Does muscle frequency affect gains?
Sources:
Yes, muscle frequency affects muscle gains significantly. Increasing the frequency of training specific muscle groups can lead to better strength and muscle gains. Here are some key points from the discussions on the Mind Pump Podcast:
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Muscle Building and Strength: Training muscle groups more frequently (e.g., two or three days a week) is generally more effective for muscle and strength gains than training them once a week, especially when volume and intensity are appropriately managed. Training more often than three days a week can be particularly advantageous for strength gains due to increased skill acquisition from frequent practice, although this doesn’t necessarily translate to a direct increase in muscle size 1.
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Impact on Hard Gainers: For people struggling to gain muscle (hard gainers), increasing training frequency, while controlling volume and intensity, can be highly effective. Dividing the same weekly training volume into more frequent sessions has produced better results for such individuals 2 3.
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Skill Development and CNS Adaptation: Higher training frequency can also improve neuromuscular coordination and enhance central nervous system adaptation, which are crucial for effective force generation and muscle performance 4.
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Practical Application: Incorporating strategies such as 'trigger sessions' or 'focus sessions' on non-primary workout days can help maintain frequent muscle stimulation without overloading, which aids in continuous muscle engagement and growth 5.
In summary, more frequent training sessions can lead to better muscle and strength gains, provided that overall training volume and intensity are carefully managed to avoid excessive fatigue or overtraining.
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