You can train to failure in the hope of gaining muscle mass and strength, but actually regressing. Learn how to avoid mistakes.
Imagine the situation:
At the beginning of your workout, you do an intense set of ab exercises on the bench, as you do:
- Stop one or two reps before failure and do another set with the same weight.
- Do as many reps as you can because you are training with an assistant to help you complete the last rep.
Which approach do you think would be more effective for increasing strength and muscle mass?
You will be surprised, but the first way will allow you to achieve your desired goal faster. And that's why.
What causes muscle growth?
Modern research on muscle growth has proven the following:
1. There is a certain intensity of exercise that makes it extremely effective.
That is, not all loads are equally effective. Brad Schoenfeld compared the growth of muscle mass and strength in two groups: in one, the subjects trained with heavy weights, performing 8-12 repetitions, in the other, the subjects did 25-35 repetitions with light weight.
Both the first and second group of trainees gained the same muscle mass. But the group that worked with light weights, it was much more difficult.
Because they did 30 reps with light weights, 20 of which were considered warm-ups and too light to stimulate muscle growth. Only the last few reps in the execution were so difficult that they provoked enough stimulation of muscle growth.
That's why the load is important, the total payload or amount of training. The words of Greg Nichols confirm this: “For muscle growth, you need to perform each set with maximum effort in order to properly load all muscle fibers.
We do not know the exact threshold of effort needed to hypertrophy . Many achieve significant muscle growth, not training to failure, but in general, for progress, you need to stop 1-2 repetitions before failure ".
2. Muscle hypertrophy requires an increase in the number of approaches.
But there is a point of no return (overtraining), after which all efforts only slow down the growth of strength and muscles.
After a certain number of repetitions (the maximum of useful repetitions), each subsequent one gives a negative effect. This fact was confirmed by Gonzalez-Badillo, who observed three groups of weightlifters for 10 weeks of training with different numbers of repetitions and weights..
The first group did 1923 reps, the second group did 2481 reps, and the third group did 3030 reps. All groups progressed in strength, but the second one took the lead. This suggests that progress has a linear relationship with the number of repetitions performed, but only up to a certain point. Once you reach overtraining, subsequent efforts will have no effect in terms of strength and muscle growth, or will have a negative effect.
3. It is better to distribute the number of repetitions between several workouts than to do everything in one.
This fact was confirmed by Rastaad's observations of the Norwegian powerlifting team.. Athletes did the same number of repetitions with the same intensity, but with different frequencies. Some trained 6 times a week, while others - 3 times, but did double the volume.
Despite the fact that both groups performed the same number of repetitions during the week, more muscle and strength gains were noted in the second group.
This further supports the fact that the muscle growth formula is to perform a moderate number of effective repetitions per week, preferably (but not necessarily) with a higher frequency, and with the introduction of a progressive load.
Read also:
When should you not train to failure?
Training to failure is unwise, as research has proven and is reflected in the Muscle Growth Formula.
You can reduce the number of effective reps in one set, thereby stimulating muscle hypertrophy. How? By increasing the overall load and the number of repetitions performed during the workout.
Considering that muscle growth depends on the total volume of the training, you will build muscle better by dividing the total number of repetitions during the training into more sets than by completely depleting the supply of strength and energy, training to failure.
Another major disadvantage of training to failure is the fact that it puts undue stress on your body and requires more recovery time between workouts. This can lead to a reduction in the frequency of training.
For example, you can do intense upper body on Monday and Thursday. But training to failure will keep you from doing 100% on Thursday because you won't be strong enough.
This negatively impacts the intensity of your workouts and the number of reps you can complete for the remainder of the workout. training week, and leads to the accumulation of fatigue, forcing you to reduce the load more often. By reducing the load too often, you reduce the effectiveness of training throughout the year.
Does this mean you shouldn't train to failure at all? Of course not. Training to failure is very effective for muscle growth in special cases.
When does training to failure work?
For the same amount of work (maximum sets and reps possible) and intensity (the weight you use), training to failure has been shown to be more beneficial for muscle growth and strength.
In 2005, Drinkwater and colleagues recruited two groups of young beginner athletes into a study whose task was to perform 24 reps of the bench press with a maximum weight (one that they could lift no more than 6 times)..
The group did the 24 reps (4 sets of 6 reps), reaching failure on each set. The second group did those 24 reps as 8 sets of 3 reps using the same weight. After 6 weeks, the first group showed an increase in strength by an average of 7.3 kg, and the second - by 3.6 kg.
