Is training each muscle twice a week better?

A constant debate in the bodybuilding world revolves around training frequency, and a frequently asked question is whether to train each muscle twice a week instead of once.

For many years, the "normal" practice was to have a dedicated day for chest training. Always on Monday, because, of course, you train the most important muscle at the beginning of the week when you're rested.

There was also a specific day for back training, a day for legs, and so on. The "rule" was this: train each muscle group as hard as possible, once a week. Then, give that muscle group seven full days to recover.

But what if these muscle groups didn't need seven days to recover, and what if you could train these groups again sooner and still see more gains?

This is where the idea of ​​training each muscle group twice a week began to gain traction, especially when studies show that training each group more than once can be better for hypertrophy.

So, is training each muscle twice a week better?

Scientific and empirical evidence suggests that training each muscle group weekly seems to be best for most people in most cases.

In fact, there is a relatively large body of evidence suggesting that training each muscle group twice a week yields greater hypertrophy results than training only once.

In 2016, a meta-analysis was conducted by well-known fitness researchers: Brad J. Schoenfeld, Dan Ogborn, and James W. Krieger. The results were quite clear.

Why training each muscle group twice a week is better

Okay, training each muscle twice a week is best, but it would be fair to ask exactly why this training frequency is better.

With this in mind, let's take a look at some of the key benefits of this approach.

1 – More stimuli to gain muscle mass

By training each muscle group twice a week, you increase the frequency of stimulation for each muscle. This means that instead of one stimulus per week, each muscle receives two, enhancing the body's anabolic response.

Imagine there are 51 weeks in a year. By training each muscle group once, if you don't miss any workouts, you generate 51 stimuli for each group to grow. By training each group twice, you simply double the stimuli.

Science already shows us that more stimuli per week, up to a certain point, brings more results.

2 – Better muscle recovery

It may seem counterintuitive, but training a muscle group twice a week can improve recovery.

This occurs in two ways:

Your muscles adapt to the higher training frequency and learn to recover faster.More often, it is possible to spread the total work out into more training sessions throughout the week.3 – Greater flexibility

By splitting workouts for each muscle group twice a week, you open up a wider variety of training schedules and styles.

For example, if you train chest twice a week, you can use dumbbells in the first workout and barbells in the second, or you can periodize the first workout using low reps and high reps in the second.

There is literally a universe of modifications that can be more easily applied when we train each muscle group twice a week.

4 – Better distribution of training volume

By spreading your training volume throughout the week, rather than concentrating it on a single day, you can better manage fatigue and stress on your muscles and joints.

This allows for more consistent and sustainable training over time, reducing the risk of injury and overuse.

Additionally, this approach allows you to maintain a relatively high intensity in each session, as the volume of each workout is more manageable.

How to train each muscle twice a week?

There are countless effective training splits that train each muscle group twice a week. Honestly, there's no single routine that stands out. Any classic workout will yield good results if done regularly and with proper nutrition.

With that said, the main divisions that train each group twice a week are:

ABC 2x or Push/Pull/Legs 2x.AB 2x or Upper/Lower 2x.And train each muscle MORE than twice a week?

So, if training twice a week works well, why not train each muscle group three, four, or even five times a week? More training equals more gains, right?

Some researchers suggest that training a muscle group three or more times per week could result in increased hypertrophy, but there is a limit.

However, the literature on high-frequency training is still scarce, what we do know is that if muscle groups have not recovered sufficiently by the next training session, additional work can be detrimental to overall progress.

That said, different muscle groups tend to have different recovery rates, with smaller muscles—biceps, triceps, calves—being able to recover more quickly than larger muscles—back, quads, hamstrings, etc.

Furthermore, different individuals can handle different amounts of training volume. Factors outside the gym—sleep, nutrition, total caloric intake, hormones, stress—can also significantly affect progress.

So yes, you could potentially train each muscle more than twice a week to see greater gains, but this may be an individual difference rather than a broad training recommendation that applies to everyone.

What's the big takeaway? Most people could achieve better results if they trained each muscle group twice a week. It's that simple.