How to Program for High Frequency Training

[GearHeaded]

In recent years more and more research has been coming out showing that higher frequency training is more effective (in about 75% of the population) then low frequency (ie, single body part per week).

high frequency is simply hitting body parts multiple times per week, so instead of chest once per week on Monday, you'll hit it 3x per week. BUT this does not mean you'll do 3 times the volume (thats a mistake a lot of people make). If you were used to doing 18 sets for chest on your once per week chest day , when you change to high frequency you don't do that same 18 sets workout 3 x per week , rather you break it down and each session is only 6 sets . so your spread the volume out.


a lot of guys want to give high frequency a try, but they don't know how to set up the programming. again they usually end up way over doing the volume and they find themselves having to train 7 days per week with no rest days in order to be able to meet that 3x per week each body part goal

so heres just an example of how to set up a high frequency program that allows for rest days and does not over do the volume


phase 1 - heavy compounds 5-10 rep range (5 working sets per)
day 1 - chest, front and side delts, triceps, quads
day 2 - back, traps, rear delts, biceps, hamstrings
day 3 off

phase 2 - isolation and metabolite training 15-20 rep range (7 working sets per)
day 4 - chest, front and side delts, triceps, quads
day 5 - back, traps, rear delts, biceps, hamstrings

day 6 - whole body touch up work, and active recovery mainly just getting a pump and blood flow (2 working sets per)
day 7 off


all your basis are covered.. you have 2 rest days per week. you have just enough volume (14 working sets per week). and your hitting each muscle group 3x per week with high frequency..
your also getting in your lower rep range heavy compound work for all muscle groups in phase 1,, but also able to get in your lighter weight pump sets and intensifiers (like drops sets) in phase 2. and again plenty of room for rest and recovery.


this is just a rough example of how to set up a high frequency program. you can get "fancy" and custom tailor things to your needs,, perhaps you want to hit chest 3x per week, but only want to hit hamstrings 2x per week, and maybe arms 4x per week. you can do that. or perhaps you only want a weekly volume of 10 sets per week for quads, but 14 sets per week for shoulders, no prob just tweak things where needed.



you can also add other programming strategies into this program as well , like
RIR based progressions (RIR = reps in reserve)
Intensity based progressions . in phase 1 is where you can keep a log book and progress by adding weight to the bar
RPE based progressions (RPE = rate of perceived exertion)

you can add in low volume DC style training , HIT training, or high volume training .. rest pause, drop sets, super sets, muscle rounds , etc..
none of these things are going to mess up the high frequency basis. you may have to switch things around a bit to make a DC or HIT style training work (eg. your likely not going to do heavy bench press, heavy squats, heavy shoulder press, all on the same day.. you may need to break things up a bit).


you can also mix in 2 a day training with this kind of split ..
so in phase 1 day 1 for example -- you'll hit chest and shoulders in the AM workout and quads and triceps in the PM workout


lots of possibilities, you just got to think outside the box (the bro split box that is)

[GearHeaded]

I should quickly explain "working sets"

so in phase 1 day 1 -- chest for example . lets say you've programmed for 5 working sets for chest. 5 sets total does not sound like a lot ,, well that does not mean your really limiting your exercises or your 'Total sets'. your just counting your all out max effort working sets.

so for example -
Bench press
set 1 - 135 for 10 (RIR of 12)
set 2 - 185 for 10 (RIR of 8)
set 3 - 225 for 8 (RIR of 5)
set 4 - 275 for 5 (RIR of 0) <-- max effort working set
set 5 - 275 for 5 (RIR of 0) <-- max effort working set

now your done with bench and you have 2 total working sets done thus far .. your also very warmed up and can progress much quicker into working sets on your next exercise

Incline Dumbbell Chest Press
set 1 - 50 pounds for 10 (RIR of 5)
set 2 - 90 pounds for 8 (RIR of 0) <-- max effort working set
set 3 - 90 pounds for 8 (RIR of 0) <-- max effort working set
set 4 - 90 pounds for 8 (RIR of 0) <-- max effort working set


ok now for phase 1 day 1 your chest is done .. your 5 total working sets are accomplished (you can always add in more non working sets or back off sets.. but the only thing you actually track for volume is the actual working sets themselves)


note - RIR means "reps in reserve" ,, its a calculation of how many reps you are away from failure. an RIR of 5 is 5 reps short of failure , if you would fail at 15 reps you hold back and you only do 10 reps. anything with an RIR of 5+ reps or more is generally considered a 'non working set' or 'back off set' (thats does not mean they are warm up sets,, its just they are not max effort working sets)

[Charlie67]

Great write-up as usual GH, thank you!

