Training frequency and the compound effect: How training frequency is your secret weapon to skyrocketing results over time

Titus Perry

NASM-CPT, NASM-PES, AFPA-CHN

For many of us, when we run into the proverbial wall and our progress comes to what seems like a grinding halt, many questions arise in our minds. We wonder if we are training incorrectly, eating too little or too much, not sleeping enough, or if we've simply hit our ceiling and can't hope for better than this.

There are a few options to pull yourself out of your lull and continue to move the needle forward! Today, we'll focus on one which is typically overlooked or not though about very much at all... training frequency and the compound effect.

What do I mean when I say this? Well, training frequency refers to the number of training sessions you perform within a given timeframe, typically centered around a weekly schedule. Example: 3 times/week. The compound effect, which can also be referred to as "the snowball effect", refers to the cumulative results of sustained effort or investment which multiplies upon itself over time.

So, how does this apply to fitness you might ask? Well, because the body will typically only adapt and evolve to the demands placed upon it, and nothing more. There may be some overcompensation in the beginner stages of training where a great deal of progress is attained quickly, but as our bodies adjust, this becomes the new normal. It'll then become more difficult to throw our bodies out of homeostasis to produce further change.

But.... what if simply upping our training frequency and sustaining that over time would push our bodies to develop further? Say, if you trained 2 times a week for 6 months and saw steady improvement, but the following 6 months you have had difficulty seeing continued results, maybe adding a 3rd weekly session for the next 6 months can push you past your plateau. That one extra session every week adds up to 48 extra sessions in 6 months' time. That's 48 more times that your body is getting the signal to improve hormone production, protein synthesis, metabolism, etc.

By now I'm sure you can see the benefits of heightened and sustained effort. It creates a new stimulus that our bodies must overcome. When we train with this kind of volume, we may not necessarily be training with as great of intensity as we could with fewer sessions, but the benefit is that we force the body to learn to recover more quickly and more effectively to keep up with the work load, and in doing so we push it a little bit further past its pre-existing barriers.

The indoor playground

Of these two factors, the compound effect is typically the hardest to see results from. It's not very difficult to add 1-2 more sessions per week into our training routine, but to do so over an extended period of time requires us to stay mindful of why we committed to this change in the first place. If we want to be better, no matter who we are, dialing in on our nutrition and fitness routines will yield the results we want over time. There is no silver bullet. But it is so much more satisfying to know that we have what it takes to accomplish our goals!

HOW TO STAY CONSISTENT

With many of us leading rather busy lives, it's easy for one to suggest that they don't have the time to exercise more often that they already do. Though, this is almost never completely true for the majority of people. The hours we spend scrolling our socials, watching TV/YouTube or stressing about things yet to come, could be time we set aside in our day to enrich our lives with healthier habits. It is a matter of priority. There is only good to be gained when we prioritize ourselves in this way.

It leads into how James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits writes "Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you want to become."

It is from this perspective that we can realize the gravity of the decisions we make for ourselves on a daily basis as each one adds up over time. The compound effect is ALWAYS in action. It is happening with everything we do on a consistent basis. We are forming habits all day everyday whether we are aware of it or not. It is the repetition of a thing that makes it stick. This applies to our training as well. You must change the narrative you tell yourself about why you can't commit... that is a choice, a vote, for being the type of person that doesn't stick to their goals. Instead, make the choice, the vote, to commit to the things you truly want and prove to yourself over and over that you are the type of person that sticks to their fitness goals (or any goal for that matter), and you will see that what was once a deliberate choice eventually becomes an automated habit. It becomes easy, and eventually, it becomes a part of you.

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?

Before highlighting some of what can be expected when doubling down on your training frequency either for a set number of weeks/months, or indefinitely, it is important to note that supporting your body's recovery efforts is crucial. Overtraining is a real thing and the progression to increased training frequency should be taken slowly. Adding 1 extra session a week for the first 4-6 weeks, then another for the following 4-6 weeks, and so on until you find your sweet spot for adequate training stimulus and recoverability is key.

Once you figure out what that sweet spot is, you can expect to see quicker improvements in athletic performance and body composition. Many of my client's report seeing reductions in waist circumference and other stubborn areas, greater muscle development/tone, and even quicker recovery between sets both intra workout and from one workout to the next. There is almost always an improvement in overall work capacity as well. The sessions get a little bit easier, which allows for quicker advancement in training and the results that follow.

This, again, is contingent on the importance placed on recovery, like diet, sleep, stress management, and even massage, cold/heat exposure therapy, stretching, and so on.

Are you ready to make training frequency your performance-enhancing secret? Begin today and watch your fitness journey transform!

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