Workout Advice -

[jkewl99]

Can someone please help me out here, I have heard that when you work out you should not work the same muscle group two days in a row. Muscles have to have time to rebuild. Is it the same thing for Running or Elyptical Machine? Any help will greatly be appreciated. :walking:

[Hoosier Daddy]

I had assumed that rule only applied to lifting weights. Lot's of people run every day. (I sure did back in my Army days!)

Of course that's just my opinion... I could be wrong.

You might want to try asking over in the exercise forum. :)

[Jennifer M]

Hey, Jkewl,

You are correct about not working the same muscle groups *to failure* on consecutive days. That mainly means weightlifting. Running, and other endurance activities that are primarily aerobic in nature, are usually OK to do day after day, since you are not pushing your muscles to failure (i.e. breakdown), but rather working on endurance. However, for specific advice on running, I urge you to post on the Runner's Thread over in the WW & Exercise forum. There are many experienced distance runners who post there every day.

- Jennifer

[jkewl99]

Thank you very much for the advice, I will post on the WW Runners thread. Greatly appreciated.:walking:

[Bearfan]

The major problem with most strength theory is that the majority of the studies that have occurred are under 12 weeks, and isolating the variables is almost impossible, not to mention that you can easily slant data since you can't controll outside influences. Therefore, you get a lot of theoretical guidelines.

That is not true in aerobic training where studies have been done for years on endurance althelets where endurance isn't exactly built up through outside of exercise work. For example, you may be digging ditches outside of working out and the effects of that exercise isn't accounted in the exercise study, but you wouldn't be running 10 miles in your spare time and not considering it exercise. The current general guidelines for aerobic exercise for athletes is:

80-90% of HR(Max) (HR is Heart Rate)
4-6 Sessions per week
1-2 Sessions per day
Minimum Program Duration (for maximum benefit) 8 weeks
At Moderate Intensity - 30 - 90+ minutes per session
At High Intensity - 25 Minutes with 5 minutes relief

Then you can move into a more maintenance type system where you have a 60% reduction in intensity for 8-16 weeks and maintain aerobic fitness. This is because studies have shown that years of training does not significantly increase VO2max in a subject (VO2max is the best measurement of aerobic fitness).

All of this said, the biggest signs that you are overtraining are:
1. Unexplained and consistently poor performance and high fatigue rates
2. Prolonged recovery from training sessions or events
3. Disturbed mood states: increased Fatigue, depression or anger
4. Persistent Muscle Soreness and joint stiffness
5. Elevated resting pulse and increased illness
6. Overuse injuries

***Most of this information was compiled from notes for Physiology Of Exercise at Northern Michigan University by Dr. Phillip Watts***

[GoBroncs08]

goto a local gym and play pick up basketball until your exhausted

[ScottAHicks]

if you ever want a break from your workout routene try swimming its great exercise when your muscles are sore