"The worst thing you can do is over train your body."

Q: I train really hard, how much time should I give my body rest between workouts?

-D. Walker, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA


A: This is a great question since people who train intensely are ones who tend to over train. One of the best pieces of exercise advice is to make sure you know that your muscles grow when you’re resting not training. You don't actually get bigger and stronger when you're in the gym. It’s what you do after your workout that's the real key to muscle growth. If you don't let your muscles recover correctly, you're body will become over trained and it will be in a state of constant "catch up". This is far from the ideal state that you want your body in. What you want is to truly prime your body for your next workout and give it enough rest and recuperation to fully optimize your training. It is also important to have good quality protein (preferably a protein drink) within 30 minutes to 1 hour after your workout for muscle recovery, growth and repair.

The worst thing you can do is over train your body. This will lead to muscle atrophy (breaking down muscle) and you may experience the flu because of this. When you train hard, make sure to limit your resistance training sessions to 45 minutes max. Your body's testosterone levels start decreasing after about 45 minutes, so focus on hitting it with a high level of intensity for 45 minutes and get out of there... When you get back from your workout, you might also try sitting in a jacuzzi or sauna to really relax and let your muscles recover. Rest is extremely important when training hard, so make sure to take the time to recover and grow from your training sessions.

Always remember, "You grow outside the gym". This basically means to make sure and get enough rest between workouts so you can let your muscles recover and get ready for the next intense workout. You don't gain muscle when you're in the gym, you gain it when you leave and recover. The basic rule of thumb is to wait at least 48 hours in between workouts for the same muscle group. So, if you worked chest on Monday, then wait until Wednesday to work chest again. You also want to go by the "soreness" rule. If after 48 hours, your muscle group still feels sore, then make sure to let it rest another day! You want to fully recover from your last workout before working out that muscle group again.
 

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