Workout junkies and newbie exercisers alike tend to think the more exercise, the better – Chances are you’ve even considered doubling up on your daily workouts (if you haven’t done so already).
But before you take on a second workout, there are few things you should keep in mind.
Consider Your Current Goals
First, think about whether two workouts-a-day are appropriate for your experience level and fitness goals.
Pro athletes, for example, often rely on training twice per day to maintain fitness while building other skills, techniques and tangential benefits for sports performance. However, if you’re new to exercise or strength training, doing two workouts per day could actually limit your progress, especially if you don’t track the intensity.
Here’s the thing, beginners typically need longer recovery periods between their workouts, as their muscular conditioning is not accustom to exercising the way an intermediate or advanced exerciser is, and if you want to continue seeing progress from your workouts, you need to give your body adequate recovery time to heal, before you hit those muscles again.
Pay Attention to How You Feel
Now, if you’ve been training consistently 2-3 days per week for approximately 2-3 years, you could look at taking on a second daily workout in the morning or evening for example because, at this point, your body should be prepared to handle more intensity or stress to the muscles. Chances are you’ve probably gotten an idea of how your body reacts to different exercise intensities, so you’ll hopefully know when you’d need to back off and rest for a couple of days.
That said, exercise is very individual. The important thing is if you feel you are well recovered from your workouts and you choose to add a second workout on the same day because it makes you feel good and brings you more energy, then great, go for it.
Mix Up Your Workouts
It’s also worth noting that doing two workouts per day doesn’t have to mean going for a hard strength session in the morning and a cardio session in the evening. You might choose to go for an early morning jog before work because it brings your energy levels up and later you might choose to go with swimming some laps, or a yoga class because it helps you unwind after a long day. Everyone should be active in some type of way, it doesn’t have to be intense sessions every day or twice a day.
However, if you’re doing two workouts per day because you feel you have to reach your goal, it might be time to take a step back and ask yourself why. Most people won’t have to workout twice a day in order to get the results they’re looking for.
If you’re training for a particular event, then two-times-a-day might be appropriate such as training for a triathlon or match involving a combat sport. However, just be aware that most people can’t sustain this level of training. Once your event is complete, take a step back on your training for a bit to give your body a chance to recover.
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