When the subject is the practicing physical exercises especially when focused on gaining muscle mass, one of the most common doubts is: which is better, having training frequency or intensity ?
The answer to this question is not simple, as it depends on several factors, such as each person’s goal, level of physical conditioning, type of exercise and time available to train.
Regularity in training is essential for building a healthy habit and achieving progressive gains. On the other hand, intense training with more load can generate faster results in terms of burning fat and increasing muscle strength, even with longer recovery intervals between sessions.
“The disadvantage of higher frequencies can be “overtraining” if the training volume and stimulus proposed are not well periodized. High intensity can end up shortening training sessions because, normally, they lead to fatigue earlier, an interesting strategy for those who have little time or even at specific moments in the training period, but it requires that there is already basic conditioning”, explains Ludmila Mesquita, Sports Doctor at the Macabi Institute.
The recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that, for health and well-being, 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity weekly or 75 minutes of intense physical activity is recommended, preferably with two strength training sessions associated with two times a week.
Regardless of whether you opt for daily or more intense training, an element that cannot be neglected is rest time, according to the experts interviewed by the report from CNN .
“For a beginner, recovery may be slower, as the body is getting used to the pace. Normally, we talk about resting for 48 hours or 72 hours to repeat that training, however, there is no prohibition on doing the same exercise in less time”, explains Avner Melo Teixeira, sports doctor at Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual (Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual) ( HSPE).
This rest time may vary from person to person, as some are more accustomed to training and recover in less time.
Food and sleep are also essential
Another fundamental aspect that directly influences the results of training, regardless of the type, is nutrition. Maintaining a balanced routine throughout the day is essential for results.
“For each sport, we have nutrient needs, and the main energy suppliers for training are proteins and carbohydrates. A balanced diet and efficient pre-workout meals are necessary to generate energy (carbohydrates) and also a post-workout meal consisting of proteins and carbohydrates to help with muscle recovery for the next training session”, details physical educator Vanessa Furstenberger.
Sleep is another fundamental pillar, both for recovery and for the quality of physical performance, as it is during sleep that the body goes through muscle repair and growth processes.
“Hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone are released during sleep. Furthermore, rest improves concentration, coordination and reaction time. Lack of sleep can result in fatigue, reducing the ability to train with intensity and frequency”, adds Flávia Magalhães, sports doctor and nutritionist.
This content was originally published on Are you paid? See strategies for gaining more muscle mass safely on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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