With a fixed volume and intensity (the same throughout the entire workout), training to failure is more successful. The closer the completed repetitions to failure, the more they stimulate the need for adaptation (in terms of muscle growth and strength). The last few presses of the 6 rep set were the most effective.
In this case, confirm their effectiveness.
It is equally effective to train to failure when performing the last set of individual exercises. By training this way, you will complete 1-2 extra reps on your last set. That is, you will do a more efficient amount of work and thus more stimulate the growth of muscle mass.
Practical Conclusion
By focusing on the quality of your reps and the amount of weight you lift throughout your workout, you achieve a greater effect than training to failure.
Training to failure on each set can prevent you from completing the required number of exercises in one session.
So instead of doing something like this:
Set 1 - 7 reps to failure with 102kg, Set 2 - 6 reps to failure with 102kg, Set 3 - 5 reps to failure with 102kg,
it would be better to do something like this:
Set 1 - 5 reps to failure with 102kg Set 2 - 5 reps to failure with 102kg Set 3 - 5 reps to failure with 102kg Set 4 - 5 reps to failure with 102kg
In the second case, you will lift as a result of training more weight and do it with more repetitions.
But you should not bet everything on increasing the time of training, it is better to work with full dedication for each set. This guarantees an optimal result.
The content of the article:
Very often, novice builders make the same mistake - they choose the wrong frequency of training. As a result, they work diligently in the gym, but do not see the desired progress, which leads to disappointment. Many even stop exercising after that. To prevent this from happening to you, you need to understand how often to train for muscle growth.
Most often, athletes train three times a week, because it is this recommendation that is mainly found on the network. But even if you have the right training program and use the necessary loads, training can be more effective when the sessions are carried out at the right frequency.
How often to train?
If you constantly stick to the same training schedule, then this may be a mistake. As you progress, your workouts will become more intense and your body will need more time to recover. According to research, the average guy who has never played sports before can triple or quadruple his strength through training.
But you must understand that the recovery of the body after physical activity depends on various factors. The human body is a single mechanism and the state of your health depends on the coordinated work of all systems and organs. If the muscles can significantly increase their functionality, then, say, the liver does not have such an ability. Even the articular-ligamentous apparatus cannot adapt to loads at the same speed as the muscles.
After the light workout you probably won't feel major changes and the body will recover in a short time. A completely different situation develops after an intensive session, during which serious working weights were used. In this case, the body may take several days to fully recover.
You must remember that the various systems of the body have individual abilities to recover. For example, muscle tissue and glycogen depot can be restored within a couple of days. But the nervous system is not able to restore its normal performance so quickly. For all classes to be effective, it is necessary to find the optimal way of training.
Split workouts for muscle growth
Every novice athlete knows about the split today. However, if you do not know how often to do workouts, then split training will not allow you to avoid overtraining. Let's see what it is connected with. There are many options for dividing the body into muscle groups and now we will not talk about them.
Split is a fairly effective scheme for conducting classes, but only with its help you will not be able to solve the problem of a constant fixed training schedule. It's all about an organ like the kidneys. It doesn’t matter to them which muscle group you trained in the last lesson, and which one you will work on now.
The kidneys must do their job daily - to utilize the metabolites of metabolic processes. Only if this organ functions well, the body will recover. Note that for muscle growth, all systems of our body must be fully restored. By using a split, you make the work of the kidneys easier, as they have to do less work. But as you progress, you use more and more working weights, and the question arises again - how often to train?
How to determine the correct frequency of training for muscle growth?
Many novice builders today are studying a large number of information that can be easily found on the Internet. After that, they are sure that they already know all the secrets of bodybuilding. However, they quickly realize that they were wrong, because progress is not visible.
To make everything clearer to you, we will tell you about one case that occurred in real life. One builder stopped progressing and discussed his problem with the coach. As a result, they decided to take a break from classes, which lasted three weeks.
The guy was serious about bodybuilding and could not stop training for such a long time. First of all, it is rather difficult psychological point vision. When you see yourself progressing, it's hard to force yourself to do nothing for three weeks. Sometimes a person may take advice to stop exercising as a defeat.
However, sometimes the body needs more time to recover and you should be aware of this. During a long pause, you can rethink your approach to building a training process and understand how often to do workouts. Do not think that by relaxing, you will waste time. The body uses it for its intended purpose and will be able to fully recover.
