Find out how to maintain muscle and strength with minimal training frequency—perfect for busy schedules or people who can’t get to the gym regularly.
Overview
- What did they test? This study tested the effects of reducing training frequency on muscle strength, muscle size, and aerobic power after a 12-week concurrent training period, after a 12-week reduced training period, and then again after 12 weeks of no training.
- What did they find? Twelve weeks of concurrent training improved muscle strength, size, and aerobic power. A reduced training frequency of once every seven days maintained muscle strength, size, and aerobic power. Training once every 14 days preserved 90-95% of these adaptations over the next 12 weeks. Afterward, cessation of training for another 12 weeks led to losses of all adaptations except muscle strength.
- What does it mean for you? If you're forced to reduce training frequency, even training once every two weeks can preserve the majority of your muscle strength, size, and aerobic power for a few months.
What’s the problem?
It’s well known that resistance and aerobic training, which is known as concurrent training when done together, produces increases in muscle mass, strength, and aerobic capacity 1 2. However, there are periods when people may need to reduce their training frequency due to life situations or recovery needs. The question that arises from both a practical and scientific standpoint is: how infrequently can someone train without losing the hard-earned benefits of training?
Previous research has shown that a reduction in training frequency can maintain many physiological adaptations if intensity is preserved. For example, studies on untrained men show that reducing resistance training volume by 66% can preserve muscular strength and hypertrophy for up to 32 weeks after 16 weeks of strength training 3. Endurance performance can be sustained for up to 15 weeks even when training frequency is reduced to just 2 sessions per week or when total exercise volume is cut by 33–66%, as long as intensity remains high 4. However, the effects of reduced training frequency in people who do concurrent training, particularly women, have not been thoroughly investigated. People state “time” as a big factor in exercise compliance. Given this demand for efficient training programs among the general population, understanding how reduced training can still maintain fitness is important 5.
The present study investigated how different reduced training frequencies—either once every seven days or once every 14 days—affect muscle strength, size, and aerobic power in young, previously untrained females after 12 weeks of concurrent training. The study also investigated the effects of complete training cessation after a period of reduced frequency. The authors hypothesized that training every seven days would maintain most adaptations, while training every 14 days would result in moderate declines in muscle mass, strength, and aerobic capacity.
Purpose
To determine the effect of two different long-term concurrent training programs, performed either every seven or 14 days, after 12 weeks of concurrent training on strength, power, and muscle size in young females compared to training cessation.
Hypothesis
The authors hypothesized that training every seven days during the reduced training period would preserve most of the muscle mass and strength while training every 14 days would result in a greater loss of strength and muscle size. They did not state a hypothesis on what would occur after the 12-week period of training cessation.
