Training Frequency Vs. Training Volume: What's More Important for Hypertrophy?

When it comes to building muscle, two major variables dictate your progress in the gym: training frequency and training volume. Both play a crucial role in hypertrophy, but which one truly matters most? Should you focus on hitting each muscle group more often, or should you prioritize lifting more total volume in your workouts?

Understanding Training Frequency and Training Volume

What is Training Frequency?

Training frequency refers to how often you train a specific muscle group or perform a workout. It is typically measured as:

• Full-body training (3-4 times per week)

• Upper/Lower splits (each muscle group trained twice per week)

• Bro splits (each muscle trained once per week)

• Push/Pull/Legs (PPL) (each muscle trained 2+ times per week)

A higher training frequency means you hit each muscle more often within a week, distributing your workload across multiple sessions.

What is Training Volume?

Training volume refers to the total amount of work performed in a given time, usually calculated as:

🔹 Volume = Sets × Reps × Weight

For example, if you bench press 3 sets of 10 reps at 100 lbs, your total volume for that exercise is:

3 × 10 × 100 = 3,000 lbs of total volume

Higher training volume generally correlates with greater hypertrophy, as it increases muscle fiber recruitment and time under tension.

Training Frequency vs. Training Volume: Which Should You Prioritize?

When to Prioritize Training Volume

✅ If you’re training with low volume per session – Increasing the number of total weekly sets (e.g., 12-20 sets per muscle per week) will boost hypertrophy.

✅ If your goal is maximum muscle growth – More volume, within recoverable limits, generally leads to greater gains.

✅ If you recover well from workouts – If your muscles can handle more volume without excessive fatigue, increasing volume will accelerate muscle growth.

⚠️ Caution: There is a limit to how much volume you can handle before recovery suffers. Studies suggest 10-20 sets per muscle group per week is ideal for most people. Anything beyond that might cause diminishing returns.

When to Prioritize Training Frequency

✅ If you can’t recover from high-volume sessions – Instead of doing 20 sets for legs in one day, spreading those sets over two sessions (e.g., 10 sets on Monday, 10 on Thursday) might be more effective.

✅ If your schedule allows for shorter workouts – Training 5-6 times per week at a moderate volume is often easier to sustain than cramming everything into 3-4 long sessions.

✅ If your progress has stalled – Increasing training frequency can help you break through plateaus by allowing more frequent stimulation of muscle protein synthesis.

⚠️ Caution: Training too often without proper recovery can lead to overtraining, fatigue, and injury. Recovery is just as important as training.

The best approach for most lifters is to balance both training frequency and volume by:

🔹 Training each muscle group at least twice per week

🔹 Accumulating 10-20 total sets per muscle per week

🔹 Distributing volume across multiple sessions for better recovery

🔹 Adjusting based on individual recovery and progression

A higher training frequency helps manage fatigue, while higher training volume drives muscle growth.

Practical Recommendations for Different Training Splits

📌 If you train 3-4 times per week (Full-Body Approach)

• Train each muscle group 3 times per week

• Use moderate volume (4-6 sets per muscle per session)

• Ideal for beginners or those with limited gym time

📌 If you train 4-5 times per week (Upper/Lower or PPL)

• Train each muscle group twice per week

• Use higher volume per session (6-10 sets per muscle)

• Ideal for intermediate lifters focusing on strength and hypertrophy

📌 If you train 5-6 times per week (Hybrid or Body Part Splits)

• Train each muscle 1-2 times per week

• Use a mix of high and moderate volume

• Best for advanced lifters with good recovery capacity

Final Verdict: What Matters Most for Muscle Growth?

🎯 Training volume is the biggest factor in muscle hypertrophy—more weekly sets lead to more growth, provided recovery is sufficient.

🎯 Training frequency helps distribute volume effectively—hitting muscles 2-3 times per week allows for better recovery and consistent progress.

🎯 The best approach depends on your schedule, recovery, and experience level—balance both factors for maximum gains.

Your Action Plan

🔥 Track your volume – Are you getting 10-20 sets per muscle per week? If not, increase it gradually.

🔥 Adjust your frequency – If you’re only training a muscle once per week, consider increasing to twice per week for better gains.

🔥 Listen to your body – If you’re always sore or fatigued, reduce volume or increase rest days. If you’re recovering well, gradually increase volume over time.

There’s no “one-size-fits-all” answer, but optimizing both training volume and frequency is the key to maximizing muscle growth. Whether you train 3, 4, 5, or even 6 days per week, ensure your plan supports progressive overload and recovery.

Stay consistent, track your progress, and train smarter, not just harder.