However, let us return to our case. The trainer was able to convince his ward and the builder rested for three weeks. Two months after the resumption of classes, he told the coach about his successes, which were simply shocking.
The guy in a short time was able to increase his strength indicators and during the first lesson he set personal records in several movements. If earlier he used the now most popular three-time training scheme, then after a break he trains once every nine days. He uses a two-day split, dividing the body into top and bottom. As we expected, the forced pause did him good.
I also want to say a few words about how often to do workouts for weight loss. This is due to the fact that mass gain has slightly different laws in comparison with fat burning. If your goal is only to fight fat, then classes should be carried out daily, but you need to correctly build training process so as not to overtrain. At the same time, it makes sense to use anti-catabolics so as not to lose muscle mass. During the drying period, it is recommended to spend no more than two strength training, and the rest of the time to devote to cardio sessions.
How to avoid overtraining?
This is an equally important topic compared to how often to do workouts. First of all, you need to monitor your progress. If you stop progressing in at least one exercise, then this may indicate that you are close to overtraining.
In the example we looked at above, this happened, because the builder noticed that he had stopped improving his results in the bench. If a similar situation has happened to you, then you should take a break. Here are the three main symptoms of overtraining.
- The working weight in exercises does not increase. To progress, you need to gradually increase the load. However, for this, the body must fully recover so that you can work with large weights.
- The number of repetitions or the time of static retention of projectiles is not increased. If the working weight does not increase, then the number of repetitions, or the time of the static retention of the projectile, should increase.
- You spend more time doing the same workout. The effectiveness of training is closely related to the concept of intensity, which is measured in units of time. To put it simply, if you took longer to complete a session that you performed a few days ago today, then the intensity has dropped.
If you have correctly compiled your training process, then the question of how often to do training will not arise. The fact is that classes with any frequency can be effective if you use the right volume. For high-quality pumping of muscles, the ideal weekly amount of work for each muscle group for most athletes is 12 sets. Of course, this is an average value and you should determine the effective volume for yourself on an individual basis. Now it is important that you understand the essence.
- If you train each muscle group only once a week, then you need to do all 12 sets, since the frequency of training is low, you will have to use the entire volume at once.
- When training each muscle group three times a day, you should do 4 sets in each session, which will result in a weekly training volume equal to 12 sets.
- If you have two workouts a day, then each muscle group in one lesson should be pumped in six sets.
Speaking about how often to do training, it is necessary to take into account the training experience of the athlete. For beginner athletes who have been training for less than eight months, a three-day split is great.
If you have passed this stage and have been training for more than eight months, then it is worth switching to two sessions per week. We recommend that you divide the body into upper and lower halves in this situation.
Many people do not have enough time to visit the gym at least twice during the week. As a result, they have to settle for one workout. If you do everything right, then this strategy will be effective, but definitely not the best. To a greater extent, this frequency of exercise is suitable for maintaining muscle tone. If you want to progress faster, then try to find time for two workouts per week.
How often to train, see this video:
You spend several hours in the gym every day, you know all the equipment and feel at home among the tons of “iron”. But do you know how often you really need to? The answer may surprise you! Find out your optimal training frequency to make new growth.
You probably already guessed that the main mistake is with the wrong frequency. The most common variant of the training schedule is "three days a week": you work out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. If this is your case, the good news is that you can do much, much better!
Even if everything is going great for you - the number of repetitions and sets, optimal weight, rest between sets, and proper exercise performance - all this can be useless if you do not train at the right frequency.
The right frequency of strength training
Here's a little secret to success. A fixed workout schedule, like three days a week, is absurd. He may fail you in the end. And here's why: as you progress, your workouts will be more exhausting and take longer to recover.
Recovery after physical activity demands a lot from most organs of the body, such as the liver, kidneys, and pancreas. If you are doing a light workout, it is unlikely to affect you in any way. Your recovery will be swift. But when you do grueling workouts with heavy weights and high intensity overload, it can take several days to fully recover.
An essential key to increasing the effectiveness of strength training is, therefore, to find a way to train properly. This will increase the intensity of each workout and give your body more time to recover.
The effectiveness of split training
Why "split" workouts won't help you avoid overtraining? There is a practice of "separating" workouts, for example: Monday - top part body, environment - lower body. And while this is a reliable tactic, it alone will not solve the problem of a fixed training schedule. The reason is that every day is kidney day.
