two a days

andieheff
andieheff Posts: 1
in Fitness and Exercise
How beneficial is it to work out twice a day? I don't mean splitting a workout into two parts, I mean two different workouts. Does it do more harm than good?

Replies

  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Depends
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    That would entirely depend on your goals and why you are doing it. There are plenty of examples of 2 a days being beneficial, particularly when someone is training for something specific, like an endurance event (but not limited to that).

    For the sake of weight loss/calorie burn along - I am not a fan of working out extra long for the sake of weight loss. If you want weight loss to be permanent, you need to be sustainable, both during the process and after. Two a days may aid you in getting to the goal weight faster, unless you burn out, but once you get to maintainance, are you going to keep up two a days? If not, then you have to find a way to compensate for that. For weight loss, I strongly believe in establishing a workout habit that is maintainable long term.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    Personal preference and what your goals are...... I split train Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (A.M. and P.M.) workouts. It is normally in the Weight room with little cardio... Best of Luck
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It depends...one issue here though is that many people who do this do it for the wrong reasons. To boot, many people have little understanding of how to actually properly fuel their bodies for such activity in both quality and quantity of nutrition. I would further add that many people also do not have the requisite level of fitness to do this and overtrain...coupled with a lack of nutrition, this can be a recipe for "more harm than good".

    I regularly have two-a-day sessions or split sessions or whatever you want to call them...but I'm very fit and active to begin with and my nutritional profile rocks and I eat lots of food. I also don't do them daily...maybe 2-3x weekly and I also take appropriate recovery days.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • live2run95
    live2run95 Posts: 363 Member
    I agree with all of these posts! I think it depends on what your goals are and what your workouts are. I personally work out three to four different times a day. I do this to help it fit into my schedule and I feel like I give more at each workout than if I did them one after one another.
  • MissingMinnesota
    MissingMinnesota Posts: 7,486 Member
    I am doing two a days/split sessions now just because of time. My gym is in the same building I work in and the weight room is a lot less crowded in the morning so I do 30 - 45 min weights in the morning and then 30 mins cardio after work. I have a 40 min commute without traffic and can be up to an hour with traffic so I would rather be in the gym then sitting in a car for that extra time.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    If you're an athlete? Sure, whatever you need to get on the podium, right?

    If you have a tight schedule and want to squeeze your lifting in your lunch break and do a bit of cardio later on, after work? Yeah, no problem.

    That's two scenarios where it could be justifiable. I'm sure there's a few more.

    However, to do more exercise to burn ridiculous amounts of calories? Not so much. Dietary control is the key here.

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