How often should I lift weights?

hop3
hop3 Posts: 61 Member
edited September 23 in Fitness and Exercise
I bought a set of weights this week to help tone up. I was wondering if it is good to lift weights daily or is is best to give your muscles a break in between? Is every other day a good plan? or should it me more often?

Replies

  • nisharae
    nisharae Posts: 204 Member
    I go to the YMCA one of the trainers told me there weight training should only be every other day. (or atleast give yourself atleast a day break in between).. When you lift weights your muscle breaks down, you need to wait a day so it can repair itself..... You can do cardio as much as you'd like though :)
  • hop3
    hop3 Posts: 61 Member
    Thanks! That's what I thought, but wasn't sure :)
  • lyla29
    lyla29 Posts: 3,549 Member
    I've heard/read that you should give the muscles you work 48 hours to rest/heal so every other day for whatever muscle group you use. For example you can work your arms one day and your legs the next. Hope that helps.
  • dave4d
    dave4d Posts: 1,155 Member
    It depends on what muscle groups you work on. You could seperate each muscle group, and workout every day, doing a different group each day, or you could concentrate on Upper body one day, and Lower body another, If you do the Upper/Lower seperation, I wouldn't recommend doing them any more than twice a week. You need to give your muscles plenty of time to rebuild before you work them again.
  • 4KidFather
    4KidFather Posts: 134
    Yup, every other day, 3 days per week. Plus give yourself a week off each month for complete muscle recovery.
    Do cardio when your not lifting, but make it count! You need to sweat, otherwise you're not actually burning any EXTRA calories.
    Good Commitment - keep it up!
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
    The standard recommendation is total body 2-3 days a week with 48 hours rest between. If you don't have a day of rest in between the days you workout, though, you can split up your muscle groups so that you can do weights daily but still allow the 48 hours rest between weights for the same muscle groups. So, like upper body on day one, lower body on day two, back to upper body on day 3, etc.
  • prozacrefugee
    prozacrefugee Posts: 2
    Every other day - except make sure you are lifting quite a bit of weight, small cardio weights do not need a day off.

    A good program to start out is Starting Strength, it's great at quickly adding muscle to help raise metabolism.
    http://newbie-fitness.blogspot.com/2007/06/starting-strength-style-workout-take.html
  • Naomi91
    Naomi91 Posts: 892 Member
    I go to the YMCA one of the trainers told me there weight training should only be every other day. (or atleast give yourself atleast a day break in between).. When you lift weights your muscle breaks down, you need to wait a day so it can repair itself..... You can do cardio as much as you'd like though :)

    Very true! To build you want about 48 hrs in between workouts.
    I wouldnt suggest as much cardio as you like though. I used to run long distances 7 days a week and ended up breaking down a lot of muscle and a sprained arch with other injuries.

    good luck!
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