Is it ok to exercise everyday?

MsEndomorph

I don't think the OP mentioned being on a rigorous heavy lifting plan...

I think it depends on what you're doing and why you're doing it. I take at least a day in between my heavy lifting days, but there are plenty other ways to work out that I consider just upping my activity level vs sitting on the couch all day. Like walking, jogging, swimming, etc.

The op mentioned lifting, and the answer in question mentioned farmwork and cycling as exams of why rest days are "broscience".

The way I read the OP, I assumed the question was pertaining to doing SOMEthing every day, not everything, and in that case, I agree with the farmwork example. People come here and ask if they need to take a break from their 30 minute walks or their jazzercize class, which is entirely different than taking a break from heavy lifting. And even then, doing ab work or cardio on off days isn't necessarily a bad thing, from what I've found.

But I could be completely misunderstanding the original question.

ninerbuff

Depends on one's goals. Obviously a competitive athletes "exercises" everyday, but still need adequate rest and nutrition to recover.
Personally I work out everyday, but my regimen is by no means a workout to failure like my earlier days. I split body parts, and do some cardio. My workouts don't last more than an hour, and I get plenty of rest between sessions (usually a week before I do the same body part directly again). Some ways to tell if you're not recovering efficiently: tired, no energy, lack of strength, muscle not changing, bored with training, having to force oneself to train (although that could be totally mental too).

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MommyisFit

I have one rest day per week and I have to force myself not to go to the gym that day! I do cardio 6 days a week and I lift 3 days (so on my lifting rest days, I still do cardio).

choijanro

ok guys,, tnx 2 ur info's ,,

i will take rest days like one to two days


i will also advice my friends not to do lifting,abs exercise or cardio everyday because they doing it everyday,, it is not good,, maybe it can cause stroke,paralyze or heart attack or stress or fatique or overtraining

UCSMiami

I do six days out of seven. Different muscle groups each following day and focus so no overtraining occurs.

Sometimes seven out of seven if my mojo is strong.

pcastagner

I do six days out of seven. Different muscle groups each following day and focus so no overtraining occurs.

Sometimes seven out of seven if my mojo is strong.

I used to do that but I ran into a problem: the split wound up giving each group too much rest.

crankgurlx

it's bad. you need at least one day to rest. i use sunday. but i also do a recovery day on thursday which is basically stretching. if you only do cardio then 7 days a week is fine. but dont lift weights everyday. when i first started working out i hurt my back doing that. doctor said it was from over training.

MercenaryNoetic26

I started lifting 6days a week for the month. I'm making sure to get adequate rest, nutrition and fluids. So far so good. I'm very functional. I'm okay with sore. Training everything twice a week. I figure if it's just for the month, I'm good.

Eta: (for what I'm doing) muscle groups rest for 2 whole days before being worked again. So depends on the split. While one group is recovering, you can work another. My rest day will probably still involve some light activity such as that abs I forgot to work today or walking.

UCSMiami

I worded incorrectly. 3/1 split= 3 days of Strength- CST, BB, Legs followed by Cardio, then repeat but skip/rest on day number 7 (Sunday)

jrniven

Monitor your gains. Listen to your body. You will figure out what is right for YOU over time. You can spend a life time sifting through the internet trying to figure out what is best for someone else. Much like everything else everyone has an opinion, their opinions vary, and their opinions are what the believe to be the current absolute truth. You can learn from people more experienced then you, but experience does not always mean they are correct. Like The wise Hodgetwins say "Do what ever the **** you wanna do".

pcastagner

I started lifting 6days a week for the month. I'm making sure to get adequate rest, nutrition and fluids. So far so good. I'm very functional. I'm okay with sore. Training everything twice a week. I figure if it's just for the month, I'm good.

Eta: (for what I'm doing) muscle groups rest for 2 whole days before being worked again. So depends on the split. While one group is recovering, you can work another. My rest day will probably still involve some light activity such as that abs I forgot to work today or walking.

Sounds like what I used to do but I learned over time that 3-4 days is way better. In your place I would at least consider doing 3 split workouts with higher reps, and 2 workouts with lower reps, upper/lower split with compound exercises using weight you can only lift 3 times (3rm).

Every 3-4 days is really more ideal than every two days. Trust me, if you alternate 8-12rm with 3rm, you are going to be freaking sore.

MercenaryNoetic26

Sounds like what I used to do but I learned over time that 3-4 days is way better. In your place I would at least consider doing 3 split workouts with higher reps, and 2 workouts with lower reps, upper/lower split with compound exercises using weight you can only lift 3 times (3rm).

