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How To Structure A High-Frequency Workout Plan

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Even though high frequency training isn’t a new concept when it comes to conditioning, it’s a whole other story when it comes to muscle-building. Traditional bodybuilding programs often have you training each body part once per week with a high volume of sets. Body-specific training and long periods of rest and recovery have been staples for most gym-goers with hopes for packing on muscle.

But what if there was a faster way to build muscle mass? What if you could take lessons from the past and reap big gains today? What if changing just a few simple things can get you on the high road to growth?

What exactly is high frequency?​

The type of high frequency training I am talking about is for those wanting to build muscle. Not necessarily for strength gains exclusively (although strength will be a welcomed side-effect) these muscle building plans are designed for one main purpose: to grow muscle.

So, what exactly is high frequency training? The big picture is simple: train a muscle more often to reap faster gains in mass. Nothing extreme here, just a sound, common sense approach using basic training principles.

This isn’t some groundbreaking idea. If you look at bodybuilders in the pre-steroid era most if not all used a high frequency training program to build some impressive physiques. John Grimek and Steve Reeves come to mind just to name a few. They had lean, muscular physiques with V-tapers, broad shoulders and shape.

Did these guys train every body part once per week? Heck no! They performed three full-body sessions per week with other work thrown in oftentimes. You would never see them bombing their chest with countless sets of presses, flyes and other auxiliary work until they couldn’t brush their teeth that night. They hit the body more as a whole while using the big compound lifts bench presses, chin-ups, cleans, squats and push presses among many others.

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Why high frequency?​

If the reason to go high frequency still hasn’t sunk in then let’s look at some pros and cons and then throw some math into the mix.

Traditional training:​

Pros -​

  • You can train each muscle once per week giving you plenty of rest and recovery.
  • You can bombard each body part with a high volume of sets recruiting a lot of muscle fibers.
  • You can take your time during your training sessions – you only have one body part to train!
  • You only have to work legs once per week.
  • Oh, did I mention you only have to work legs once per week?

Cons -​

  • You can only get in (in a perfect year) 52 sessions per year for each body part.
  • You only work legs once per week!
  • For some, seven days of rest is too much rest resulting in undertraining.
  • If you miss a day or two your entire week goes in flux.
  • It is difficult to adjust anything major due to the high volume of work.

High frequency training:​

Pros -​

  • You get the opportunity to train more frequently meaning more growth opportunities. If you trained each body part twice per year you have created 104 versus 52 opportunities in that year to grow more muscle.
  • You get to train legs more frequently meaning multiple spikes to your metabolism each week for a leaner physique.
  • For the most part you will still be able to keep your weekly volume of sets – just spread throughout the week.
  • If you miss a day or two it will be easy to get back on schedule since you are training more frequently.

Cons -​

  • You will have to pay close attention to central nervous system stress weekly.
  • You will have to fight the urge to do more volume.
  • You may not be able to buddy up in the gym since your friends will still be doing their old traditional routines.
  • You may have to buy a few new shirts with bigger sleeves.
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How to structure a high frequency training program​

Unfortunately, you can’t just jump into a high frequency training program blindly. If you want to be successful you will need to follow a few key parameters.

  1. Keep workouts simple and progressive. Don’t cloud your training with countless sets of isolation work. Stick with the basics such as bench presses, squats, rows, pull-ups, shoulder presses, Romanian deadlifts and calf raises.
  2. Keep a close eye on central nervous system stress and regulate the big, compound lifts correctly. You won’t be able to squat, deadlift, barbell row and bench press with low rep big weights each and every day. You will need to give some thought to rotating the heavy, multi-joint exercises in order to keep progressing without burning out.
  3. You will need to stick to a weekly total volume. This simply means if you are used to doing 16 sets for chest, say, every Monday then that means you could either do 8 sets twice per week or around 4 or 5 sets three times per week.
  4. You can’t go full-bore for weeks on end. You will need to establish a 4 to 6 week span of a program before taking a few days off or a week of low intensity, active rest workouts.
  5. Pay strict attention to rest and recovery. Proper diet and plenty of sleep, when done consistently, will do amazing things for your progress.
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Sample training routines​

Below are 3 sample high frequency routines. Whether you can train 3, 4 or 6 days per week, one of them will surely fit into your schedule and recovery abilities.

