Training Frequency: Variables to Consider

Guides for Personal Trainers and students. When it comes to hypertrophy, progressive overload is the name of the game. Increased training frequency can provide an avenue to progress quicker if implemented well. The main factor limiting how frequently we train, is how well we have recovered from the previous session. If we haven’t recovered sufficiently, we can’t progress. Training variables that limit our capability to train more frequently generally revolve around increased muscle damage, such as:

• High volume
• Training to failure
• Eccentric contractions

Furthermore, variables outside of training also can limit how well we recover between session, some of these include:

• Insufficient sleep
• Calorie deficit
• High level of stress

As well as things that are beyond our control such as: age, training age, gender and our unique genetic makeup. Managing the modifiable variables as effectively as possible is key to making sustained progress while training frequently.