There’s a helpful post about this featured in the StrongFirst forum.
Essentially, the OP questioned if working on a lift 2x a week is more effective than 3x a lift.
And that’s because, due to life’s circumstances , he got mentally exhausted from training a lift 3x a week.
Well, that’s certainly one of the reasons why to switch from 3x a week to 2x a week - mental burnout .
For some, doing the “same thing” every training session becomes a mental strain.
So, let’s look at some other reasons you might not want to / shouldn’t work on a lift 3x a week:1- Larger Exercise Selection
You may want to include a wider variety of exercises in your training program.
Instead of “just” Presses, you may want to include TGUs, Bent Presses, and/or Push Presses.
2- Lacking Energy
Some people have a lot of energy, others don’t .
Training hard on a 3x a week could be overwhelming in your stage of life right now.
Examples are get more info having toddlers… working swing shifts/ nights… caring for a loved one…
Twice a week may be all you can manage .
3- Lacking Desire
This is a biggie.
Maybe you just don’t want to work on a lift 3x a week. That’s totally okay and your prerogative.
4- Lacking Time
For many, this really isn’t a thing. It’s managing the time smartly we do have.
But for some, 12-hour days leave little time for hard-core training.
As a result, a Wednesday evening and Saturday morning training session may be all that’s truly feasible right now.
5- Inadequate Recovery
Some guys just don’t recover well.
3x a week is just too much for them.
How would you know if that’s you?
A- Your training log reveals that you’re no longer achieving results.
B- You’re losing the desire to train.
C- You don’t sleep well - routinely less than 7 hours a night.
6- Programming
[a] The more exercises per session, typically the lower the frequency
[b] The higher the volume (work completed), typically the lower the frequency
[c] The higher the effort level (energy expended), the lower the frequency
[d] The higher the neurological demand (Deadlift vs. Bench Press), typically the lower the frequency
[e] The longer the training session, typically the lower the frequency
Conversely -
The less exercises per session, volume, effort, and neurological demand, the more frequently you can train a lift
The “secret” is to identify what you really CAN do (NOT “Want” to do), and then consistently do that.
Sub-optimal programming is more effective for seeing progress than the traditional “over 40 workout cycle” -
“Find” motivation → Workout too hard → Get sore / injured → Take [more] time off → Lose motivation → REPEAT CYCLE.
Again, this is typically why I advise most of us “over 40 types” train 3 days a week, for between 20 and 30 minutes.
Over the decades, I’ve found this is the “Sweet Spot” where we can get some effective work done, without crushing ourselves , so we can see and measure progress.
And if you have the time, desire, energy, and good recovery?
Train 4-5 days a week.
Training more frequently typically (but not always) allows for a wider variety of exercises throughout the week.
Here are some schedules you can follow:
3-Day Week:
[1] A/B Split - Week 1: A-B-A, Week 2: B-A-B
[2] MHL - Modest - Heavy - Light - or any other sequence
4-Day Week:
[1] Light, Heavy, Light, Heavy
[2] Light, Medium , Heavy, Light.
5-Day Week:
[1] Light, Medium , Heavy, Light, Moderate
[2] Light, Heavy, Medium , Light, Heavy
So again, at the end of the day, how many times you practice a lift is ultimately up to you - your objectives , circumstances, and desires .
Hope you found this valuable.
Stay Motivated,
Geoff Neupert.