Title: Strength Training Frequency: Less Is More Than Enough
Headings: Strength Training Frequency
Strength Training Frequency
Less is more than enough: go to the gym less frequently but still gain strength fast enough for anyone but a bodybuilder
Just tell me what to do!
The philosophical bodybuilder
Less is not more. More is more!
A surprising reason that more is definitely not always better
The science of strength training volume, mainly frequency, from 1988–2007 (is remarkably consistent)
Krieger on sets
State of the science as of 2016 … and the last word?
And that’s not all: it’s really not clear that more of anything is better
More efficient cardio too?!
Strength training is also helpful for weight loss (and general health)
Strength training may even be great for aerobic fitness
A few final bullet points of caution and perspective
My own success with a “lazy” training schedule
Rebuttals! Of course not everyone agrees that lower training frequency is better … but it depends on what you mean by “better”
What about “the German study”?
Training frequency and physical therapy
About Paul Ingraham
Related Reading
What’s new in this article?
Notes

Content: In 1990, Graves led another study, 10 larger and more rigorous, focusing on lumbar strength in 112 adults, and testing a wider range of frequencies: everything from 3 workouts per week to one workout every other week. Every training frequency produced results, though somewhat less at the lowest frequency. But results were basically identical for training 1, 2 or 3 times per week! These data indicate that a training frequency as low as 1X/week provides an effective training stimulus for the development of lumbar extension strength. Which is actually an understatement, because the data showed that training even every 2 weeks still produced respectable results — an average 26% increase in strength when exercising one sixth as frequently as the 3X/week group who got a 40% gain. In 1996, DeRenne 11 put 21 teenaged athletes through 12 weeks of pre-season strength training at three times per week, and then continued for another 12 weeks at reduced frequencies. As with Graves et al above, stopping altogether resulted in lost strength, but even training once per week was sufficient to maintain strength. … for pubescent male athletes, a 1-day-a-week maintenance program is sufficient to retain strength during the competitive season. In 1999, Taaffe et al studied strength training frequency in a few dozen healthy older adults, aged 65 to 79 years 12 — remember, strength training is not just for bodybuilders!