Advertisement
It may be OK, depending on your health, fitness level and type of exercise
You love your exercise routine. It’s just perfect in every way. It feels so good, in fact, that you’re tempted to do that same exact workout day after day after day. Why try to fix what isn’t broken, right?
Advertisement
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
But is repeating the same workout every day good for you? Well, it depends. Certified personal trainer Alena Beskur, CPT, explains why there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to this question.
Fitness experts disagree on whether repetitive daily workouts are healthy and safe. “This is a controversial issue,” says Beskur. “For some people, doing the same workout every day is fine. But it really depends on you, your health and your goals.”
Beskur says that doing the same type of cardio workout every day is generally OK for healthy people without underlying issues.
“But the intensity of the cardio affects people differently,” she notes. “Vigorous cardio every day can sometimes be too much. If you have heart or joint problems, for example, doing intense daily cardio workouts may not be safe or good for your body.”
Doing the same cardio workout five to seven days a week may be fine if you:
Beskur recommends getting some movement every day that’s appropriate to your health and fitness level. But that activity doesn’t have to be intense. Gardening, walking to the store, taking the stairs and many other daily tasks count as movement, too.
Advertisement
Hitting the weights in the exact same way every day isn’t considered ideal for most people, says Beskur.
When you lift heavy weights, your muscles actually tear a little. Taking a day off between workouts gives those taxed muscles time to recover and allows your body to flush out products like lactic acid that build up while lifting.
Resting between strength workouts also prevents oxidative stress (an imbalance between antioxidants and free radicals in your body).
But if you want to hit the gym daily, there’s a way to blend strength-building workouts with the rest your muscles need to make repairs. The key is to work different muscle groups on different days.
“For example, it’s fine to do a leg workout on Monday, your arms on Tuesday and your back on Wednesday,” advises Beskur. “A rotation like this works well because even though you’re lifting every day, you’re giving each muscle group time to rest.”
But these guidelines don’t necessarily apply to everyone. A study on strength training frequency found that some people may not need a full rest day placed between workout days to recover.
For some, 24 hours between workouts may be enough — meaning you could potentially do the same weight training on consecutive days. (But Beskur notes that the study participants were fit, young and healthy, so the results don’t apply to everyone.)
Having a steady workout routine that fits your health and life is great. But changing things up can give you some significant benefits, says Beskur. Adding variation to your workout can:
Even if you’re healthy and fit enough to work out every day, Beskur says there are notable benefits to taking days off. Breaks from exercising:
Advertisement
But recovery days don’t mean sitting on the couch. You can and should be active. Beskur suggests gentle movement like stretching on rest days. (“I recommend stretching multiple times a day, throughout the day, if you can,” she adds.)
Another option? If you typically do intense exercises, try a “de-load week” where you continue to exercise but at a lower intensity. Dialing it down offers your muscles a chance to reset and recover.
And the best part about taking a rest break? Coming back to that regular workout will just reinforce how much you love doing it.
Advertisement
Learn more about our editorial process.
Advertisement
Swimming, cycling and walking can help keep your hips strong and mobile
Non-exercise activity thermogenesis is all the activity we do that’s not technically exercise but is still important to your health and well-being
This purple perennial has many uses, including sleep hygiene, reducing inflammation and pain, and elevating mood
Pulling your shoulders back and controlling the weight’s descent are key to a good bench press
The nocebo effect is a phenomenon where expectations of negative outcomes may influence the results
The method can bring faster strength gains, but it’s not necessary
This low-impact, full-body workout burns calories and is easy on your joints
Using proper form and the right equipment can help keep you injury-free while gathering up that colorful foliage
Not all ear infections need antibiotics — cold and warm compresses and changing up your sleep position can help
A glass of lemon water in the morning can help with digestion and boost vitamin C levels, and may even help get you into a better routine