Table of Contents
This section will mainly focus on frequency for weight training, with cardio recommendations added further down.

Low Frequency, High intensity Training
What it Involves – One session every five days or so, with only four to five exercises, each performed at absolute maximum intensity. You take each set to failure using a slow, controlled tempo, then perform extra intensity techniques such as drop sets, static holds, negatives, or partner-assisted reps.
Who’s it For? – Advanced trainers who have exhausted all other methods of higher frequency training and have extremely hectic schedules. It’s worth noting that your diet has to be absolutely one hundred percent spot on for this method of training as you won’t burn many calories from exercise. You also can’t afford to have an off-day – each session needs to be one hundred percent.
Semi-Low Frequency Training
What it Involves – One session per body part each week, using the typical bodybuilding set and rep schemes of three to five sets of eight to 12 reps per exercises, with five to six exercises per workout.
Who’s it For? – Intermediate and advanced women looking to build muscle. This approach works well during an off-season phase, as the sessions are hard work for your muscles, but not particularly high calorie-burners.
Moderate Frequency Training
What it Involves – Two upper body and two lower body, or three full body sessions each week.
Who’s it For? – Anyone! This type of training lends itself particularly well to fat loss however, as you’re working most, if not all of your body in every session, getting a great calorie burn and a large metabolism boost.
High Frequency Training
What it Involves – Training at least five or six days per week, hitting the same muscle groups each time.
Who’s it For? – Weightlifters and athletes mainly. However, it can work extremely well if you’re looking to improve a certain exercise. Many women for example, struggle with body-weight exercises such as pushups and pullups. A high frequency approach, whereby you perform multiple sets of each exercise every day can work wonders in improving your numbers. The key is to stop just shy of muscular failure on every set and maintain rep quality. The good news with this training is that due to the high frequency, high volume approach, you may be able to eat more calories while still improving body composition.
Runners and cardio athletes will also often favor this approach.
Cardio
Cardio, while extremely beneficial, should come second to weight training in your routine, unless you have cardio-specific goals. Weight training torches calories, builds lean muscle and ramps up your metabolism, creating a lighter, leaner you.
Fit cardio work in around your weight training and increase or decrease the amount you do depending on results.
If you’re on a very low frequency, high intensity plan, you’ll need a little more cardio, as your weights sessions are so infrequent. On a daily training frequency plan though, one session per week could be ample. Again, the key is to find what works best for you and stick with it.
- “Frequency of Training: Is There a Best Way?”, By Nick Mitchell, Published July 2011, Accessed on November 30th, 2012, Retrieved from http://upfitness.co.uk/articles/strength-conditioning-muscle/frequency-of-training/
- Photo courtesy of miamifitnesstv on Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/miamifitnesstv/8295242417
- Photo courtesy of miamifitnesstv on Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/miamifitnesstv/8295237903
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