Can I Really Train One Muscle Group This Often Per Week?
Mateusz Pawlak
2026-03-20
5 min. read
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How frequently should I train one muscle group per week? This question is posed by individuals at different skill levels, including both those just starting their fitness journey and more experienced bodybuilders. Each of us desires to quickly achieve our intended goals, but it is crucial to remember that excessive training can lead to opposite effects, while infrequent training may be insufficient for adequately stimulating muscles.
The briefest span of time between workout sessions
It is commonly believed that the shortest rest period after strength training is one day, i.e., 24 hours - the minimum duration that enables muscles to recover and create optimal conditions for the next workout. During this time, muscle fibers not only regenerate but also build up, leading to an increased volume. Of course, this refers to 24 hours of rest for a particular muscle group. The time required for recovery also depends on the level of training and the fitness level of the person training. The more experienced a person is, the better they know their physical needs and when to take a break. Gym-goers should not use training plans intended for advanced individuals as this can lead to overtraining and exhaustion. More does not necessarily mean better and working on the figure is not a sprint, but a marathon.
Greatest recovery duration
This does not imply that longer rest periods yield superior outcomes? If the shortest recovery period is 24 hours, what is the maximum? According to research, the longest recovery time for a single muscle group is 72 hours, and a longer duration does not provide additional benefits, does not enhance muscle strength, or influence better recovery. It is also worth emphasizing that the specified recovery time applies to individuals who engage in high-intensity, high-volume strength training programs, such as those for large muscle groups like legs or back muscles. The recovery time depends on individual factors, so beginners should rely on statistics and research, while advanced individuals should rely on their own sensations.
Training frequency and muscle group size
The principle is clear - the larger the muscle group, the more exercises and repetitions that need to be performed, which requires more intensive training and longer recovery time. A very popular approach when creating training plans is to combine small muscle groups with large ones. However, this is not always the best solution, as after an intense leg workout, not many people are able to continue with the next training session. Upon closer examination of the smaller muscle groups (e.g. biceps brachii, triceps brachii, shoulder muscles), it can be observed that they regenerate much faster. However, this does not mean that they should be trained more frequently, as these muscle groups are also active during back or chest training. Therefore, it is so important to properly plan the training plan and adapt it to the individual's experience and regenerative capacity. An important factor that also affects our recovery and training frequency is the used training method and the training schedule. If there are many difficult multi-joint exercises in our training, such as deadlifts, squats, push-ups, or bench presses, the recovery time will be longer than with machine training. To put it simply, the more intense the training, the longer the recovery time.
The preparatory phase prior to training
As previously mentioned, the preparatory phase prior to training also holds significance in the context of recovery and impacts the frequency of training. Individuals embarking on their fitness journey should understand that more does not necessarily equate to better. Muscles grow when we rest, and training serves as the stimulus for their growth. Similarly, adapting to training is equally important - the body of an advanced individual is accustomed to exertion, thus, such individuals must continually push their boundaries. Beginners, on the other hand, receive new incentives. To stimulate muscles to grow, they do not require the same level of intensity as experienced individuals. Consequently, over time, our training sessions become more demanding and frequent than those of beginners.
Frequency of abdominal muscle exercise
One of the most common mistakes made in gyms is to train the abdominal muscles daily. Firstly, the abdominal muscles are like any other muscle in our body and require rest and recovery time. They help maintain our posture, so we should not overload them. Secondly, the visibility of the abdominal muscles is usually the result of a suitable diet focused on reducing body fat, rather than just training. Another mistake is performing an excessive number of abdominal exercises and sets. As I have already pointed out, this is not the correct way to train the abdominal muscles. I recommend performing 2-3 abdominal exercises per week in 2-3 sets. This amount is sufficient to achieve the desired results.
Secrets of legendary bodybuilders
Phil Heath and other bodybuilders dedicate every moment to improving details and optimizing achieved results... They serve as a model for those who aspire to excel in this field, but is it always justified? Bodybuilders on a professional level train twice a day because it's their job, their life... The most important aspect, however, is that their ability to regenerate surpasses that of the average person... It's crucial to understand that before they became famous, before they were so impressively built, they trained three to five times a week like everyone else... With increasing experience, they started training more frequently and intensely, as their regenerative abilities allowed it... Thanks to their experience, they can listen to their body, adjust the intensity of training units to the day and the specific goal... When watching movies showcasing the training of renowned athletes, many people notice they don't use heavy weights... Imitating their training would be a mistake... Remember, they are experienced athletes who can now afford such training... They've built the appropriate muscle mass, which they constructed with heavy weights... Arnold Schwarzenegger admitted in an interview that when he started working on his biceps - his strongest part - he trained using cheat repetitions... These weren't technically perfect exercises, but he controlled the negative phase, meaning he emphasized heavy weight... Only with time and growing muscle mass did he begin to refine the details using less weight.
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