It doesn’t matter if you are working on your chest, arms, or today, there is not the slightest difference for the kidneys. They still need to filter all the metabolic waste coming from the blood so you can fully recover. And remember - until your body has fully recovered, you will not grow new muscles. This is the law of physiology. Thus, separation reduces the amount of work that the kidneys and other organs have to do, but as you get stronger and lift more weight, it will take the kidneys even longer to do their job.
The most correct training frequency
Once you truly understand how often you need to train, your results will increase. Here is an example from life.
After the coach and the bodybuilder discussed training and the lack of progress - in particular, in - it was decided to take a break from training for three weeks. The bodybuilder said that he could not give up going to the gym for such a long period of time. This is a common problem for all serious bodybuilders. Psychologically, if you want to make progress, it is very difficult to do what seems to be "doing nothing". After all, in the absence of training, you seem to admit defeat. But in fact, your body needs time to recover. And this is the most ideal time to consider how often to train further and make a new training plan. Time without training is not wasted, it is critical to the growth process. It took a lot of arguments to convince him, and he took a three-week break.
Two months later, he called the coach and told about the results, which shocked everyone. His strength increased in all parts of the body, and the strength of his shoulders increased. The first workout after the break was his personal record. Now he trains once every nine days: between workouts of the same part of the body, 9 days pass. This schedule is used when separating upper/lower body workouts. Prior to this adjustment in training frequency, the bodybuilder only trained four times in nine days. Look at the numbers, they clearly illustrate the example.
The bodybuilder did not include the time he benched, so his power factor or power index is not known, but his total bench weight went from 6940kg per workout to 11460kg after he did nothing for three weeks. When you have last time was such a productive three-week break?
Think about it. Three weeks without training at all! Our hero has only been at home for three weeks, but his progress is ahead of everyone he has trained with! His companions couldn't believe their eyes. The same person who found 180kg 20 reps “very difficult” is now lifting 230kg in 16 reps - after doing the exercise with 200kg and 20 reps! The next time he presses in the gym is already 270 kg. And let his goon buddies be concerned that he "missed" the last 20 workouts! There is something to think about, right? Maybe it's time to rethink your training frequency?
How to properly and often exercise for weight loss
The frequency of training when burning fat mass obeys a slightly different law than the frequency for muscle growth. To lose fat and train every day, the main thing is to prevent the development of overtraining. The high frequency of training dictates the need for the use of anti-catabolics for protection. muscle tissue from destruction. In this case, bodybuilders are advised to reduce the number of strength training sessions to 2 per week, and devote the rest of the time to aerobic training.
How to avoid overtraining
To avoid overtraining and find your optimal training frequency, you need to carefully monitor the progress that you make with each exercise of the program. Look for any signs of slowing or stopping progress. Lack of change in one exercise is a warning sign. And the lack of progress in two or more exercises is a danger signal, which means you need to take a break.
3 signs of overtraining and how to deal with them
- The weight used in each exercise does not increase
- Strength training is primarily associated with progressive loading. This means that you should return to the gym in a fully recovered state and lift the weight slightly heavier than you lifted during your last workout.
- The number of repetitions or static hold time in each exercise does not increase
If your weight in the exercise has not increased (see above), then the number of repetitions or the time of the static hold should increase. Latest Research show that increasing the duration of a static hold to 12 seconds is less beneficial than increasing the weight with more short time retention.
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Supplements for Proper Workouts
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It took you longer to complete the same workout.
Progress is determined by the intensity of muscle output. The intensity is a function of time. So, even if you are doing the same workout today that you did three days ago, but you managed to do it in less time, then your intensity has increased. But the opposite is also true, so keep an eye on the extra time it takes to complete the same workout. Low intensity will not help build new muscles, keep this factor in mind when deciding how often and how to train correctly.
Try it on your next workout
For each exercise, multiply the number of reps by the weight you're doing those reps with. For example, in you lift 80 kg 12 times, in the end you will get the number 960. The next time you bench press, see if this number has increased. If not, then you haven't fully recovered, which means you need more rest between workouts.
How long have you been exercising at the same frequency? Look for warning signs indicating that your training frequency is not optimal. Throw in an extra one and you can turn stale and boring workouts into fantastic mass gains and bursts of strength.
Program provided by the instructor gym"Ant" by Alexei Hernandez Ortega (World Junior Powerlifting Champion 2005, European and World Champion 2006, Russian Men's Champion 2008)
If you decide to start an active lifestyle, it is important to know how many times a week you need to exercise. Right choice loads will allow the muscles to get the necessary rest with sufficient training efficiency.
