Can you Maintain Muscular Strength and Muscle Mass with only 1 Workout Per Week?
Can you Maintain Muscular Strength and Muscle Mass with only 1 Workout Per Week?
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The title of this blog may sound like a scam, but in reality it is true. Especially when it comes to muscular strength and muscle size for younger to middle aged adults. There are three principles to understand when reducing to 1 workout per week. These principles are the backbone to any exercise program and the principles are - frequency, volume and intensity.
1) Frequency - number of days/sessions per week
2) Volume - sets for strength
3) Intensity - % of 1RM or weight lifted
In order for someone to reduce frequency to 1 day per week the intensity of training would need to remain the same. In other words, the workout needs to be as intense as previous workouts.
Maintaining Strength
There are a typically 4 outcomes when it comes to strength training; strength, power, hypertrophy and muscular endurance - with each outcome having a variety of sets and RM ranges that go along with each outcome. In the example below I am going to use hyperthropy,
Example: Individual was in a hyperthropy phase (6-12RM) this individual could reduce to 1 day and 1 set per week as long as the individual continued to perform a 6-12RM. The exercises could variety i.e. weighted pushup vs. bench press but should remain within the RM range so intensity does not.
This 1 set per exercise, 1 day per week style of workout has been demonstrated to be able to maintain muscle size and even increase % of 1RM for 32 weeks (1) . It's important to note that age is a factor. Older individuals (60-65 years +) will need additional volume and frequency to maintain muscle size. However, this is still a relatively low amount of frequency and volume; 2 days per week and 2-3 sets per exercise (2,3). It's important to note that this is if you are satisfied with your current fitness level. If you are not satisfied this would simply not be enough load to allow someone who recently started to strength train to be able to make forward progress and/or for an athlete or individual who is looking to make additional strength or muscle mass gains.
Improving Strength
Improving strength, power and muscle mass is a completely different story. As previously mentioned 1 day per week will not be enough stimuli to improve overall fitness. There are a couple avenues to get "around this" i.e. "mini workouts throughout the day", I plan on writing a follow up to this within the next month or so. In an ideal world, an individual would progressively increase overload by either increasing frequency, intensity or volume until desired fitness outcomes are achieved.
Summary
If you are young to middle aged adult it is possible to maintain muscle mass and strength with 1 workout per week as long as intensity is maintained. If you are 60 years old or older you will need to add an additional day per week as well as an additional set or two. Remember this is only if the individual is looking to maintain current fitness level. If the individual is looking to improve fitness than more training stimuli will be necessary to cause the body to progress (become more fit).
References:
1 )Bickel CS, Cross JM, Bamman MM. Exercise dosing to retain resistance training adaptations in young and older adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc 43: 1177–1187, 2011.
2) Tavares LD, de Souza EO, Ugrinowitsch C, et al. Effects of different strength training frequencies during reduced training period on strength and muscle cross-sectional area. Eur J Sport Sci 17: 665–672, 2017.
3) Trappe S, Williamson D, Godard M. Maintenance of whole muscle strength and size following resistance training in older men. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 57: B138–B143, 2002.
