How Often Should You Lift Weights To Maximize Your Results?

When you read the above title, what initial thoughts come to mind for you?

Before you read on, take 30 seconds to see what pops up.

Below are thoughts my clients share when considering the question, "how often should I lift weights?"

• "Surely, lifting more often is better."

• "Is there an amount that's too much?"

• "If there is an ideal frequency, do I have the time for that?"

• "Am I doing enough?"

• "Am I overdoing it right now?"

Your thoughts might be different, but I think these examples do a decent job of highlighting some common themes everyone experiences. Which are:

• The misbelief that more is always better.

• The fear that you could overdo it.

• Time barriers to working out, even though the actual time commitment is unknown.

• Worry that they're not doing enough.

• Worry that they are doing too much.

Would you like to know the answer?

Here it is:

Unless you are a novice (which means you have no resistance training experience or you have not trained for several years), how many times you train each week takes a back seat to how many sets you perform on a specific muscle or pattern each week.

Essentially, your results will boil down to the amount of weekly volume (number of sets) you perform over the week. Performing nine sets of a chest exercise variation in one workout or three workouts won't change your results because you tallied nine sets in both strategies.

*Note: it is advised to avoid training the same muscle group or movement two days in a row.

What are your thoughts on this piece of information? (I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below)

This piece of information can be used to help you create a more effective and efficient workout plan. Instead of focusing on how many times a week you should lift weights, you can focus on how many sets you need to perform each week on each muscle or pattern. This helps you better plan your workout sessions, as you can focus on performing the total amount of sets as efficiently and effectively as possible. You can also use this information to decide how many days a week you need to lift to reach your goals. You can focus on fewer days but higher-volume workouts if you have limited time. Alternatively, if you have more time, you can spread out the sets over a few days and get the same result. Overall, this information gives you more control over your workout plan and allows you to make the most of your time.

With that, how might you use this piece of information to increase your success?