Factors affecting the choice of intensity of training
The answer to the question of how many times a week you need to do fitness depends on the following parameters:
- body type;
- types of exercises;
- goal set;
- schedule;
- the opportunity to devote time to sports.
It is important to consider the following. If you do not practice enough time, you may not achieve the desired result. And if you choose too high an intensity of training, there is a risk of overstraining the body.
This is dangerous enough, because by doing too much, you will not only nullify all your efforts, but you can also get some pretty serious health problems.
It is very important to correctly determine how often you should exercise.
Determine body type
Scientists distinguish three types of physique:
- ectomorph - a tall and thin person;
- mesomorph - a person of athletic build;
- endomorph - a short person with a certain degree of fatness.
At the same time, it is rarely possible to meet a clear representative of one type of physique. Most often, two options are combined in a person, and in some cases all three. As a rule, one type is always more pronounced.
So, for an ectomorph, 2-3 classes per week are enough. Each of them should last at least 1 hour a day. Mesomorph shows 4-5 workouts for 7 days. Their duration should be at least 1.5 hours. And finally, the endomorph needs to be practiced almost every day. The number of workouts should not be less than 6. Their duration can be up to 2 hours.
At the same time, regardless of the type of physique, you can reduce the training time, while increasing the frequency of the exercise.
Types of exercises
There are three training groups:
- respiratory (cardio or aerobic);
- power;
- stretching.
In the first case, the best option would be classes 2-3 times a week. With this amount you will get desired result without muscle strain.
You can do strength exercises up to 4 times a week. At the same time, training must be built in such a way that 2 of them are aimed at pumping up the muscles of one group, and the rest - the other.
Stretching can be practiced daily, without restrictions, but it is still advisable to take daily breaks between classes.
Lesson goals
Most of the training is aimed at weight loss. So, how much do you need to exercise, both to lose weight and to strengthen muscles?
Main Rule effective loss extra pounds– alternation strength exercises with respiratory.
So, a week you can take from 2 to 4 days for the first types of training, and devote the rest of the time to cardio exercises. In addition, each lesson should consist of certain parts:
- warm-ups - 10-15 minutes;
- the main complex - 35-40 minutes;
- jogging - 15-20 minutes;
- stretching - 5-10 minutes.
If you are just starting out in sports, it is recommended to start with two workouts per week and gradually increase their number to at least 4.
It is also effective to breathing exercises, alternating them with power ones. The class schedule might look something like this:
- day 1 - aerobic exercise;
- day 2 - break;
- day 3 - break;
- day 4 - strength exercises;
- day 5 - break;
- day 6 - aerobic exercise;
- day 7 - break.
If you wish, you can add another strength training, but only if you are not a beginner.
Thus, doing fitness to lose weight can be done in different ways. Much depends on your preparedness, desire and amount of free time.
How to correctly determine the required number of approaches per lesson?
In addition to the number of workouts per week, it is also necessary to determine the optimal number of approaches. Here you should know that in order to maximize the effectiveness of the lesson, you need to achieve a certain hormonal release. This implies performing the exercise until the moment when the peak of mental stress occurs.
For example, if a person lifts a barbell, he can do 10 squats. With each of them, his mental stress will increase, reaching its maximum at the last one. It is at this moment that hormones are released into the blood, and desired effect from training. There cannot be too many of them. The number of such emissions is up to 9 per session.
If the goal of training is recovery, 2-3 approaches will suffice with reaching a peak of tension. The main thing is to achieve the release of hormones, which, once in the blood, will begin the process of healing the vessels.
When it comes to building muscle or improving physical training, the number of approaches is 4-9.
It should be borne in mind that regardless of whether it is aerobics or strength training, each new approach will reduce the possibility of hormonal release. When it reaches zero, the body must get a long rest to restore the endocrine system.
Where to practice?
Can be achieved high efficiency training as in gym, as well as at home. It all depends on your mood and desire.
So, while exercising in a fitness club, you have the opportunity to act under the guidance of a qualified specialist who will build classes in such a way as to give an optimal load on all muscle groups. In addition, in the gym you will be in a group of like-minded people, which will become an additional motivation for regular exercise.
At home, strict self-control is necessary. It’s easier to find excuses for an unplanned vacation at home than with a paid gym membership. Therefore, it is very important to have a firm determination to achieve the goal, thanks to which you will practice systematically.