I've been messing around with this concept for about 6 months now and love it. I've noticed pretty solid strength gains, but I can't honestly say I've seen much size change (but I'm 47, age is a great modifier). I prioritize upper body, but I have realized that my recovery time is not nearly as long as I've been led to believe under the traditional "one body part a day" workout.

...a lot of guys want to give high frequency a try, but they don't know how to set up the programming. again they usually end up way over doing the volume...

Exactly right. For example, the old way I did shoulders 1 time a week for about 24 sets:
Day 1: Rear delts (4), Rear delts (4), Side Delts (4), Side Delts (4), Front (4), Front (4)

This left me sore (which I thoughts was great) but I couldn't do chest the next day.

Now I do "shoulders" 4 days a week but my volume is still only about 25 sets a week.
Day 1: Rear Delts (3), Side Delts (3), Side Delts (3)
Day 2: Front Delts (4)
Day 3:
Day 4: Rear Delts(3), Side Delts (3), Side Delts (3)
Day 5: Rear Delts (4)

I have ZERO problems recovering and I can mix and match any chest movements. I feel better all the time, and I have way more energy for every workout.

Best,
C-

[GearHeaded]

excellent example of how to break body parts up over various days to make it work for high frequency .

I've done something similar for awhile now for myself and in programming for people, is breaking up shoulders. instead of having a specific shoulder day , rear delts, side delts, and front delts, are all trained separately with other body parts.
no more shoulder day.

one reason I came up with doing this was based on practical purposes actually . when being on cycle especially, when doing a shoulder workout I would get such a massive pump in my shoulders that it would become painful and unbearable to finish my workout.. just 20 mins into a shoulder day and I was done. well thats not near enough volume.
but by breaking the front delt, side delt, and rear delt, up into separate workouts with other body parts.. I no longer have this massive pump problem with shoulders and all 3 heads get plenty of volume .


again, just thinking outside the box of the traditional bro split can be beneficial for sure

[i_SLAM_cougars]

excellent example of how to break body parts up over various days to make it work for high frequency .

I've done something similar for awhile now for myself and in programming for people, is breaking up shoulders. instead of having a specific shoulder day , rear delts, side delts, and front delts, are all trained separately with other body parts.
no more shoulder day.

one reason I came up with doing this was based on practical purposes actually . when being on cycle especially, when doing a shoulder workout I would get such a massive pump in my shoulders that it would become painful and unbearable to finish my workout.. just 20 mins into a shoulder day and I was done. well thats not near enough volume.
but by breaking the front delt, side delt, and rear delt, up into separate workouts with other body parts.. I no longer have this massive pump problem with shoulders and all 3 heads get plenty of volume .


again, just thinking outside the box of the traditional bro split can be beneficial for sure

The shoulder pump in your routine is real the way it is. If there was more... I don’t know if I could do it. SOOOOOOO MUCH PUMP, and it doesn’t go away for a very very long time. It’s incredible (I saw everything my shoulders could ever be in the mirror in front of me. It was like a glimpse into the future), and horrible at the same time. I almost drove into another car in the parking lot because I couldn’t turn the steering wheel.

[GearHeaded]

The shoulder pump in your routine is real the way it is. If there was more... I don’t know if I could do it. SOOOOOOO MUCH PUMP, and it doesn’t go away for a very very long time. It’s incredible (I saw everything my shoulders could ever be in the mirror in front of me. It was like a glimpse into the future), and horrible at the same time. I almost drove into another car in the parking lot because I couldn’t turn the steering wheel.

not sure if your talking about the shoulder day that is combined with a push session in the mechanical tension phase, or the shoulder work in the metabolite phase, or the shoulder work that falls in as an extra on arm day . lots of shoulder work in their , but thats something we wanted to bring up .
the metabolite phase shoulder work , and the arm day extra shoulder work at the end , definitely designed for massive pumps and blood flow

[i_SLAM_cougars]

not sure if your talking about the shoulder day that is combined with a push session in the mechanical tension phase, or the shoulder work in the metabolite phase, or the shoulder work that falls in as an extra on arm day . lots of shoulder work in their , but thats something we wanted to bring up .
the metabolite phase shoulder work , and the arm day extra shoulder work at the end , definitely designed for massive pumps and blood flow

Still in the mechanical tension phase. So you’re saying it’s going to get more intense lol. Sweeeeet!! I know where I’m gonna be shooting all my gear. Feroce shoulders coming up...

[charger69]

The splitting up of the delts is an elementary idea however it never occurred to me until I met GH. I like the results.


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[i_SLAM_cougars]

The splitting up of the delts is an elementary idea however it never occurred to me until I met GH. I like the results.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I gotta say I’ve gone kinda weak on shoulders lately. I always dismissed it as “between work, and chest they’re getting enough”. They have not been getting enough. It’s the kick in the ass I’ve been needing