Beginners: at equal volume, frequency changes little
For beginners with weekly volume held equal, one to five sessions a week give similar strength gains.
Strong evidence
PubMed sources: 4 support the claim, 1 does not.
Last reviewed:
What the research shows
In the Grgic 2018 meta-analysis, the volume-equated subgroup showed no effect of frequency. Without equal volume, strength rises with frequency, which the authors credit to volume.
Studies in untrained adults: Candow 2007 (two against three sessions a week, squat and bench rose alike), Franco 2021 (one against five sessions a week, the same 1RM gain) and Benton 2011 (three against four days, no difference). Ochi 2018, on the knee extension only, found a larger gain with three sessions a week than with one.
In practice
Choose a beginner's number of sessions by schedule and recovery. Total weekly volume matters more for strength.
Limits
Participants were untrained adults, not powerlifting beginners. One study on a single leg exercise found an advantage for training more often.
PubMed sources
- Grgic 2018, PubMedmeta-analysis or review · supports
- Candow 2007, PubMedRCT · supports
- Franco 2021, PubMedRCT · supports
- Benton 2011, PubMedstudy · supports
- Ochi 2018, PubMedstudy · does not support