For those of us who have experienced the benefits of strength training (lower body fat, elevated energy, a sculpted physique, metabolic boost), it’s a common concern. Why wouldn’t you want to do something every day that makes you feel and look so good! The answer to daily strength training being healthy isn’t a simple one; it depends on the individual. Strength training is intertwined with recovery and what you do post-workout.
DAILY STRENGTH TRAINING: IS IT A GOOD IDEA?
As you lift weights, you create microscopic tears in the muscle fibers; as they knit back together, your muscles grow. This process takes some time, especially if you’re strength training with serious intensity. It also requires proper nutrition. So if you’re beating down your muscles every day and not allowing the recovery process to take place, you’ll risk serious injury and muscle breakdown. You might even end up quitting strength training entirely because of these consequences!
If you are considering training every day, it truly depends on what you do during your workouts and how well you take care of your body in between.
Let’s go over a few specifics:
Weight lifting:
If you spread out your workouts, and make sure you give the body part you just worked some rest, then you can go ahead and strength train five to days a week. You’ll just have to vary your area of focus throughout the week. But if you do full-body workouts each gym visit, it’s important to limit this weekly count to two to three days so you can adequately recover. There’s a lot of wisdom behind the full-body approach, because you can fill the other days with cross-training or other sporting activities and avoid breaking up your workouts into so many sessions.
Body-weight training:
If you opt for body-weight training to build strength, then you probably can train almost every day with little to no problem. The key is to limit your plyometric or intense activities to just a few sessions per week and focus on good form, mobility and recovery. You’ll also want to ensure that you’re increasing the intensity by adding weight, reps or speed to your workouts so you don’t hit a plateau.
Core training:
Here is a workout that I, along with several other fitness professionals, would permit every day. If you’re changing up the angles, intensity and exercises throughout the week, your entire physique and fitness level will benefit from daily efforts in this area. Just listen to your body and rest when necessary!
When it comes to being able to do daily strength training, the main principle is to listen to your body and be aware of what it needs. If you notice that you aren’t recovering the way you are used to, that you’re experiencing any mood changes or sleep/appetite disruption, or you’re hitting a plateau in appearance or performance, then take the time to rest and find a better balance throughout the week.
