Does Training Frequency Matter for Strength and Size?

Why It Matters

Understanding that volume, not frequency, drives strength and hypertrophy lets coaches design flexible programs that boost adherence while still delivering optimal gains.

Key Takeaways

• Frequency distributes total volume; it isn’t a direct performance driver.
• When volume is equal, higher frequency shows negligible strength or hypertrophy gains.
• Splitting sets across days may raise weekly load by reducing intra‑workout fatigue.
• Skill‑intensive lifts improve with frequent, low‑fatigue practice for technique mastery.
• Cardio fitness benefits from longer sessions; brief exercise snacks are less effective.

Summary

The video tackles a common gym‑floor question: does breaking a workout into separate sessions across the day impair long‑term strength and muscle growth?

The hosts explain that training frequency is primarily a vehicle for distributing total training volume. When weekly volume is held constant, meta‑analyses by Schoenfeld (2016, updated 2019) and Grgic (2022) show no meaningful differences in hypertrophy or strength between once‑weekly and multiple‑weekly sessions. Apparent gains in earlier studies vanished once volume was properly equated.

They do, however, argue that splitting heavy lifts—e.g., deadlifts—into two or three days can reduce intra‑workout fatigue, allowing slightly higher loads or reps per set. Anecdotal examples include coaching an athlete to press overhead five to seven days a week for skill acquisition, and spreading deadlift volume to achieve marginally greater cumulative load over months.

For practitioners, the takeaway is to prioritize total load and personal logistics over rigid frequency prescriptions. Frequent, low‑fatigue practice benefits technique‑heavy movements, while cardiovascular improvements still favor longer, continuous bouts. Ultimately, frequency should serve adherence and load maximization, not be treated as a standalone performance lever.

Original Description

If you have three lifts planned for the day but split them hours apart, are you leaving strength and size on the table? The short answer from Jordan and Dr. Austin Baraki: it is fine. The longer answer is a useful window into how they think about programming.

Frequency is a tool to distribute training load, not an independent driver of adaptation. When you equate volume, the frequency signal mostly disappears: Schoenfeld’s 2016 meta-analysis showed a small hypertrophy edge for higher frequency, but the volume was not actually equated, and the 2019 update with 25 studies erased the difference. Strength data tell the same story. Where Jordan goes slightly beyond the evidence: he suspects splitting volume up lets you accumulate more total training load over months and years because you lift fresher, and that higher-skill lifts like the overhead press may benefit from frequent, low-fatigue exposure.

They extend the same logic to cardiorespiratory fitness, where the old 10-minute bout minimum has been dropped entirely, while still arguing that some longer sessions matter if maximizing fitness is the goal. The practical takeaway: distribute your training by preference and logistics, prioritize adherence, and do not worry that splitting a session hurts your results. Full AMA episode and references linked below.

Resources:

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Schoenfeld B.J. et al. 2016. Effects of resistance training frequency on measures of muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med 46(11):1689-1697.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27102172/

Schoenfeld B.J. et al. 2019. How many times per week should a muscle be trained to maximize hypertrophy? J Sports Sci 37(11):1286-1295.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30558493/

Becker T. et al. 2022. Resistance training frequency and strength outcomes: meta-analysis. [verify]