I’ve been training 6-7 days a week for the last month and a half.
Not optimal for muscle growth and performance (so they say). But I feel incredible.
Performance is through the roof. Strength is steadily going up. I feel like I could work out 3 hours plus every day.
Easy.
My body, at this point, runs like a machine, a very well-oiled machine.
I never believed in training more than 4 days a week (unless you’re a pro athlete). And truth be told, I still don’t.
You don’t need more than 3-4 solid workouts a week to get strong and lean.
But in my case, my body was itching for more action. And I happily obliged.
The difference between then and now, the difference between working out 3-4 days a week and training daily is that I don’t push myself to the limit every time I hit the gym. In fact, I stop my sets a couple reps shy of failure.
Don’t get it twisted. I still train hard, but I emphasize movement over sheer intensity.
And this has always been difficult for me, personally. My Achilles heel, if you will.
My mind simply wants to kill it every day. Every time I hit the gym, I want to push myself to a higher level of performance.
But that’s not how this works. Not unless you want to end up burnt out and injured.
I learned to contain myself. I learned to control my training enthusiasm.
Because one thing I can assure you: You can’t train all out every day. Not without completely running yourself into the ground and burying your potential.
Convict Conditioning
So what’s the optimal training frequency?
How often should you work out to maximize your results?
It depends. No such thing as an optimal number of workouts per week.
This is highly individual (time available, nutrition, sleep, training experience).
Can you work out every day and keep making progress?
Damn right you can.
Look at guys in prison.
Some of the biggest and strongest individuals on the planet are locked behind bars. And a lot of them train every single day.
There is value to be gained by studying people in prison and pro athletes.
They train with very high frequency but keep their overall intensity manageable. They don’t kill themselves every time they work out. They always leave a lil gas in the tank.
And this is key.
To gain size and strength on a high-frequency plan you must control your intensity and focus on movement over poundage and reps.
Go hard, but never to the point where your form collapses. Do not habitually max out on your lifts. Do not rush from set to set. And don’t overstay your welcome in the gym. 30-45 mins of training tops if you’re getting after it on the daily.
Train to build your body up, not to beat it down.
Resistance training is an inherently catabolic event. You’re breaking tissue down in the gym and it is only the subsequent recovery period that allows your body to recover, rebuild and come back bigger and stronger.
If you drive yourself into the ground every workout and shortcut your recovery you will shortcut your chance of developing muscle and strength.
You see, with your body it’s always a give and take.
You give your body what it wants, you give it enough quality food, sunlight (f*ck me this is so important) and sleep, you move it every day, going for walks, lifting heavy objects or playing soccer with kids at a South American non-profit organization…
and your body responds.
You give your body what it wants and it gives you exactly what you want: Energy, performance, six-pack abs and solid muscle.
It’s a beautiful relationship, really. The best you’ll ever have in this life.
But let’s face it, most of you have no clue what I’m talking about.
Because most people are not willing to pay the price, they’re not willing to do their part.
That’s why they’re miserable all the time and they look like dog poop. It’s nature’s way of saying get your shit together.
But back to our friendly neighborhood convict.
The real reason he’s jacked beyond comprehension (and capable of separating your head from your body in a heartbeat) is singularity of focus.
He suffers from a bad case of tunnel vision.
You see, behind bars, distractions are few and far between. Unlike the social media zombies on the outside, inmates don’t have many things to deal with.
Sure, there might be someone dropping the soap in the shower or a fight breaking out in the yard, but other than that, life inside is very straight forward.
The same routine every day (eat, train, sleep, repeat). No distractions. Full focus on the task at hand.
It’s a luxury, really. Best training environment one could have. And that’s considering the subpar food and training equipment in most prisons.
If you want to get jacked you have to apply that same level of focus and dedication. There is no way around it.
You have to prioritize and become relentlessly consistent. No more excuses.
No more “Oh I don’t have the time”, “I’m too busy, too old, too fat…”, “I don’t know where to start” type of sissy talk. Take that pathetic BS somewhere else.
Here are 2 science-backed rules you must follow to get results (in and out of the gym):
1. Don’t be a pussy
2. Stop thinking, start doing
And if you need a more detailed plan of action, get your copy of Lean Machine – The Ultimate Guide To Physical Transformation
Enough talk. Get to work.
&
V
