Quick Tip: Optimal Training Frequency For Strength-Related Goals

I'm currently writing a HUGE post about training for the supertotal! So I thought I would write a quick little article here about optimal training frequency based on the goal.

Before I get into this, I must make this very clear:

THESE ARE GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS!

The training frequency that YOU can best handle and that is most productive for YOU will differ based on who YOU are. Women can generally train more often than men. Younger people can train more often then older people. Weaker people can train more often than stronger people. People with less than 6hrs of sleep or who are not on a proper diet cannot train as often as someone on a bulk and sleeping 10hrs. You get the point. If you really wanted to know your ideal training frequency, you should invest in coaching from myself or anyone else who is knowledgeable on the goal you are trying to pursue. However, some people cant afford a coach, and some people (like novices) don't even need a coach! So here are my GENERAL recommendations on training frequency based on goal:

1. Powerlifting

I recommend bench pressing 3x a week, squatting 2x a week and deadlift 2x a week. I recommend 2 heavy bench press sessions, 1 heavy squat session, and 1 heavy deadlift session. The secondary squat session should be more volume orientated, and the secondary deadlift session should include a self-limiting variation that requires you to use less weight (pause deadlifts, RDLs etc.). 

In the microcycle, I recommend you train 3-5 days a week. However, I think that you should MAXIMISE the number of days you train. So if your schedule allows you to train a full 5 days/week, then you should! Do 3 bench press sessions and 2 squat/deadlift sessions. If you only train 3x a week, make each session a full body session. Why do I choose these numbers specifically? Well, 2x a week literally doesn't allow you to bench 3x a week...and 6-7x a week is just stupid. I have never met any powerlifter who is moderately intelligent who trains 6x a week or more. 1 rest day IS NOT ENOUGH to maximise recovery, ESPECIALLY when you enter the late novice and advanced stages and you body is lifting very heavy absolute loads. 

I know what you're thinking:

"But Prem, my favourite youtube powerlifter (Matt Vena, Justin Lee etc.) lifts 6x a week, and they're strong as hell!!". 

Well, these powerlifters on Youtube are frankly stupid. Just because Matt Vena said to deadlift 3x a week, doesn't mean that deadlifting 3x a week is optimal at all. And also, you are not Matt Vena. You don't have his genetics. He was successful in powerlifting despite his terrible training, not because of it.

Of course, I shouldn't speak in absolutes here. You could probably get away with training at a very high frequency in the short term (for a couple of weeks, to be precise). Programs like Squat Everyday and Bulgarian training do have some merit, but these programs WILL lead to overreaching and injury if done for longer than a couple of weeks. 

2. Olympic Weightlifting

Best frequency for olympic weightlifting is 4 hard and heavy sessions a week. Maybe one more session of accessories, so 5 days a week maximum. Think this is too little? Watch this vid by Sika Strength (unlike Matt Vena, these guys actually know what they're talking about). I would also recommend you do the full competition lifts at least once a week, and back squat at least 2x a week. Since the squat is only an accessory lift in olympic weightlifting, it can be trained with lower intensity and higher frequency, so you could squat up to 4 days a week!

3. Strongman

The strongman lifts can be done up to 5 days a week if volume and intensity in each session is regulated well. Since there are no standard lifts in strongman, it's hard to say what you should be doing on each day. But I would say you should definitely push press/log lift 1-2x a week, do some sort of load (keg, stone) once a weak, and do one loaded carry (farmer's walk, yoke carry) once a week. Everything else for strongman is the same for powerlifting (squat, bench and deadlift frequency). You should also overhead press 1-3x a week.

Do you notice a trend. No matter the endeavor, 5 days a week is the maximum training frequency of training per week!!! Not 6 days, not 7 days, but only 5. I know what you're thinking:

But Prem, 5 days is not enough training, right? Surely training more is better?

Wrong.

Training 6 days a week doesn't allow for recovery. When hard and heavy sessions are done back-to-back, you WILL become very tired in 2-3 days. So doing 6 days in a row is certainly overkill. Most top strength athletes I know train 4-5 days a week. If you can handle 6 day a week training, you are not strong. Once you begin lifting genuinely heavy weights, the physical pressure these weights put on your bones, ligaments and tissue WILL slowly begin to tear away at you recovery. So as you become more strong, you should decrease your frequency!

Now, I did make a post in the past saying you should train every day (this article). But, like I said in that post, you should not train HEAVY every single day. Train heavy 4-5 days a week, then spend the other days doing light cardio and/or playing a sport or doing your hobby or being productive. Training hard more than 5 days a week is a waste of time!