High frequency training is simply the act of training at a high frequency level. Most training programs involve a routine of 3 or 4 days a week. Therefore, a high-frequency training program usually involves 5 or more times per week.
Now keep in mind that 5 times a week doesn’t necessarily mean 5 days a week. You can do 5 times a week by training twice, two days a week, and once, one day a week. It all depends on how quickly you can recover from your workouts and how much time you have available.
The main benefit of high frequency training is faster results. We’ve all heard the old adage: practice makes perfect. Therefore, the more you train, the better your training will be.
High frequency training (HFT) may not be the best form of training for the average individual who is short on time, but it can be good for the athlete who needs to achieve a particular goal.
For example, HFT is perfect for a person who wants to improve their overall strength. I’ve seen programs that tell you to pick two main lifts and do these lifts, or variations of the lifts, more than 3 times per week.
HFT can also help with mass gain, though keep in mind that just because you train more doesn’t mean you’ll get bigger. HFT should always be balanced with recovery. The more you train, the higher your energy needs will be.
If you don’t eat and sleep enough, you will burn out and overtrain. And in my book, overtraining is worse than undertraining. Trust me, I’ve been there.
The high frequency training solution
Modifying a regular strength and mass program into an HFT program is surprisingly simple. Let’s use the following program as an example:
Traditional Strength and Mass Program:
- Day 1 – Training A
- Day 2 – Rest
- Day 3 – Training B
- Day 4 – Rest
- Day 5 – Training C
- Day 6 – Rest
- Day 7 – rest
Modified HFT Strength and Mass Program:
- Day 1 – Training A
- Day 2 – Training B
- Day 3 – Training C
- Day 4 – Training A
- Day 5 – Training B
- Day 6 – Rest
- Day 7 – Rest
* For the following week, do Workout C on Day 1 and repeat the cycle.
