Training Frequency Calculator
How often should you train each muscle? Enter your weekly sets and how many days you can train, and see how to spread the work for muscle growth or strength.
Your details
Your results
Enter how many sets per muscle you do each week.
Train each muscle
a week
- Sets per session
- per muscle
- Typical days a week
- days
| Times a week | Sets per session | Note |
|---|
How to use it
- Choose your main goal. Building muscle or getting stronger.
- Enter how many hard sets per muscle you do (or plan to do) each week, and how many days you can train.
- Read how often to train each muscle and how many sets that means per session.
How it's calculated
How it works. For muscle growth the calculator picks the number of sessions per muscle that:
- is at least 2 a week (Schoenfeld, Ogborn & Krieger 2016),
- keeps each session at or under about 11 sets for that muscle (Remmert et al. 2025, preprint), and
- fits in your training days.
sessions = at least 2, or weekly sets ÷ 11 rounded up, capped at your training days
Example: 16 sets a week over 4 days gives 2 sessions of 8 sets. 30 sets a week gives 3 sessions of 10.
For strength. Pelland et al. (2026) found frequency had a clear effect on strength gains, separate from volume, while for muscle size the effect of frequency was small once weekly sets were counted. So for strength the calculator spreads your sets over up to 3 sessions a week if your days allow.
Typical training days. The ACSM (2009) suggests 2–3 days a week for beginners, 3–4 for intermediates and 4–5 for advanced lifters. The calculator shows yours as a reference.
Counting sets. Count hard sets that train the muscle directly. Researchers often count a set that trains a muscle indirectly (like triceps in a bench press) as half a set.
Limits. These are averages from studies. Recovery, schedule and enjoyment matter too: the best frequency is one you can stick to.
Sources
- Schoenfeld, B. J., Ogborn, D., & Krieger, J. W. (2016). Effects of resistance training frequency on measures of muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 46(11), 1689–1697.
- Pelland, J. C., Remmert, J. F., Robinson, Z. P., Hinson, S. R., & Zourdos, M. C. (2026). The resistance training dose response: meta-regressions exploring the effects of weekly volume and frequency on muscle hypertrophy and strength gains. Sports Medicine, 56(2), 481–505.
- Remmert, J., Pelland, J., Robinson, Z., Hinson, S., & Zourdos, M. (2025). Is there too much of a good thing? Meta-regressions of the effect of per-session volume on hypertrophy and strength. SportRxiv preprint.
- American College of Sports Medicine (2009). Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 41(3), 687–708.
Questions
How many times a week should I train each muscle?
At least twice for muscle growth. A 2016 meta-analysis found twice a week beat once a week with the same total sets. Beyond that, how you spread the sets matters much less than how many you do.
Is a bro split (each muscle once a week) bad?
It works, but you'd likely grow a bit more by hitting each muscle twice. You'd also need very long sessions to fit a full week's sets for one muscle into a single day.
How many sets per session is too many?
For muscle growth, a recent meta-regression found no detectable extra benefit beyond about 11 sets for one muscle in a session. Past that, add another training day instead.
What about strength?
Strength responds to frequency more than muscle size does. Even a couple of heavy sets per session make progress, so spreading your sets over more days tends to help.
Updated November 9, 2026.