High frequency training has become an increasingly popular approach to maximise muscle growth and strength.

In this article we dive into the essentials of high frequency training for hypertrophy and strength, and outline how you can design an effective high frequency training program.

By Coach Hunter Bennett

What is High Frequency Training?

High frequency training involves working out a specific movement or muscle group multiple times per week.

A very simple example of a high frequency training program is the “squat everyday program” which has you performing some sort of squat variation every day of the week.

Obviously not all high frequency training programs have you perform movements this often, but they do often involve targeting a single movement or muscle group 3-5 times per week – which has some unique benefits.

Benefits of High Frequency Training

• Improved Skill Acquisition: The more often you practice a movement, the better you get at performing that movement. As such, performing a specific exercise (like squats or deadlifts) more often can enhance neuromuscular efficiency, leading to better performance and technique.
• Greater Volume Distribution: Training volume is a key factor when it comes to increasing muscle growth. However, if you perform a huge number of sets per session, there is a chance that the last few sets (or even the last few exercises) are performed at a low quality, making them less effective. However, spreading workout volume across multiple sessions can reduce fatigue within each session, making every set you perform more effective.
• More engagement: This is likely a matter of personal preference, but some people enjoy training multiple movements and muscle groups in a single session. This can increase engagement and effort.

High Frequency Training for Hypertrophy

Hypertrophy, or muscle growth, is a key focus for many. High frequency training can be particularly effective for hypertrophy for several reasons:

1. Better Training Volume

One of the key drivers of muscle growth is training volume, which can be thought of as the total amount of weight lifted per week. As we mentioned above, high frequency training facilitates more quality volume by distributing it across several days, making it easier to manage and recover from.

2. More training volume

Building on the above point a little further, by training a given muscle group over multiple days, you can also increase weekly training volume without inducing excessive fatigue. This could lead to increases in muscle growth.

Example High Frequency Training Program for Hypertrophy

Below I have provided a basic example of what a high frequency training program for hypertrophy could look like.

• Day 1: Back squat (3×6), Bench press (3×8), Seated row (3×10), hamstring curl (3×12)
• Day 2: Leg Press (3×10), Overhead press (3×8), Knee extension (3×12), Lat pull down (3×12)
• Day 3: Rest
• Day 4: Deadlift (3×6), DB Bench Press (3×10), Chin up (3×8), Hamstring curl (3×15)
• Day 5: Hack Squat (3×8), DB shoulder press (3×10), Face pull (3×12), Tricep extension (3×12)
• Day 6: RDLs (3×8), Walking lunge (3×10), Chest Fly (3×12), Bicep curl (3×12), Calf raise (3×12)
• Day 7: Rest

Obviously, this could be adapted to your preferences, and you could add in any other areas of the body (i.e., abs) on any of the days as you see fit. However, it should provide a nice example of how you can set up a week of training using the high frequency training method.

High Frequency Training for Strength

Strength training focuses on increasing the amount of weight you can lift. High frequency training can also be highly effective way to build strength for several reasons:

1. Enhanced Neuromuscular Adaptation

As we outlined earlier in the article, more frequent exposure to a given movement pattern helps improve movement skill, as well as neuromuscular coordination and efficiency. These are key for getting stronger and lifting heavier weights.

2. Improved Recovery and Adaptation

By spreading the training load across multiple sessions, you can avoid excessive fatigue and promote better recovery. This can allow for faster strength gains.

3. More muscle growth

One of the key factors to maximising long term strength gains is adding more muscle mass to your frame. In short, as your muscle mass increases, so does your potential to lift heavier weights. And as we have stated above, high frequency training is particularly useful for muscle growth.

Example High Frequency Strength Program

Below I have provided a basic example of what a high frequency training program for strength could look like. This particular program focuses on maximising strength of the squat, bench press, and deadlift, while increasing muscle growth through accessory exercises.

• Day 1: Back squat (3×3), Bench press (3×8), Seated row (3×10), hamstring curl (3×12), Tricep extension (3×12), Lateral raises (3×12)
• Day 2: Rest
• Day 3: Deadlift (3×3), Bench Press (3×5), Cable Row (3×12), Knee Extension (3×12), Bicep Curl (3×15)
• Day 4: Rest
• Day 5: Back Squat (3×5), Bench Press (3×3), RDL (3×8), Lat pull down (3×10), Walking lunges (3×10)
• Day 6: DB Shoulder press (3×8), Leg press (3×10), Tricep extension (3×15), Bicep curl (3×12)
• Day 7: Rest

Like the earlier program, this provides an example of what a high frequency strength program could look like. As such, it could be adapted to your preferences, and you could add in any other areas of the body (i.e., abs) on any of the days as needed.

How to Design a High Frequency Training Program

Designing an effective high frequency training program requires careful consideration of several factors to make sure you get the most progress as possible.

1. Assess Your Goals

Determine whether your primary goal is hypertrophy, strength, or a combination of both. This will influence your exercise selection, volume, and intensity.

For example, if your goal is strength, you want to use the same or similar movement patterns multiple times per week. On the other hand, if your goal is muscle growth, the focus should be on training the same muscle groups multiple times per week.

2. Choose the Right Exercises

Irrespective of whether your goals are hypertrophy or strength, the bulk of your program should be comprised of compound movements that target multiple muscle groups, such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and pull-ups. These exercises provide the most bang for your buck in terms of muscle stimulation and strength gains.

3. Manage Volume Each Session

Distribute your training volume and intensity across the week wisely. Most training sessions should only include 1-2 exercises targeting the same muscle group or movement pattern, which should be then trained 2-5 times per week.

4. Undulate Rep Ranges

Try and use a variety of rep ranges across the week. Not only has this shown to increase strength development, but variations in training are likely to help facilitate greater muscle growth and reduce the risk of overtraining and burnout.

5. Prioritize Recovery

Like any other training program, rest and recovery is integral to optimise your progress. Make sure you are eating enough calories and protein, and getting enough sleep, to ensure recovery is on point.

Take Home Message

High frequency training can be a powerful tool to enhance muscle growth and strength development. By using the tips in this article, you can make your own program ad get started with high frequency training.

If you are not sure where to start, check out some of our programs or feel free to contact us for more information.