# What is your opinion on high-frequency training?



## Zombocalypse (Jun 10, 2017)

I figured I should post this here in the General because it's the most active. Sorry. Anyway...

What is your opinion on high-frequency training? It took my squat from 335 to 405 in less than 2 months. And then I plateaued. There was minimal hypertrophy for me since I was lifting maximal weights, 6 days a week.

I assume you are all familiar with the so-called Bulgarian Weightlifting Method?


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## Solomc (Jun 10, 2017)

What's your opinion on it?


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## Zombocalypse (Jun 10, 2017)

Solomc said:


> What's your opinion on it?



I think it's the best method to build pure strength. It sucks when it comes to hypertrophy though.


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## knightmare999 (Jun 10, 2017)

I'd say it's better for hypertrophy than strength, as the CNS is taxed less.
That's a subjective statement.  There's probably some research floating around on the subject.

I train 6 days a week, currently PPL split 2xs/week, and have experienced hypertrophy and strength gains.  I never go for max lifts, though.


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## BigSwolePump (Jun 10, 2017)

It has its place but should be cycled with other forms of training to avoid plateaus.


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## Zombocalypse (Jun 10, 2017)

knightmare999 said:


> I'd say it's better for hypertrophy than strength, as the CNS is taxed less.
> That's a subjective statement.  There's probably some research floating around on the subject.
> 
> I train 6 days a week, currently PPL split 2xs/week, and have experienced hypertrophy and strength gains.  I never go for max lifts, though.



PPL as in Push/Pull/Legs, right?

I did that too back when I was a kid. *It was literally the very first training program I've ever done in the gym.* That was also the first time I've been in a gym. Great results. And like you, I also did it 6 days a week. PPL split twice a week.


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## Zombocalypse (Jun 10, 2017)

BigSwolePump said:


> It has its place but should be cycled with other forms of training to avoid plateaus.



What kind of training cycle would complement it?


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## knightmare999 (Jun 10, 2017)

Zombocalypse said:


> PPL as in Push/Pull/Legs, right?
> 
> I did that too back when I was a kid. *It was literally the very first training program I've ever done in the gym.* That was also the first time I've been in a gym. Great results. And like you, I also did it 6 days a week. PPL split twice a week.



Yep.  Push/Pull/Legs.
I've done body part splits, etc., but I think PPL is the best course for me right now.


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## knightmare999 (Jun 10, 2017)

BigSwolePump said:


> It has its place but should be cycled with other forms of training to avoid plateaus.


Agreed.  I did body part splits for a while, training six days a week with a 4 day split.  Two groups got hit twice a week and the other once, and so on.  
Doing PPL now at 6 days for about 16 weeks, then I'll change it up again.


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## Youngblood1984 (Jun 10, 2017)

im still trying to figure out wjat works best for me I go back and forth with a couple different ways every 5/6 weeks


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## Youngblood1984 (Jun 10, 2017)

I like to hear everyones methods and what works best for them , I know ripedzilla has some really good methods behind many different ways !


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## ECKSRATED (Jun 10, 2017)

The Russians love it and they are some crazy strong bastards


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## Solomc (Jun 10, 2017)

Youngblood1984 said:


> im still trying to figure out wjat works best for me I go back and forth with a couple different ways every 5/6 weeks



Thats exactly what you should be doing young. Changing that shit up gonna get you the best results


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## Youngblood1984 (Jun 10, 2017)

Yea I try to keep it mixed but I need to learn more ways


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## ECKSRATED (Jun 10, 2017)

Youngblood1984 said:


> Yea I try to keep it mixed but I need to learn more ways



I'd give something more than 5 weeks to see real results brother. Give it like three months to see if it's working for u.


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## BigSwolePump (Jun 10, 2017)

ECKSRATED said:


> I'd give something more than 5 weeks to see real results brother. Give it like three months to see if it's working for u.


That is solid advice. It takes longer than a month to see results.


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## PillarofBalance (Jun 10, 2017)

Strength versus hypertrophy will occur depending on your rep ranges and intensity levels. It doesn't have to be frequent maximal or even near max effort training. You can squat 4 x per week and your legs will grow. Just do more than heavy triples and shit.


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## MrRippedZilla (Jun 11, 2017)

High frequency training is awesome, just not with max intensity every session. Hell, even if you look at typical powerlifting and olympic weightlifting training cycles, it doesn't involve max intensity at every session but does involve relatively high frequency - so this isn't an hypertrophy exclusive rule. 

A quick note on the Bulgarian method - if your a natural lifter, which I think you are judging from your intro thread, then you need to be aware that this method was designed with *advanced, **enhanced* lifters in mind. It is, IME, complete overkill for naturals since very few have the recovery capacity to cope with it over a long-ish cycle. 
Also, it isn't appropriate for those with hypertrophy as the main goal - it was designed to optimize the olympic lifts after all.


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## Milo (Jun 11, 2017)

MrRippedZilla said:


> High frequency training is awesome, just not with max intensity every session. Hell, even if you look at typical powerlifting and olympic weightlifting training cycles, it doesn't involve max intensity at every session but does involve relatively high frequency - so this isn't an hypertrophy exclusive rule.
> 
> A quick note on the Bulgarian method - if your a natural lifter, which I think you are judging from your intro thread, then you need to be aware that this method was designed with *advanced, **enhanced* lifters in mind. It is, IME, complete overkill for naturals since very few have the recovery capacity to cope with it over a long-ish cycle.
> Also, it isn't appropriate for those with hypertrophy as the main goal - it was designed to optimize the olympic lifts after all.


To add on to what you said about the Bulgarian Method, these guys were in a controlled environment and monitored 24/7. They didn't have jobs, they didnt have lives, they just lifted under strict supervision and living conditions. This is an unrealistic training program for 99% of people.


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## PillarofBalance (Jun 11, 2017)

Milo said:


> To add on to what you said about the Bulgarian Method, these guys were in a controlled environment and monitored 24/7. They didn't have jobs, they didnt have lives, they just lifted under strict supervision and living conditions. This is an unrealistic training program for 99% of people.



I don't recall the numbers but Abadjiev started with like 60 lifters and ended with maybe 13 or some shit.

Dudes couldn't hang. And these were supposed to be the best of the best.

3 x per day training. Working up to a max more than once per day.

Nuts. Couldn't work in PL. Not even close.


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## MrRippedZilla (Jun 11, 2017)

Milo said:


> To add on to what you said about the Bulgarian Method, these guys were in a controlled environment and monitored 24/7. They didn't have jobs, they didnt have lives, they just lifted under strict supervision and living conditions. This is an unrealistic training program for 99% of people.



Valid addition.

It was also designed to be applied to the clean & jerk, snatch, front & back squats almost exclusively. So spread over 3 sessions per day, its 2 movements per session and total volume was kept pretty low - too low to have any application to a hypertrophy programme. 
It would be heavy singles, sometimes doubles for the squats, for daily max effort (think RIR, not RM%) equivalent to a 9.5. Again, specificity is the name of the game here so trying to translate this method to PLing or bodybuilding is a stupid thing to do.

Of course its important to keep in mind that the real bulgarian method and the modified versions you'll find all over the place are not the same thing - far from it in some cases. So OP could be looking at something slightly different to what we're thinking of.


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## Zombocalypse (Jun 11, 2017)

Thanks for your thoughts, everyone.


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