Is exercising twice a day bad for your body?

If you’re looking to achieve specific fitness results, you may wonder if working out twice a day will help you achieve those results twice as quickly. Once a relic of high school gym training, two-a-day workouts are now all over social media and are even included in some popular lifestyle programs. But should two-a-days be part of your workout routine? Does exercising twice a day double the benefits or double the risks?

Are there benefits to working out twice a day?

When it comes to the benefits of two-day workouts, “there aren’t any unless you’re an elite athlete,” says Trevor Thieme, of CSCS. “If you have enough fuel to do two workouts a day, you’re probably not putting enough effort into either one to improve your progress toward your goals.”

To be clear, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t exercise more than once a day. “If you’re too busy to complete your entire workout at once some days, keep breaking it up,” Thieme says.

You can also do some moderate-intensity cardio on the same day as your strength training, or vice versa – although it’s best to do them on completely different days if you’re serious about endurance and/or gaining strength.

But “divide and conquer” isn’t your only option when time is tight. “You should also consider doing… Higher intensity, shorter workout “Instead of splitting the longer section into two,” Thiem suggests. “When you do it right away, the intensity of the exercise trumps the duration of the exercise.”

What are the disadvantages of two-day workouts?

Unless you’re splitting one workout into two to fit your schedule, working out twice a day will likely hinder your progress rather than speed it up.

1. Increases the risk of overtraining

In order to adapt to the training stimuli provided by your workouts, your body needs enough time to do so He recovers between them. “Pushing yourself too hard too often can put you on the fast track to success Overtraining“This can’t just get you through…,” Thiem warns Training rut“But it also increases the risk of infection.”

2. Reduces physical performance

Fatigue caused by overtraining will include a A decrease in your performance during exercises. Worse still, the effects of overtraining can spill over into your daily life, including mood swings, insomnia, and loss of appetite.

3. It negatively affects muscle growth

Building muscle mass It is the process of causing small damage to your muscles, triggering repair and adaptation processes that make you stronger and fitter than before. but Overtraining gets in the way Muscle repair, recovery, and growth. If you are not building muscle effectively, you will have a more difficult time reaching your goals.

Should beginners exercise twice a day?

In general, it is not recommended for beginners to exercise twice a day. “There’s almost no reason to do two days of exercise,” Thieme says. “Moreover, most people have difficulty finding time to do even one exercise a day, let alone two.”

When you’re first starting out, focus on being consistent, not overly enthusiastic. Adding a second workout to your day can actually set back your goals.

Thiem explains that beginners are at the same risk of overtraining as anyone else. This is because overtraining “occurs when you push yourself too hard, too often.” Fitness levelWhatever your fitness level. No matter your fitness level, overtraining will hinder your gains and increase your risk of injury.

3 ways to reach your goals faster

“When it comes to fitness, more isn’t necessarily better,” Thieme says. Instead of working out twice a day, consider the following training ideas, so you can train smarter, not harder, to achieve your goals faster.

1. Focus on the quality of exercise, not the duration

how long Exercise is much less important than… how You are exercising. “As long as your workouts are aligned with your fitness goals and you challenge yourself several times a week, you will reach your goals,” he says.

2. Prioritize rest

Rest days Your workouts are just as important, and you should prioritize them. Even if you already take days off from the gym, you should watch for signs of overtraining such as increased fatigue, restlessness, decreased athletic performance, mood changes, and decreased motivation.

If you notice any of these symptoms, it may be time to reset your training volume and intensity Post-workout recovery So that your performance gets back on track.

3. Increase your daily activity level

Daily exercise does not balance a sedentary lifestyle. That’s why it’s important to become more active in general.

“Focus on your increase Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)Which is all the calories you burn throughout the day outside of exercise, Thiem says. “If your goal is to lose weight, or even if it’s just to be healthier overall, you need to give NEAT as much attention as exercise.”