increasing strength, you need to spend many hours in the gym. It is this erroneous opinion that prevents some from starting to play sports. Short and infrequent physical exercise can bring to the body more benefit than many hours of training every other day.
Why are they effective?
One of the main causes of controversy in weightlifting is the frequency and duration of training. The fitness industry assures us that we need to work out five times a week. And the reason here lies not in the desire to help us improve our body, but for simple commercial purposes. Fitness centers and clubs, sports shops and magazines are trying to earn more, which means they sell more of their services.
There is another scientifically based opinion: there is no need to train often and do many approaches for maximum effective growth muscle mass. According to Doug McGuff, MD Doug McGuff, M.D. Body By Science., biological indicators strongly suggest that the optimal training frequency for 95% of the population is no more than once a week. This recommendation is based on a number of factors, the main of which is that the rate of recovery and muscle growth after an intense workout is much less than most people think (5-10 days).
Building muscle is actually a slower process than healing a burn wound. Burn healing begins in the ectodermal germline, where the healing rate is comparatively faster because the epithelial cells change rapidly. For example, a scratch on the cornea usually heals in 8-12 hours. Muscle healing occurs in the mesodermal germline, which tends to have a much slower healing rate.
Doug McGuff, MD, Science Body
What's more, Dr. McGuff advises practicing workouts that last only 12 minutes - the optimal time to burn sugar and fat. Such short sessions are designed for a limited energy supply of the body in conditions of high energy needs, the satisfaction of which occurs through the use of only glycogen and fat. With prolonged intense exercise, all glycogen and certain fat reserves are used. As a result, the body begins to burn valuable energy as fuel. muscle tissue, which we, on the contrary, are trying to restore.
Research results
British scientist James Fisher conducted a study that proves the effectiveness sports training with minimal time James Fisher, James Steele, Pat McKinnon. Strength gains as a result of brief, infrequent resistance exercise in older ..
14 men and 19 women aged 55 years (average) were tested. Participants exercised no more than 15 minutes twice a week for 84 days. The training program included exercises on simulators: traction down, bench press, traction on a low block, bench press and leg press. As a result, study participants achieved a significant increase in strength and endurance - 55% more than before the start of classes.
Scientifically substantiated evidence of the inefficiency of long-term training was given by Bond University (Australia) Kelly A. Shaw, Hani C. Gennat, Peter O'Rourke. Exercise for overweight or obesity.. In 43 studies conducted among 3,476 participants, with 45 minutes of exercise four times a week (69 hours of physical activity), the average weight loss was only 1 kilogram.
How to practice?
- Training takes place once or twice a week.
- The duration of the lessons is 12-15 minutes.
- Five exercises for the most basic muscle groups is the optimal amount in one workout.
- In each exercise, only one approach is done until muscle failure.
- Only super-slow pace of exercise is used: 10 seconds up and 10 seconds down.
- The transition between exercises is carried out in less than 30 seconds.
- Gradually, as you progress, you need to add weight on the simulators.
Who are these workouts for?
We often don't have enough time to go to the gym, so a quick workout can be the only form of activity that is easy to fit into your daily schedule.
For some people, frequent and prolonged exercise is an overwhelming task that can be more harmful to health than good. At the same time, physical activity is, of course, necessary. This applies to the elderly, as well as to those with poor sports training and some physical limitations.
For example, such training is well suited for those suffering from osteoporosis. Exercises are performed slowly and for a short time, which leads to their increased safety. At the same time, the work of the muscles occurs at the maximum level with a very gentle load on the joints.
Conclusion
Short and rare workouts allow you to achieve muscle exhaustion within an interval of 40 to 90 seconds with no more than five performed in one session simple exercises on the most basic muscle groups and with a break of 5-10 days between workouts.
Of course, the recovery abilities of a person lie within wide limits, but training with less frequency definitely does not hurt anyone.
How many times per week should you bench press, squat, deadlift or download the press? This is a great question, heatedly discussed in the world of "iron sports". In this article we will try to offer the most balanced point of view.
