Question: Training 6 times a week // twice a day

[Destination2010]

This is a question I've been pondering.

We all know muscles need around 72 hours rest to fully recover. We all know that rest is of vital importance to our health, to gaining new muscle and strength.

I hear of people going to the gym 6 times a week and I also hear of people that go twice a day, such as one around lunch time and another during the evening. Now if you are supposed to give yourself some needed time to rest, then what exactly are you achieving with twice a day or 6 times a week. Yet, they seem to be progressively growing muscles regardless, is this thanks to supplements/roids or am I thinking this all wrong (yes it is getting late).

If you overwork a muscle you could decrease it and not increase it. With lack of rest in between workouts you could decrease performance and muscle increase. I know there's probably an easy explanation but I really cannot think of it at this hour lol. Your thoughts please.

- Jay.

[Destination2010]

And yea I posted this in the wrong forums But hey ladies I'm sure you can come up with an answer too

[Bowiechick]

I go to the gym twice a day on the 4 days a week that I do go but I do cardio once & then I lift later on (morning & evening). The ppl that I have talked to that go 6 times a week work different parts shoulders, chest, back, legs, etc... I can only answer the teice a day question from personal experience... How often do you go?

[kimm4]

This is a question I've been pondering.

We all know muscles need around 72 hours rest to fully recover. We all know that rest is of vital importance to our health, to gaining new muscle and strength.

I hear of people going to the gym 6 times a week and I also hear of people that go twice a day, such as one around lunch time and another during the evening. Now if you are supposed to give yourself some needed time to rest, then what exactly are you achieving with twice a day or 6 times a week. Yet, they seem to be progressively growing muscles regardless, is this thanks to supplements/roids or am I thinking this all wrong (yes it is getting late).

If you overwork a muscle you could decrease it and not increase it. With lack of rest in between workouts you could decrease performance and muscle increase. I know there's probably an easy explanation but I really cannot think of it at this hour lol. Your thoughts please.

- Jay.

I think most people that go 2x a day would be to train and maybe do cardio at a later time. In all my years of training it's always been 4-5x a week. I only train 5x a week when I'm contest prep. I can get a solid workout done in an hr. My lifting is always heavy and there is no way I could get a 6th day in if I wanted to. So if people can train 6x a week like it's nothing...then I suggest you kick your workouts up a serious notch. If you plan on doing this for decades, come back to me in 10-15 years and lemmie know how your joints and injuries are holding up...because it will happen. I've been at it for over 25 yrs and my body has taken a serious beating from the constant poundage of weights and that's with only 4-5 days training.

Rest and recovery is crucial for growth and this happens outside the gym.

If people plan on doing this for the long haul, then I suggest they lift smart. It's about the quality of your lifts, not quantity.

[eleni611]

I think most people that go 2x a day would be to train and maybe do cardio at a later time. In all my years of training it's always been 4-5x a week. I only train 5x a week when I'm contest prep. I can get a solid workout done in an hr. My lifting is always heavy and there is no way I could get a 6th day in if I wanted to. So if people can train 6x a week like it's nothing...then I suggest you kick your workouts up a serious notch. If you plan on doing this for decades, come back to me in 10-15 years and lemmie know how your joints and injuries are holding up...because it will happen. I've been at it for over 25 yrs and my body has taken a serious beating from the constant poundage of weights and that's with only 4-5 days training.

Rest and recovery is crucial for growth and this happens outside the gym.

If people plan on doing this for the long haul, then I suggest they lift smart. It's about the quality of your lifts, not quantity.

I've heard you talk about how your body has taken a beating from lifting such heavy weights for so many years, and this worries me because I am 19 and I don't want to have joint problems when I'm older...I thought lifting weights was supposed to be good for you and be good for your bones. Is it actually the opposite? :/

[kimm4]

I've heard you talk about how your body has taken a beating from lifting such heavy weights for so many years, and this worries me because I am 19 and I don't want to have joint problems when I'm older...I thought lifting weights was supposed to be good for you and be good for your bones. Is it actually the opposite? :/

Weight lifting is great for your overall health. I've been very lucky with only a few minor injuries through the years. But hitting it hard consistently does put stress on your joints (mixed with a combination of getting older, wear and tear, etc...) It doesn't mean you'll have joint problems, but you feel a difference in your joints...it comes with the territory. I find my recovery takes longer then it did 10 years ago, but overall I feel great.

[Linds33]

I've heard you talk about how your body has taken a beating from lifting such heavy weights for so many years, and this worries me because I am 19 and I don't want to have joint problems when I'm older...I thought lifting weights was supposed to be good for you and be good for your bones. Is it actually the opposite? :/

Everyone gets injuries when they are active. When you workout you are using more muscles then someone who is inactive, making it easier for you to injure those muscles (especiall stranges ones that you have never heard of but hurt like hell when you pull them). What i ahve notices is the more active you are and the harder you lift (with proper form) the faster you can bounce back from injuries.

I sometimes think that people like to come up with excuses not to workout so they create these ideas that lifting weights is bad for your joints, and running is bad for your joints. Thus if it may cause joint problems in the future, they avoid doing it. In reality, lifting weight could possibly cause joint problems and injuries, but with proper form, you can usually avoid these problems and stregnthen your bones.

As for running, there are arguments that injuries related to running are actually caused by modern running shoes. Running barefoot or in barefoot shoes is the best way to run and helps you avoid injuries.

As for working out 2x a day, some people liek to do cardio in one session and then lift. I personally don't like to spend that much time in the gym so i like to lift hard and heavy, get out and will go for a run outside a few times a week just to get my cardio vascular fitness up for my martial arts class.

[summertown74]

I agree that recovery is important. I think that people who train like fiends cannot keep that up indefinitely, eventually they burn out or get injured. On the other hand, I don't think it's a bad thing to train super hard (i.e., twice a day or every day) for a short time if you are doing it with a planned recovery period to follow. Sometimes that extra stimulus is what our body needs to improve.