In this part of the , I shall answer the commonly asked question: “How often should I work out?”. To find out the answer, just follow the three simple steps below:

Step 1. Determine your Workout Frequency. Step 2. Based on your Workout Frequency, determine your Workout Split. Step 3. Ensure sufficient rest between workouts.

Step 1. Determine your Workout Frequency

Workout Frequency refers to the number of times you train each muscle group per week. You can train each muscle group once, twice, or three times per week.

Workout Frequency 1: Training each muscle group Once Per Week

Each muscle group is trained once a week and then allowed to rest a week before training again.

In this approach, you need to train each muscle group at a HIGH (i.e. a large number of reps per workout). This is because each muscle group is only trained once a week and this single session needs to be intense enough to stimulate muscle growth for the entire week before your next workout. This frequency is not suitable for the majority of the population.

Advantages - Works if you have good genetics This approach may work for you if you have fantastic genes. Some people are able to gain significant muscle mass by training each muscle group just once a week. This reduces the overall workout duration.

- Maintaining muscle groups This method may be suitable if you are just looking to maintain and not increase muscle mass. However, if you do not train properly, there is a high risk that your muscles may detrain (lose muscle mass and strength)! This is because you only train each muscle group once a week, and after that you do not stimulate your muscles for the rest of the week.

Disadvantages - High risk that muscles will detrain Since you only train each muscle group once a week, there is a high risk that your muscles will detrain.

- Mainly used in professional bodybuilding Unless you are a professional bodybuilder, you probably will not benefit from this frequency. This is because bodybuilders who use this approach usually did not acquire the majority of their muscle mass using the twice-a-week approach. Instead, they usually trained for a decade or more using the OTHER TWO training frequencies to build up a good foundation BEFORE they started the once-a-week approach. Also, bodybuilders utilizing this method tend to be on steroids, and has shown that steroids can stimulate muscle gain even without strength training.

- Only works with HIGH training Volume You only train each muscle group once a week. Hence, to provide enough stimuli for muscle growth, you would need to perform about (e.g. 15 SETS x 10 REPS) for each muscle group in one workout session! Such a high volume will leave your muscles with insufficient time to recover within the workout session. Unless you have fantastic genetics, this approach will probably exceed your muscle recovery capacity.

Is this Frequency Suitable for You?

Scientific research has shown that this method is NOT suitable for the majority of the population. Jacob Wilson and Gabriel Wilson analyzed numerous research papers in their study “” and found that out of the 3 training frequencies, training each muscle group once a week was the LEAST effective for building muscle mass.

Therefore, unless you have excellent genetics/ are looking to just maintain your muscles/ are a professional bodybuilder, you should probably be using the other two training frequencies instead.

Workout Frequency 2: Training each muscle group Twice Per Week

Each muscle group is trained about twice a week. Why about? This is because depending on your workout split, you may be training exactly twice a week OR once every 4th/5th day. This frequency is ideal for the majority of the population.

Advantages - Ideal frequency for most people This frequency strikes a balance between the two other training frequencies. As mentioned earlier, your muscles may detrain if you only train each muscle group once a week. On the other hand, training three times a week may be overly-tedious for advanced lifters who use heavier weights. Therefore, training twice a week provides a nice balance, providing just enough stimuli for your muscles while preventing over-exhaustion.

- Most effective frequency for advanced lifters In an published by Rhea M.R. that analyzed data from 140 weightlifting studies, it was found that advanced lifters experienced the most gains from training twice a week. This frequency provided enough stimuli for muscle adaptation but allowed for sufficient recovery time between workouts as well.

Disadvantages - Not the most suitable frequency for beginners The twice-a-week frequency is an ideal frequency for MOST people. Beginners will definitely benefit from this frequency too. However, it’s just that this is not the MOST suitable frequency for beginners. Instead, beginners will benefit the most from training three times a week. This is because the higher frequency allows beginners’ nervous and motor system to adapt faster to weightlifting (the more times you do something, the faster you learn). In the same mentioned above, it was found that beginner lifters enjoy the most gains from a thrice-a-week training frequency.