Frequency and intensity
When designing a training program, two main variables should be considered: the frequency and intensity of training. Frequency means either the total number of workouts or the number of certain exercises ( e.g. bench press) completed in a week. In our article, the first will be denoted by the term "general frequency", and the second - the term frequency of training for a specific muscle group.Intensity is the difficulty level of the workout. To measure the intensity of cardio training, we would count the heart rate. But in the case of strength training, we will use a percentage of the 1-rep max (%1RM). This is, of course, a relative value. If your 1-rep maximum (1RM) in the bench press is 165 kg, and you will shake 142 kg, this will amount to 86% of 1RM, which can be considered both moderate and high intensity.
The point is that there is one more thing to consider. important point when determining the intensity of this set. You need to know how many repetitions were done. If you can squeeze 165 kg, but regret 142 kg just once, it's a very light set. Three repetitions with 142 kg require much more effort, therefore, this set can be considered moderately intense.
Six reps with a weight of 142 kg can be called a high-intensity set, as it can be as difficult to perform as a bench press of 165 kg once.
We offer indicators such as "general intensity", which depends on the weight of the projectile, expressed as a percentage of the one-rep maximum (% 1RM), and the number of repetitions performed with this weight. To find out the "total intensity", you can use the following universal table:
This chart shows how many reps you should be able to do with a given amount of weight. This way you can calculate the overall intensity. Simply select the % 1RM you are lifting and count how many extra reps you did for that set.
Additional reps is the number of repetitions completed after the first repetition. After you have counted the number of additional repetitions, go up the same number of rows up the table ( each repetition equals one row in the table) to find out the overall intensity.
Here are some examples:
1 RM: 165 kg
Completed set: 142 kg x 3 reps
Additional reps: 3 - 1 = 2
142/165 = 86% intensity ( )
Overall intensity (go up two lines): 91.2%
1 RM: 165 kg
Completed set: 142 kg x 1 rep
Additional repetitions: 1 - 1 = 0
142/165 = 86% intensity ( estimated six rep max)
Overall intensity (stay in the same line of the table): 86%
1 RM: 165 kg
Completed set: 142 kg x 6 reps
Additional reps: 6 - 1 = 5
142/165 = 86% intensity ( estimated six rep max)
Overall intensity (go up 5 lines): 100%
Why should you be interested?
You are probably wondering how this might affect your training. The point is the following.You should balance the frequency and intensity of classes. If the training frequency is low, then your muscles rarely get the stimulus to grow, resulting in a low training effect. Too low an intensity is also a waste of time. Too high an exercise frequency increases the chance of injury or chronic overtraining. If the intensity is too high, then the risk of injury also increases.
It's easier for beginners. They can train 2-3 times a week with moderate intensity. Untrained muscles respond well to almost any load. But as the working weights increase and the training intensity increases, you can no longer recover as quickly as before.
You need more volume and intensity to keep your muscles growing. Increasing the intensity requires increasing the recovery time and reducing the frequency of training of each muscle group. But the story doesn't end there.
Optimal frequency and intensity
An illustration is sometimes more understandable than a verbal explanation. Below is a graph that shows what the optimal overall frequency of training, the frequency of training per muscle group and the overall intensity of training over the entire "career" of an athlete can be. Following the graph is an explanation of its key points.(Click to enlarge)
The scale on the left is the number of workouts per week. The scale on the right is the intensity in %1RM. Below - the experience of bodybuilding ( 3 months, 6 months, 1-10 years)
Red line with gray shading ( central section) shows the estimated frequency of training sessions per week. Note that over the years this curve is constantly going up.
dark blue line with blue shading ( bottom section) displays the estimated frequency of training for each muscle group per week. Notice that it goes down for the first few years and then goes up again.
dark green line with light green shading shows the intended intensity with which the athlete should train in each workout. Note that it rises for several years, reaches its peak, and then gradually decreases, while remaining at a fairly high level.
