<< BACK HOME
Importance of Exercise Recovery
January 11, 10
Sometimes less is more, especially when it comes to exercise. Some of you out there may be trying to pack on the muscle or shed the pounds and I am here to let you know that getting an ample amount of rest is just as important as the time you spend in the gym! The bottom line is this: exercise essentially wears the body down. It is the recovery process and the adaptations to the stress we place on our body that gives us results.
If you are looking to get giant biceps, do not lift biceps every day. If you want a colossal chest, do not lift chest every day! Lifting weights breaks down the muscle. Once you leave the gym, it is the way you treat your body throughout the rest of the day and week that will help you grow faster. The same goes for those of you trying to lose weight and shed extra body fat. Resistance training is a key component of any weight loss program and it is important to not train the same muscle groups on consecutive days.
Here are some simple rules to follow regarding recovery and rest to help your body see the changes you want:
- Do not lift the same muscle groups on consecutive days. Allow 24-48 hours of rest in between each session for muscle groups. You will just keep breaking the muscle down not giving it a chance to repair itself and grow!
- Limit total body workouts to three days a week to allow proper recovery from training.
- Make sure you sleep! Getting your nightly rest is important to allow your body to catch up from all the work you are doing during the day.
- Eat every three hours. This does not mean you should chowing down on full-size dinners every three hours, but you must always keep your metabolism steady and your energy levels even to ensure your body is feeding lean muscle and burning fat.
- Allow yourself at least one full day of rest where you do not place your body under any significant stress!
If you are one of those people who spends A LOT of time working out, here are some signs you are overtraining:
- You see a sudden decrease in performance.
- You see an increase in your body fat percentage and decrease in lean body mass and you’re working out a lot!
- Loss of appetite.
- You have low levels of energy and are easily irritable or grouchy all the time.
- Muscle soreness that lasts longer than normal for you.
- Disrupted sleep patterns, not being able to fall asleep at night.
Hopefully this provides you all some solid basic knowledge regarding rest and recovery. Follow these tips to keep yourself on track and seeing results safely and effectively!
Jeff Bomberger
Certified Personal Trainer and USA Weightlifting Sports Performance Coach out of Jordan's Virtual Fit Club. NSCA, NASM and USA Weightlifting Certified Personal Trainer, Performance Enhancement Specialist, Corrective Exercise Specialist and Certified Sports Performance Coach.
Share This
