This is Tracey from Scott Fitness with the wacky calf raise technique. I've spent a little time looking over ExRx.net and from what I've seen it is very well written and has a good balance--good work. I'm curious what you think of my habit of only training each muscle group once every two weeks or so?

Tracey Cheuvront, 'Bastionhead'

Hi Tracey,

The optimal training frequency is largely dependent upon total training volume. I have known those that have reported doing well with training each muscle group once per week while performing a high volume program with multiple exercises and sets for each muscle group.

Many studies do however suggest greater strength gains when weight training 2 to 3 times per week (Berger 1962, Hoffman et. al. 1990, Faigenbaum & Pallock 1997, Rhea et. al. 2003). The difference in optimal training frequency between novice (3x/wk) and experienced participants (2x/wk) is thought to be due to the higher training volumes being used in the studies using trained subjects. Interestingly, Fleck & Kreamer (2004) suggest a periodized weight training program may allow for more frequent training sessions and the use of a higher total training volume compared to a non-varied training program.

Weight training components (intensity, duration, frequency) are somewhat inversely proportionate to one another (I*D*F). This model suggests if one component is decreased, increasing one or both of the other components may make up for this loss. For example, by training each muscle group every 4 days instead of every 3 days (decreased frequency), the number of exercises or sets may be increased (increased duration), or the amount of weight may be increased (increased intensity). Intensity is the least forgiving of the three components, if intensity is decreased for a time, strength and muscle mass gains will likely deteriorate. Increasing frequency or duration can not make up for a decrease of intensity. When frequency decreases to a point, detraining begins to occur and less progress can be made. However, losses of muscular endurance occur well before strength losses are noted.

Interestingly, strength and muscular development may actually increase after periods of overtraining or overreaching when short layoffs, such as one to two weeks, are implemented. This does not mean, however, that more progress can not be achieved with greater frequency of lower volume training, so the likelihood overtraining is less likely, hence short lay offs would have a less positive effect.

As you have pointed out in a previous conversation, I too am unaware of any studies that have examined the efficacy of training frequencies less than once per week. Those sort of studies have typically fallen into the category of detraining.

James Griffing

James,

Thanks for such a thorough response!

Regarding frequency/intensity/duration of training, I am in agreement with your description of the inter-relationship of these factors. However, my experience with high intensity weight training has made me keenly aware of the large amount of rest necessary between workouts for optimum progress--which for me means being able to increase either the reps at a given weight, the weight at a given number of reps, or both weight and reps, on a workout-to-workout basis. Whereas most well-accepted recommendations advise anywhere between 2 and 7 days between same-muscle training sessions, I have gotten best results from taking 10-20 days--and have even gained strength in the SLDL taking 40 (FORTY!) days between workouts. And I use a fairly low-volume approach, usually 4 of fewer total work sets per muscle group. I have to laugh at the idea of doing squats or DLs, for instance, every 5th day--often I'm still sore from the last workout on the 4th or 5th day, which means I am not even fully recovered--let alone physiologically over-compensated and ready for another progressive dose of exercise stimulus. And I routinely go 4 to 5 successive days with no resistance training whatsoever, with no loss of strength or muscular endurance.

When I first tried this, I was worried about losing the minuscule gains I had managed to achieve with traditional higher frequency training. But after I got over this initial fear and gave it a try, my strength and muscle gains were tremendous. I challenge anyone to give it a try.

I can't count the number of times people have approached me for training advice, but when I tell them my methods, they don't believe me: "But all the dogma says...." So a big impetus for the youtube channel was, in addition to meeting/motivating/being motivated by other natural lifters, to counteract all the disinformation going around about bodybuilding exercise, but in a forum that is fun and inspirational more than didactic.

Tracey Cheuvront, 'Bastionhead', Lifetime Drug Free