Frequency of strength training

[Guest guest]

One of my colleagues recently sent me the below translation regarding optimal

levels of training frequency:

http://www.styrkeloft.no/nyheter/frekvensprosjektet/1437-resultater-fra-frekvens\

prosjektet

Results from the frequency levels

The results for the frequency project is getting ready - and so far shows they

not only clear trends, the results are statistically significant. Bjørnar

Brende Smestad participated in the project and has here written a preliminary

report.

The study was conducted in autumn, where a large group of power lifters (27

athletes competed at the pre-testing) were collected on the Sports Academy of

the Arts for various pretester before they were divided into two training

groups: One group that was training three sessions a week and a that would train

six sessions a week - both groups completed identical weekly training volume.

After a training period of three months, volunteers gathered again for

re-testing - and it is therefore the data from re-tests are now starting to

become clear.

Testing athletes went through was twofold:

Strength Tester, where strength was tested equipment freely in the squat, bench

press and deadlift. In addition, it was carried isometric (static strength)

tests, by allowing the athletes to run in maximum kneekstensjon against a force

cell at different knevinkler. Jumping was also tested by using a powerful

platform.

Objective anthropometric tests:

* MRI of the thigh (change of cross section of the quadriceps muscle)

* Inbody 720 - Analysis of body composition

* Ultrasound of the m. vastus lateralis - there were changes in the thickness

of the muscle and fiber angle (which may indicate the change in muscle length)

tested. Some participants tested in a so-called DEXA machine, which is the most

reliable analysis of body composition.

In addition to these tests have the athletes also gone through a diet record of

4 days which will be analyzed by nutrition researchers at the Olympic summit.

It was Church Strip and the NSF that was the initiator of the study,

and were joined by Truls Raastad at the Norwegian Institute of Sport, as project

manager. Moreover, Ina Garth from the NIH and the Olympic top with to implement

a cost-registration of participants.

Of the results made public at this stage there is little doubt which of the two

groups showed the highest growth. Based on all the parameters had six days the

group better progress in all tests except the jumping test. At most of the

tests was this difference statistically significant.

As an example from the tests, one can look at the overall strength of the

athletes in squat: On startup the 3-day group, 1 kg higher in squat than the

6-day group. After the training intervention, was this relationship reversed,

and 6-day group were on average was 10 kg higher in squat than the 3-day group.

This is despite the fact that 3-day group had an average growth of over 5%

during the training period.

Together, both groups increased 275 kg in squat, 217.5 kg in bench press and

235 kg in the deadlift - so strength wise, this is like getting a peak power

lift on the team.

With these results as a basis, there is little doubt that this group was most

effective to train with high frequency. This can be said with the basis that

both groups trained exactly as much in a week, but 6-day group had by far the

greatest progress.

In practice, this indicates that if you reduce the amount of each exercise in

relation to what is common (for Norwegian power lifters), it appears that

muscles recover faster, and you again can stimulate muscle (with training) after

a short rest period . It may appear that the main effect is to increase the

number of sequences of stimuli (training / degradation) and adaptation

(recovery) within a given time period, thus greater success. 6-day group had

twice as many training sessions, and have had approximately twice the progress

in the squat. The groups, in other words, had about equal success rates.

workout, but the 6-day group had twice as many training sessions and thus twice

as great progress within the time period.

Moreover, a research on how long this effect lasts beyond the three moons that

were used in this study, and perhaps the most interesting - how will different

exercise frequency affect athletes who are closer to their genetic potential

than what these athletes was? Another approach that should be researched, is

how much stimuli that are actually required to initiate adaptation (growth) per

workout and how often this can be done. If you want to be able to benefit from

distributing the training of even more weekly sessions?

It should be noted that all practitioners sent in weekly reports of completed

training. These reports were carefully monitored to keep track of, for example,

of training. The athlete had follow-up both by mail and telephone during the

entire training period. Such training should take place in consultation with

experienced, competent trainers.

Church Strip hoping to get published the full results of the study in an

international journal in the course of this year.

All participants in the near future receive a written summary of their results.

NSF and NIH also plans to have him one of results that will be open to

participants of the project and all NSF lifts. This will in all probability be

held in conjunction with the Junior Championships in Hamar in June, more

information will be published on styrkeloft.no when approaching.

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Carruthers

Wakefield, UK