Training Volume vs. Training Frequency

What kind of overload causes the greatest training gains? Is it better to do more exercises two days a week or fewer exercises three days a week? Canadian researchers found that training volume was more important than workout frequency in developing musle mass and strength in beginning weight trainers. Subjects did the same number of exercises per week (exercises, sets and reps), but one group did them in two workouts per week, while the other group did them in three. Both groups increased in muscle mass, squat strength and bench press strength with training, but the number of workouts per week did not affect the results. This study used untrained subjects, so the results may not apply to trained bodybuilders or weight-trained athletes. (Journal Strength Conditioning Research, 21: 204-207, 2007)