3 days per week full-body starter plan:​

Perform each workout once per week on nonconsecutive days such as Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Day 1 ExercisesWarm-Up SetsWork SetsRest
Barbell Back Squat2x123x6-1060
Seated or Lying Leg Curl-3x8-1260
Incline Bench Barbell Press2x123x8-1260
Wide-Grip Pull-Up2x123x8-1260
Dumbbell Upright Row-3x8-1245
Standing Barbell Curl-3x8-1245
Parallel Bar Dip-3x8-1245
Seated Calf Raise1x123x8-1245
Floor Crunch-3x10-1530
Day 3 ExercisesWarm-Up SetsWork SetsRest
Leg Press or Barbell Front Squat2x123x8-1060
Barbell Romanian Deadlift-3x8-1260
Incline Bench Dumbbell Press2x123x8-1260
T-Bar Row or Barbell Deadlift2x123x8-1260
Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise-3x8-1245
Preacher Bench Curl-3x8-1245
Lying Triceps Extension-3x8-1245
Standing Calf Raise1x123x8-1245
Incline Bench Sit-Up-3x10-1530

6 days per week full-body intermediate plan:​

Perform each workout once per week for a total of 6 days with one day off.

Day 1 ExercisesWarm-Up SetsWork SetsRest
Incline Bench Barbell Press2x125x8-1260
Wide-Grip Pull-Up2x123x8-1260
One-Arm Dumbbell Row-3x8-1260
Dumbbell Upright Row-3x8-1245
Bent-Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise-3x8-1245
Floor Crunch-3x10-1530
Day 2 ExercisesWarm-Up SetsWork SetsRest
Barbell Back Squat2x125x6-1060
Seated or Lying Leg Curl-3x8-1260
Standing Barbell Curl-4x8-1245
Parallel Bar Dip-4x8-1245
Seated Calf Raise1x123x8-1245
Day 3 ExercisesWarm-Up SetsWork SetsRest
Flat Bench Dumbbell Press2x125x8-1260
Bent-Over Barbell Row2x123x8-1260
Close-Grip Pulldown-3x8-1260
Seated Dumbbell Press-3x8-1245
Barbell Upright Row-3x8-1245
Hanging Leg Raise-3x10-1530
Day 4 ExercisesWarm-Up SetsWork SetsRest
Bulgarian Split Squat2x125x8-1060
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift-3x8-1260
Incline Bench Dumbbell Curl-4x8-1245
Close-Grip Bench Press-4x8-1245
Single Leg Dumbbell Calf Raise1x123x8-1245
Day 5 ExercisesWarm-Up SetsWork SetsRest
Incline Bench Dumbbell Press2x125x8-1260
T-Bar Row or Barbell Deadlift2x123x8-1260
Wide-Grip Pulldown-3x8-1260
Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise-3x8-1245
Front Plate Raise-3x8-1245
Incline Bench Sit-Up-3x10-1530
Day 6 ExercisesWarm-Up SetsWork SetsRest
Leg Press or Barbell Front Squat2x125x8-1060
Barbell Romanian Deadlift-3x8-1260
Preacher Bench Curl-4x8-1245
Lying Triceps Extension-4x8-1245
Standing Calf Raise1x123x8-1245

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4 days per week basic split plan:​

Perform each workout once per week for a total of 4 days with no more than two consecutive days of training such as Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Day 1 ExercisesWarm-Up SetsWork SetsRest
Incline Bench Barbell Press2x123-4x6-1260
Flat Bench Dumbbell Press-3x8-1260
Neutral-Grip Pull-Up2x123-4x8-1260
Bent-Over Barbell Row-3x8-1260
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press1x123x8-1245
Wide-Grip Barbell Upright Row-3x8-1245
Hanging Straight-Leg Raise-3x15-2030
Day 2 ExercisesWarm-Up SetsWork SetsRest
Barbell Back Squat2x123-4x6-1260
Leg Press-3x10-1260
Seated or Lying Leg Curl1x123x8-1260
Seated Calf Raise1x123x8-1260
Seated Dumbbell Curl1x124x8-1245
Decline Bench Close Grip Press1x124x8-1245
Day 3 ExercisesWarm-Up SetsWork SetsRest
Incline Bench Barbell Press2x123-4x6-1260
Flat Bench Dumbbell Press-3x8-1260
Dumbbell or T-Bar Row2x123-4x8-1260
Wide-Grip Pull-Up or Pulldown-3x8-1260
Seated Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise1x123x8-1245
Bent-Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise-3x8-1245
Incline Sit-Up-3x15-2030
Day 4 ExercisesWarm-Up SetsWork SetsRest
Barbell Front Squat2x123-4x6-1260
Bulgarian Split Squat-3x10-1260
Barbell Romanian Deadlift1x123x8-1260
Standing Calf Raise1x123x8-1245
Barbell or EZ Bar Curl1x124x8-1245
Weighted Parallel Bar Dips1x124x8-1245
 

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