What does the chart suggest?
#1 . A beginner should train 2-3 times a week, working out each muscle group also 2-3 times a week (thus, the muscles of the whole body are worked out in each workout). The overall intensity should be low (#2 . After one or two years, when you have achieved a decent level of strength development, the overall frequency of training should remain the same or should increase. The frequency of training of each muscle group is reduced, and the overall intensity should continue to increase.
#3 . After a few years, the overall frequency of training can be increased to 4-5 per week. The frequency of training for each muscle group can be left the same or increased. The overall intensity reaches its maximum.
#4 . After many years of training, the overall frequency of training is likely to continue to increase (if the athlete wants to achieve even greater success). The frequency of training each muscle group will also increase. And the overall intensity of the silent will decrease so that the body can adapt to the high frequency of training.
Let's consider the "intermediate" training. According to the schedule, he should train intensively 3-5 times a week on a split program. It is safe to say that at least part of the training career should be just that, since such training allows you to increase muscle mass and teaches the athlete to use type 2B muscle fibers.
Super intensive training to failure, after which the muscles ache for several days, allows you to improve neuromuscular coordination, completely depletes the muscles and stimulates their growth, develops mental and physical rigidity. Training programs, compiled according to this scheme, allow the powerlifter to devote more time to general preparatory exercises, and the bodybuilder to develop lagging muscle groups.
However, as the athlete becomes more experienced, training to the limit is no longer optimal. At the very least, such training should not be done on a regular basis, especially if strength development is your goal.
An experienced athlete can easily go beyond the recovery capabilities of his body. Such an athlete will probably get more impressive results if he slightly reduces the intensity and increases the frequency of training significantly to compensate for the decrease in intensity.
For example, a powerlifter who trains more often will be able to continue to improve his technique, and he will also have more time for special-preparatory exercises necessary to further increase his already impressive results. At this stage, general preparatory exercises usually play a secondary role and are used to make the training more balanced and reduce the likelihood of injury, and not to increase the level of general physical fitness athlete.
For example, our athlete can bench press 6 reps with a barbell weighing 142 kg, but he can do this only once a week, since this one set will completely deplete his strength. It would be better if he did 3-4 repetitions with this weight, but he would do it two, three or even four times a week.
However, this approach won't work for a weaker lifter who can do 6 reps with 90kg but instead does sets of 2-3 reps a few times a week. Such a bodybuilder needs to perform high-intensity sets for maximum activation of muscle fibers.
Finally
All athletes have their own unique characteristics, and each exercise has its own nuances. Therefore, experienced bodybuilders do not advise beginners to train according to their programs or perform, for example, bench press and deadlift with the same frequency.It is necessary to take a long-term approach to the design of the training program and take into account the capabilities of the athlete, and not just his goals. Without taking into account any significant factor, the athlete, in the end, may not reach his full potential.
Optimal training frequency- this is a very important factor that everyone should not forget about professional sportsman. The fact is that our muscles, like ourselves, are not able to work around the clock with maximum load. They need certain period rest (recovery). Neglecting the recovery period is a serious mistake of athletes who seek to gain maximum muscle mass.
The whole problem is that the human body is completely individual. This is what determines the frequency of training and the periods of rest between them. It is very dangerous to train muscles that have not fully recovered. This can result in microtrauma, sprains or ruptures of muscle fibers. Even if you avoid injury, overtraining will stop progress. In other words, you will get the same result with more time and effort.
Professional athletes know that it is necessary to listen carefully to your body and know what the optimal frequency of training is. He will always give a signal about his condition. The difficulty lies in the fact that the symptoms of overtraining are much stronger than full recovery. Another problem is that the sign of insufficient rest can be very similar to some other causes. For example, many professionals use their mental state. If they really don’t want to go to training, then it’s bad. However, it may also be simple laziness, who will distinguish them?