At home, it is possible to train at any convenient time, without the need to adjust to the schedule of the fitness club. In addition, this is the best choice for those who do not like to exercise in public. Despite the absence sports equipment, you can train at home just as effectively as in the gym. The main thing is to choose the right training program and strictly follow it.
Thus, everyone can independently choose where exactly to play sports. Each of the options has both advantages and disadvantages.
Regardless of the chosen place of training, you need to train regularly. Consistency is the key to efficiency. In addition, when starting training, do not forget about proper nutrition, which will help not only to get the maximum result, but also to consolidate it. No need to starve and completely exclude some foods from your diet. The correct ratio of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and systematic food intake are the basis of a healthy diet. It is also important to remember to eat breakfast. Morning meal sets the body to work properly throughout the day.
Thus, when deciding to seriously engage in sports, it is important to take into account many details on which the level of effectiveness of training depends. Their successful combination will allow you to achieve the desired result quickly enough.
How often should you train to get the maximum muscle gain?The optimal frequency of training is a hotly debated issue.
Some believe that for continuous improvement, it is necessary to train the whole body 2-3 times a week, others believe that such a training scheme will only lead to overtraining. Complicating this problem is the fact that all sorts of personalities have managed to plan a lot of crazy methods and training systems.
Recommendations vary widely and cover everything from low volume workouts (1-2 sets per muscle group) repeated a few times a week to high volume workouts (20-25 sets per muscle group) performed much less frequently.
The truth is that the optimal frequency of training depends on how those same workouts go in terms of volume of work and intensity.
In search of a scientific answer to the question of what is the optimal amount of training, you will certainly run into the fact that the number of subjects, as a rule, is relatively small, at least some information can only be gleaned from a large report by researchers from the University of Gothenburg.
I'll hit the mark if I quote from the study:
“In general, moderate training volumes (~30-60 repetitions per training session) bring the greatest results.”
Although professional bodybuilders somewhat out of this range, even without research it has long been known to bodybuilders, since it was his more experienced who always advised the less experienced. If you look at many popular, time-tested programs, you will notice that for the most part they do exactly 30-60 repetitions per muscle group per week.
For example, my program "More Drier Stronger" suggests 9 to 12 exercises, for the main muscle groups, 4-6 repetitions each. Once you can do 6 reps, you increase the weight on the bar (after which the reps are usually reduced to 4), so you get high intensity workouts in the 45-60 rep range. According to such a program, people can seriously add both strength and muscle mass at the same time.
Now that we've dealt with training volume, let's get back to training frequency.
In More Dry Stronger, for example, I recommend that people train 5 times a week and rest 2 days. Each muscle group (chest, back, shoulders, arms, legs) has its own training day, so each muscle is trained once a week. (However, you need to keep in mind that multi-joint exercises often work several muscle groups. For example, in deadlifts and squats).
Some people believe that this approach is not correct, in their opinion, for muscle growth, it is necessary to train each muscle group at least 2 times a week. Although clinical studies suggest otherwise.
I have dozens of proof that training individual muscle groups 5-7 times a week produces phenomenal results, and research shows that the right amount of training and its intensity are more important than their frequency.
To put it simply, your muscles can take a certain amount of damage each week, whether it's in one or three workouts, it's basically the same thing.
Training one muscle group a day can work poorly if you have a poorly composed training program: poor selection of exercises, training volume and number of repetitions. A significant part of people with such a training scheme do too much isolated exercises with low weight and big amount repetitions, resulting in reduced intensity and too much volume.
“But what about protein synthesis?” you ask. "Don't muscles recover in 2-3 days?"
Studies have shown that a surge in muscle protein synthesis occurs 24 hours after a workout and returns to normal after 36 hours. This means, in theory, that you should train a muscle every 2-3 days to stimulate its maximum growth, in fact, a number of training programs are built on this principle.
Such programs may work, however, a common problem for people working on them is recovery. As the volume and intensity of training increases, the rest time should also increase.
Research has shown that even a trained male athlete can take anywhere from 48 to 96 hours to fully recover from muscle loss, sleep, nutrition, and other physiological factors such as hormone levels and genetics.
If we look at other studies, we can see that the vast majority of people take rather 72-96 hours to fully recover from intense workout, as well as the fact that the older generation needs more time than the younger one, just like the big ones muscle groups need more time than small ones.
In addition, muscle recovery is only one component.
Intensive training causes stress in nervous system, and research has shown that this "fatigue" can build up from workout to workout. If it becomes too much, symptoms of overtraining occur, such as decreased performance, depression, sleep disturbance, etc.