Every 3-4 days is really more ideal than every two days. Trust me, if you alternate 8-12rm with 3rm, you are going to be freaking sore.

I hear ya. It's just a 4 week workout plan. I definitely won't continue this way when I'm done. I was considering strong lifts to work on strength again or other similar programs. I'm actually enjoying this right now because it's so simplified and just a lot of volume. I guess I posted because I almost didn't think I could carry on like this, but I can. If at any point it feels like too much, I'll definitely listen to my body and quit. I guess it really depends on what you're doing and how you're maintaining whether or not you can workout daily.

pcastagner

Sounds like what I used to do but I learned over time that 3-4 days is way better. In your place I would at least consider doing 3 split workouts with higher reps, and 2 workouts with lower reps, upper/lower split with compound exercises using weight you can only lift 3 times (3rm).

Every 3-4 days is really more ideal than every two days. Trust me, if you alternate 8-12rm with 3rm, you are going to be freaking sore.

I hear ya. It's just a 4 week workout plan. I definitely won't continue this way when I'm done. I was considering strong lifts to work on strength again or other similar programs. I'm actually enjoying this right now because it's so simplified and just a lot of volume. I guess I posted because I almost didn't think I could carry on like this, but I can. If at any point it feels like too much, I'll definitely listen to my body and quit. I guess it really depends on what you're doing and how you're maintaining whether or not you can workout daily.

Idk if its relative for guys and girls?

At 25% bf, I was just fine doing what you are doing. I noticed a big change as I closed in on 15% though. I'm also doing leangains, and I've noticed if I make a mistake and cut too hard, it really costs me, and I have to heed Berkhan's advice that a calorie deficit means a recovery deficit. The alternating volume pattern also seems to cost me a whole lot more, but I'm only 2 months into it. I really want to hit the relative strength targets in the next year and a half, so the 3rm days are really important.

MoreBean13

You haven't given enough information to answer this question.

If your only exercise is walking 30 mins, you could do that everyday, indefinitely.

If it's anything other than light cardio, your program needs to be designed to give you enough rest. But, if you are doing more intense exercise, light walking can still be considered rest, so you might get away with exercise everyday, technically.
Even Amish farmers rest on Sundays.

pcastagner

You haven't given enough information to answer this question.

If your only exercise is walking 30 mins, you could do that everyday, indefinitely.

If it's anything other than light cardio, your program needs to be designed to give you enough rest. But, if you are doing more intense exercise, light walking can still be considered rest, so you might get away with exercise everyday, technically.
Even Amish farmers rest on Sundays.

You haven't read the whole thread then,

It was answered.

workout_ninja

I do weights almost everyday but when I have my "rest day" I run

angel79202

I take one rest day a week..on that day I make sure to at least take the dogs for a walk

jimmmer

Depends.

On what your routine is.

What your goals are.

What your exercise history is.

Your current level of strength/cardiovascular fitness/flexibility/mobility.

Your age.

Any existing medical conditions/injury history.

For instance: you are an olympic level thrower. You'll be doing an O-Lifting session and a throws session in the same day most likely.

Or: You're training for a marathon. You'll be doing easy runs, tempo work, distance runs, etc. You'll most likely be running in some shape or form everyday.

Or: You're a bodybuilder and beyond beginner stage. You'll most like have gone to a split and be hammering a group to death on one day and moving onto a different group the next. You'll be hitting the gym a lot. Daily.

Or: you're a beginner strength trainer. you'll be on a full body routine hitting everything 3 days a week, with a day off in between. You may want to chuck in some cardio/conditioning or flexibility/mobility work on the in between days depending on your needs/focus. So you may train everyday or you may train only three days a week.

So, it's really going to be a case of what's right for the individual athlete/trainee given their goals and ability. There are no black and white answers. Except this is the internet, so there's going to be a bucket load of them.......

_Zardoz_

Depends on what you're doing and intensity. As much as some posters like to think it there is no definitive answer it can depend on many factors so just use some common sense and listen to your body.

jimmmer

just use some common sense and listen to your body.

Except common sense is only a reliable guide if you already have experience of something. I'm guessing the majority of people who come to these boards and are training with an inappropriate frequency just want to lose some weight and think that "if exercise is good, therefore more must be better, right?" I think such people should not exercise common sense but rely on someone else's who has built good practical experience. That may be a good trainer. A recognised tried-and-tested routine with adequate recovery/mobility built in. Whatever. A noob should not, IMHO, try to wing it and "figure it out for themselves".

It takes a long time of doing something to be able to "listen to your body" and actually hear what it's telling you. By which time you've picked up injuries galore.