Exercise Recovery: Why You Don’t Need to Exercise Everyday
Throughout the fitness industry, it has been touted that one must exercise daily in order to see great results and feel better. Many have been led to believe that greater volume equals greater results. While increased physical activity will benefit exercisers in many ways, one crucial component of the balanced exercise program is frequently forgotten or ignored, and that is the recovery.
Exercise is a stimulus that is placed on the body to create a physiological change. Muscle development occurs not during an actual bout of resistance training but in the recovery period. While strength training, the muscle fibers are placed under a heavy stimulus that forces them to breakdown and rebuild newer stronger fibers. This rebuilding process occurs within 24 to 78 hours following your workout, and depending on the intensity of the workout you perform, studies has shown that full recovery can take up to a week or more.
Without a proper rest and recovery period, you can actually hinder your body from attaining the fitness results you work so hard to attain. Overtraining occurs when the body isn’t provided with enough rest and can result in fatigue, pain, and increased risk for injury. Rather than overloading your body with high volumes of work, focus on the quality of your workout and allow your body enough time to rebuild and become stronger.
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Prof. Dr. Mohammad Aldawallibi
February 23, 2017 3:34 amThis is a very good article especially strength training for recovery takes between tow days to three days .
Fernando Lucio
February 23, 2017 3:28 pmThere are those for whom taking one day off a month is almost impossible. I’m 53 years old, started running in high school and haven’t stopped since. I find that I am practically addicted to the chemicals released either in my brain or thru-out my body when I run 7 miles at an 8 min pace – every blessed day. Your article makes sense, very rational. But until I can register a detriment, I’m just gonna keep my regimen whole. An understanding of carbs & ketones is key to optimizing your level of fitness; at least it is in my case.
Mike
February 26, 2017 8:52 pmWhat are you considering rest? If I work core and weights and run in between I am technically resting my upper body muscles since running utilizes a different group of muscles. I can understand the need for muscles to rest upwards of 72 hours but the need to completely rest seems counterproductive.