Can I workout every day?

mallycat1013
mallycat1013 Posts: 27 Member
edited November 22 in Fitness and Exercise
I usually don't workout on the weekend but I feel so lazy when I dont. Then come Monday I feel like I haven't worked out in a long time. And sometimes if I feel bored I'll get on my elliptical. But I dont know if it's safe or good for my body to work out everyday.

Replies

  • iamthemotherofdogs
    iamthemotherofdogs Posts: 562 Member
    It's a good idea to take a rest day to let your body rest, but so long as you aren't doing Michael Phelps-level crazy training, I think a bit of exercise daily is just fine. Depends on the intensity, imo.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    A lot of people will take "active rest" days, where they may take a long walk, or a bike ride, or something that keeps them moving but isn't as strenuous as what they do in their regular workouts.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    I don't do strenuous exercise so I do work out every day. But what I mean by that is

    1. Daily cardio. Either 2 hours or more of walking at approx 3-3.25 mph (can be broken down into several short walks) or 1 hour on the fitness glider in my basement. If I walk between 1 and 2 hours, I may skip the glider.
    2. Resistance training with bodyweight and light dumbbells (up to 12lbs, 2 dumbbells) three days a week.

    I don't resistance-train on consecutive days, but I do walk or glide.
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    mallycat1013 wrote: »
    I usually don't workout on the weekend but I feel so lazy when I dont. Then come Monday I feel like I haven't worked out in a long time. And sometimes if I feel bored I'll get on my elliptical. But I dont know if it's safe or good for my body to work out everyday.

    I hate sitting still, so I rarely take a full blown rest day unless I'm completely exhausted and my muscles are to a point where I can barely move. That being said, the past few weeks life has been getting in the way and I've only been getting 4-6 lifts in unfortunately. As long as you aren't doing crazy 4-hour training sessions every day, you're fine. Even then, as long as your body allows it, you're good to go. It's advised to take 1-2 rest days per week when starting out and when training for power lifting. But you can do "active rest days" where you hike or bike to keep yourself going and feeling active.
  • mallycat1013
    mallycat1013 Posts: 27 Member
    Thanks everyone!
  • corgarian
    corgarian Posts: 366 Member
    Depends on what your daily workouts look like. If you're trying to strength train every day I may suggest taking a day or two off to let your muscles repair. Even than as others have said, you can take "active Rest" days where you do something fun like hike, mountain climb, play laser tag, go swimming, walk the dog, ect.

    If your workout jam is cardio you can probably do that daily no prob.
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    It is fine to get exercise every day but don't get into an "all or nothing" mindset.... There are always days there will not be a workout due to illness, life issues, work and so on. Even Olympic athletes take days off.
  • forgtmenot
    forgtmenot Posts: 860 Member
    I do “active rest days”. On the days I don’t do my normal work out routine I do yoga or walk. That way I don’t feel like I’m doing nothing and get out of the routine. In the past when I’ve taken full rest days I have a hard time getting back into it. Especially if I take more than one in a row.
  • feisty_bucket
    feisty_bucket Posts: 1,047 Member
    edited October 2017
    "Workout" is kinda vague. Assuming lifting to failure, it's not good to work the same muscle on sequential days, because they need 1-2 days to recover. Which is the point of lifting (stress, followed by growth).

    IMO, walking is mandatory ;) for non-exercise days. It's more for mental health and to keep you off your butt in general.

  • Calichusetts
    Calichusetts Posts: 100 Member
    Sit ups, push ups, elliptical everyday. Nothing crazy. Change up the weight workout each day to focus on different muscles. I only don't work out when there is no time for it in a day
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    What does your workout consist of? Strength training everyday can be done, but it will depend on what you are doing and your programming. Even if you workout the same muscles everyday/consecutively (oh noes!) it can be done, but it has to be done intelligently, you have to adjust what you are doing to account for the recovery and high frequency.
  • HamsterManV2
    HamsterManV2 Posts: 449 Member
    Manage your intensity. Lifting can be done every day WITH PROPER PLANNING - i.e. don't go 100% on all lifts every day. There can be push days, pull days, leg days, with high intensity exercises (high weight low rep) becoming low intensity (low weight high rep) the next time you do it, etc.

    Find tried and proven programs and copy them. Unless you are a pro and can design a good program, chances are you can find a better one made by a pro, used by 1000s of trainees. i.e. PPLPPL for a 6 day a week program (can do light conditioning if you REALLY need 7 days a week).

    Cheers
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    I try to run between 4 & 6 miles each day but after three or four days I will wake up and feel the need to rest. I am not a big fan of running in the rain so that will usually be a rest day. In a perfect world I will rest only when it rains. Bottom line is listen to your body, it will tell you when you are overdoing it.
  • FatWithFatness
    FatWithFatness Posts: 315 Member
    Short answer is yes.
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