Blog Post: Should I Workout Everyday or Every Other Day?

There are a few factors one must think about when embarking on a fitness routine. One of the main questions you must ask yourself is,"What are my goals?" Another very important questions you need to ask is, "what type of routine is realistic for me?" Below I will talk about a couple different methods one can take when starting a fitness program.

The first method of training is working out every other day (3-4 times a week). This method allows you to do full body workouts on your workout days. Your workout time period needs to be over an hour, if you are only do three days a week, working out around and hour and a half will help you attain your goal faster. Here is an example:

Sunday - OFF
Monday - Full body strength workout (1hr, 30mins cardio)
Tuesday - OFF
Wednesday - Full body workout (focus on more agility and plyometrics to get cardio), (1hr 15min)
Thursday - OFF
Friday - Full body strength workout (1hr. 30 mins cardio)
Saturday - Cardio (longer and slower, 40mins - 1hr) and stretch

For this method to be effective, your strength training should be pretty hard and your plymetrics intense. The idea of giving your body a day of rest is to allow it to heal and recover. If you are not pushing yourself hard, the day you are taking off is not working to your benefit. When you workout hard, you actually tear your muscle tissue. This is what causes muscle soreness. You have to allow your muscles time to heel in order to get stronger. So with this method, you need to workout hard enough to be tearing your muscles.

The second method is called a split routine. This is where you train different muscle groups on different days. This method allows you to workout five to six times a week. When you workout this many times a week you usually don't need to workout as long provided there is intensity involved in your workouts. Here is an example:

Sunday - OFF
Monday - Legs and abs (40mins, 20mins intense cardio)
Tuesday - Back and Biceps (30mins, 30mins cardio)
Wednesday - Cardio (longer and slower, 40mins) and stretch
Thursday - Chest and triceps (30mins, 30mins cardio)
Friday - Plyometrics with an emphasis on legs and abs (45mins, intense)
Saturday - Shoulders (20mins, 30 mins cardio) and stretching

This method allows you to train almost everyday of the week but still gives your muscles time to recover. I prefer this method, because it is important to get your heart rate up everyday. The proven benefits that exercise gives to your life is overwhelming, The human body was meant to move and be active. The lifestyle that most people live in the modern world is one of very little movement, which is why I feel working out daily, even for shorter time frames, is more beneficial. However with this said, it is important to understand what you are doing so you don't over train your body, potentially causing harm and injury to your body.

Every person is not the same, so what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. My suggestion is to try the routine that you feel is most realistic for you, and if you find you aren't getting the results you desire, you may need to change your routine.

If the routine you have isn't realistic for you it will be very hard to stick to it long term. Don't have a mindset of all or nothing. Working out three days a week is better then not working out at all. Just keep your workouts intense and efficient. It isn't always realistic to go to the gym six days a week, so make adjustments according to what your goals are and what is realistic for you in order to stick to a routine.

Nutrition is a big part of both these workout methods. So make sure you are watching your food intake. In order for your body to recover properly, it needs the right fuel to heal and repair.

Good luck in your journey to health,
Jessica Unbewust
Co-owner
ferrum fitness