A slightly more accurate method is to observe your condition while training a specific muscle group. If we get tired quickly, cannot complete the standard number of approaches or squeeze out the required number of kilograms, then we probably have problems with the restoration of the muscle group. We used the word “probably” for a reason, as insufficient or unbalanced nutrition, inappropriate training rhythm (with too much pause, blood glucose levels fall) lead to the same results in the gym. Or maybe the main condition for a normal level of muscle pumping was not met - 48 hours for a full cycle of replenishing glycogen stores, which is the main "food" for muscles.
Some pros sometimes complain about fatigue due to the short sleep period, which is not allowed by the optimal frequency of training. From a philistine point of view, the relationship is obvious, although science says that a one-time lack of sleep cannot seriously affect general condition organism. Interestingly, the production of growth hormone reaches a peak threshold during sleep, and stress hormones (for example, cortisol) are also broken down in the sleep phase. With a single short-hour sleep, testosterone levels can decrease by 40%, but this does not have a significant effect on the effectiveness of training.
Optimal training frequency is a matter of serious concern. scientific research, the data of which are often very contradictory. For example, distinctive feature beginners is the growth of muscle mass due to neuromuscular adaptation. They are recommended two to three full workouts per week with one rest day. Those who have been bodybuilding for a year or more can use Split, the essence of which is not to train one muscle group two days in a row, but one day is selected for each muscle group. It is this system that allows you to train often, but to avoid overtraining of a single muscle group.
Ongoing medical research supports the thesis that The optimal frequency of training for each individual. One of them says that for those who train four times a week, one to three days of rest are required. It all depends on the individual regenerative abilities of the body. This period is especially important for those who are fond of steroids, which are catalysts for recovery processes, including the same glycogen.
An interesting theory was proposed at one time by Arthur Jones and his followers (Mike Mcntzer and others). Jones, the inventor of the Nautilus, who has worked closely with IRONMAN for a long time, said that the more an athlete trains, the more periods of rest he should have. A lot of people were and are, to put it mildly, skeptical about this opinion. Jones suggests that some wear and tear on the body from regular intense training requires a constant increase in rest time. A clear sign of overtraining is the lack of constant growth. From his point of view, the problem is simply solved by reducing the frequency of training and their intensity.
Indirect confirmation of this theory are studies conducted on professionals and amateurs. It turned out that the optimal frequency of training for one elite professional was as much as 1 training session in 24 days. Those. he trains hard 1-2 times a day and then rests for 23 days. The use of intensification techniques only increases the pause between workouts.
Another study was conducted on six amateur volunteers. With an increase in the frequency of training from three to five per week, there was a sharp decrease in the rate of muscle gain. Scientists agreed that it is impossible to completely project the results on the training of professionals, but the results speak for themselves.
Another study was conducted on a group of athletes exercising their forearms eccentrically. According to the results of surveys, it was found that the optimal frequency of training for them is once every two weeks. Note that the eccentric muscle contractions(negatives) can lead to serious damage to the fibers and be the cause of some diseases.
In the summary of this article, you can indicate that it is you who can most effectively determine the optimal frequency of training for yourself. Listen to the signals of your body, analyze the intensity of each workout, their frequency, the results obtained. Be sure to include your diet in the analysis. Only this approach and the optimal frequency of training will help you achieve maximum results in the hard work of a bodybuilder.
The optimal frequency of training per week is determined, first of all, by the main goal of visiting the gym - from building muscle mass for men, ending with training for fat loss and maintaining a good physical form for women. It is the goal factor that determines how many days of good rest the body will need to recover.
While long-term, but relatively light, cardio training to burn fat can be done 4-5 times a week, then strength training with the goal of muscle growth will require more time to recover. That is why the most effective frequency workouts for muscle growth will be 3-4 visits to the gym per week. We also talked about that.
On the other hand, the answer to the question of how many times a week you can train, in many cases, is related to the schedule of the daily routine. In most cases, it is more convenient for people to walk in Gym 3 times a week - usually Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It is according to this schedule that three day split And .
How long does it take for muscles to recover?