Is this Frequency Suitable for You?

The twice-a-week training frequency is an ideal frequency for the majority of the population. This is because it strikes a balance between the two extreme training frequencies. However, beginner lifters will benefit the most with a three-times-a-week training frequency.

Workout Frequency 3: Training each muscle group Thrice Per Week

Each muscle group is trained 3 times a week, and you train the entire body during each workout.

This is the best frequency for beginners. However, because you train 3 times a week, you need to ensure that you do not over exert yourself during each workout. You also need to make sure your muscles have enough time (48 hours) to recover between workouts.

Advantages - Most effective frequency for beginners: have suggested that when you first begin to lift weight, your nervous system adapts so that you become physically stronger without any visible gain in muscle mass at all!In other words, your brain is able to handle heavier weights and your strength gain is simply a result of neural adaptation. Hence, training at a high frequency of 3 times per week helps the beginner’s nervous system to adapt faster to weightlifting, preparing him/her for more advanced training later on. Also, in the by Rhea M.R. mentioned earlier, it was found that this frequency provided the most gains for beginners compared to just training twice a week.

- Improves Form and Technique This is the highest training frequency. Just like learning any new sport, the more times you weightlift and allow your motor system to learn the movement, the better your form and technique will be.

Disadvantages - Not ideal for advanced lifters Training three times a week typically means performing 3 full body workouts per week. Advanced lifters using heavier weights may find the full body training overly tedious. They may become tired early on in the workout and compromise performance on the later exercises. Also, performing a tedious full body workout three times a week may not give you enough time to recover between workouts.

Is this Frequency Suitable for You? This is the best frequency for beginner lifters but may not be suitable for advanced lifters.However, it is important to note that there are cases where advanced lifters do strive on this frequency (maybe because they have better higher recovery capacity, good genes, etc etc). At the end of the day, it is important to be flexible and find the training frequency that suits you best!

Step 2. Based on your Workout Frequency, determine your Workout Split.

Now that you have figured out your workout frequency, it is time to determine your workout split.

Workout Split refers to how you spread the training of your muscle groups across different days. Hence, your workout split will determine how often you work out per week.

1. Workout Split for Once-Per-Week Workout Frequency

Monday: Chest & Triceps Tuesday: Legs Wednesday: off Thursday: Shoulders Friday: off Saturday: Back & Biceps Sunday: off

2. Workout Split for Twice-Per-Week Workout Frequency Workout Split 1 (Twice a Week): Monday: Upper Body Tuesday: Lower Body Wednesday: Rest Thursday: Upper Body Friday: Lower Body Saturday: Rest Sunday: Rest

Workout Split 2 (every 4th/5th Day): Week 1Monday: Upper Body A Tuesday: Rest Wednesday: Lower Body A Thursday: Rest Friday: Upper Body B Saturday: Rest Sunday: Rest

Week 2Monday: Lower Body B Tuesday: Rest Wednesday: Upper Body A Thursday: Rest Friday: Lower Body A Saturday: Rest Sunday: Rest

3. Workout Split for Thrice-Per-Week Workout Frequency

Monday: Off Tuesday: Full Body Workout Wednesday: Off Thursday: Full Body Workout Friday: Off Saturday: Off Sunday: Full Body Workout

Step 3. Ensure sufficient rest between Workouts

It is important to get enough rest between workouts. Always follow the below two rules :

1. Ensure you have 48 hours of rest before training the same muscle group again (e.g. Full Body Workout on Tuesday, Rest one day, Full Body Workout on Thursday).

2. If training a different muscle group, ensure you rest at least 24 hours between workouts (e.g. Upper body on Monday, Lower Body on Tuesday).

And that’s it, well done on finishing such a tediously long article! You are halfway through the guide.

This article is part of a completely FREE and FANTASTIC workout guide to teach YOU how to gain muscles and lose fat. See below:

1. 2. 3. 4. Workout Frequency/ Split – How Many Times Per Week Should You Work Out? 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.