Frequency

Frequency in a resistance exercise program refers to the number of exercise sessions per day or per week. As with other aspects of dosage, frequency is dependent on other determinants, such as intensity and volume as well as the patient’s goals, general health status, previous participation in a resistance exercise program, and response to training. The greater the intensity and volume of exercise, the more time is needed between exercise sessions to recover from the temporarily fatiguing effects of exercise. A common cause of a decline in performance from overtraining (see discussion later in the chapter) is excessive frequency, inadequate rest, and progressive fatigue. Some forms of exercise should be performed less frequently than others because they require greater recovery time. High-intensity eccentric exercise, for example, is associated with greater microtrauma to soft tissues and a higher incidence of delayed-onset muscle soreness than other modes of exercise. Therefore, rest intervals between exercise sessions are longer and the frequency of exercise is less than with other forms of exercise.

Although an optimal frequency per week has not been determined, a few generalizations can be made. Initially in an exercise program, so long as the intensity and number of repetitions are low, short sessions of exercises sometimes can be performed on a daily basis several times per day. This frequency is often indicated for early postsurgical patients when the operated limb is immobilized and the extent of exercise is limited to low-intensity isometric (setting) exercises to prevent or minimize atrophy. As the intensity and volume of exercise increases, every other day or up to five exercise sessions per week is common. Frequency is again reduced for a maintenance program, usually to two times per week. With prepubescent children and the very elderly, frequency is usually limited to two to three sessions per week. Highly trained athletes involved in body building, power lifting, and weight lifting who know their own response to exercise often train at a high intensity and volume up to 6 days per week.

Duration

Exercise duration is the total number of weeks or months during which a resistance exercise program is carried out. Depending on the cause of an impairment in muscle performance, some patients require only a month or two of training to return to the desired level of function or activity, whereas others need to continue the exercise program for a lifetime to maintain optimal function.

Strength gains, observed early in a resistance training program (after 2 to 3 weeks) are the result of neural adaptation. For significant changes to occur in muscle, such as hypertrophy or increased vascularization, at least 6 to 12 weeks of resistance training is required.

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