Scientific research suggests that it takes an average of 48 to 72 hours for muscle recovery after exercise - or 2 to 3 days. In reality, this figure depends both on the level of experience of the athlete and his age (the older the person, the longer the recovery takes), and on which muscles were involved in the training.
At the same time, if small and medium muscle groups (for example, arms, shoulders and abs) require about 48 - 60 hours for regeneration, then for the full recovery of large muscles (primarily legs, chest, back), and, in particular, the central nervous system, which also experiences serious loads when performing basic exercises, you need at least 72 hours (1) .
Recovery time muscle groups
| Shoulders | 48 – 60 hours |
| Breast | up to 72 hours |
| Back | up to 72 hours |
| Press | 48 – 60 hours |
| Triceps | 48 – 60 hours |
| Biceps | 48 – 60 hours |
| Buttocks | up to 72 hours |
| thigh muscles | up to 72 hours |
| caviar | 48 – 60 hours |
It is traditionally believed that the specific "pulling" pain in the muscles after playing sports is directly related to their growth. From a scientific point of view, this is not entirely true, and muscle growth can take place without pain at all - it all depends on the individual characteristics of a person's metabolism. We also note that sports significantly reduce this pain.
In fact, the specific "delayed" pain felt in the muscles of the body after performing heavy strength exercises, just means that the body successfully restores muscles and removes toxins formed after training (including). Typically, such pain begins between 12 and 24 hours after exercise and is completely gone after 24 to 72 hours.
Recovery after sports
Oddly enough, but complete rest is not at all the best way to quickly restore the body after training. Studies show that moderate exercise on non-gym days increases blood flow and detoxification rates, thus significantly speeding up the process of regeneration and muscle tissue growth.
In other words, light cardio done on and off for 20-25 minutes on non-strength days will not only speed up recovery, but ultimately allow you to train more efficiently for muscle growth and definition. A visit to the pool will also be useful - it's no secret that swimming perfectly develops the body.
How many times a week to swing legs?
The legs are one of the largest muscle groups in the body, so it is recommended that you train them no more than once every 72 hours - in other words, if you did heavy barbell squats on Monday, next time it is better to swing legs on Thursday or even on Friday. However, if you trained exclusively calves or internal muscles hips, then the time is shortened.
At the same time, the final number of days needed to restore leg muscles also depends on the type of human physique - they can train more often (and, ultimately, build muscle faster), while the body either needs an increased amount of time to replenish energy reserves.
How often can you train the press?
Beginners in the first months strength training you can pump the abdominal muscles 5 times a week - the presence of "delayed" pain will help you literally feel the abdominal muscles, which will dramatically increase the effectiveness of the press training. However, we are talking about performing single ones without additional load or simple training at home.
A complete set of exercises for the development of the muscles of the press will require about 48-60 hours to recover. Separately, we note that more frequent training of the abdominal muscles is completely incapable of removing fat from the abdomen faster (this only requires a diet). In fact, they will only cause overtraining and negatively affect overall progress.
How many times a week do girls train?
Speaking of training for fat burning, it is important to mention aerobic training for girls. In their case, daily training against the background of a decrease in calorie intake can have an effect opposite to what is desired. Instead of speeding up metabolism and losing weight, the body can increase the level of the stress hormone cortisol, thus provoking not fat loss at all, but fat gain.
Weight loss should always begin with the normalization of nutrition, exclusion and excessive high-calorie foods. physical training for fat burning in this case are only a way to normalize metabolism and equalize blood sugar levels, and not at all a mechanism for getting rid of excess calories and direct “burning” of fat.
***
Since the total time for muscle recovery is 48 hours for small muscle groups (arms, abs) and 72 hours for large ones (legs, chest), power training for weight gain, it is recommended to carry out 3-4 times a week. Weight loss workouts can be done more frequently (up to 5 times a week), but without a sharp reduction in calorie intake.
Scientific sources:
- The Truth About Muscle Recovery Time,
