If you happen to be one of those guys, or girls, that like to go HAM in the weight room every day in the White Building, then you should probably reconsider. In most aspects of our lives, too much of something can end up being a bad thing in the long run. Whether you gym rats like it or not, weight training falls under that category.

“During a typical weight training, you overload or stress your muscles. Microscopic wears and tears take place in the fine muscle fibers. When resting, your muscles get stronger and your body repairs damages.” (Health Guidance, 2013)

“Targeting the same muscle groups with a daily lift denies your body this rebuilding process. Even if you work different muscles groups on consecutive days, you should skip lifting a few days each week to prevent overtraining.” (Livestrong, 2013)

Guys want to be nice and strong for the girls. Girls want to have “bangin” bodies for the guys. I get it. But there can be repercussions that result from too much weight training if you’re not careful. That’s why it is important to remember that “good nutrition and rest are just as essential to your actual weight training.”

Here are some tips to keep in mind as you’re in the gym putting in work:

Take a few days off between workouts:

After you’ve gone through a day of full-body weight lift training, you should take at least 1-2 days off. In the case that you decided to work on your arms and legs one day, only to work on your chest and shoulders the next, then that’s fine. If you like to do full-body training every time you work out, then it’s best that you do that for up to three times a week. Be sure to not cram those full-body workout sessions in consecutive days.

Overtraining? Know your limits.

Many people who just start to weight lift may be so excited about reaching their goals, that they overtrain themselves. According to Health Guidance, overtraining can be defined as: training more than four times a week, lifting excessive numbers of sets, lifting very heavy weight for too long and doing too many sets of exercises in each session. Beginners should know that too much weight lift training can potentially cause: chronic fatigue, loss of strength, poor eating habits or sleep, intense muscle pain, reduced appetite, little interest on training, mood changes, and higher rates of illness with a slower rate of recovery.

Sucks right? Yeah I know.

Sleep, sleep, sleep! Did I forget to mention sleep?

Doctors will tell you that eight hours of sleep at night is recommended for adults. Depending on your life schedule, you may not always get those eight hours. But it’s important to find the right amount of time for sleep that’s best for you. Training regularly will make you sleep better because you’ll be exhausted physically. Getting the right amount of sleep is a huge part of your training. “Because you’re actively straining your muscles, cells in muscle fibers need more time to repair. An essential hormone for maintaining and repairing tissue is HGH (human growth hormone). Our body naturally releases this hormone when we sleep.” (Health Guidance 2013)

Don’t deprive yourself of sleep! It’ll repair your body after a tough workout, and help you reach your goals.

Stay on top of your game.

Our bodies aren’t Macbooks or Dell laptops. What I mean is that, they can’t save our fitness results for a long period of time if you were to go a couple months without a workout after training regularly for six months straight. After you stop training, you still may have your results (increased power and strength), for a few weeks. But after a while, you’ll lose most of those results. If there is a reason as to why you can’t train as regularly as you’re accustomed to, try to at least weight lift at least once a week so that you can maintain your results for a long time. Something is better than nothing.

I decided to do this post because I’m starting to get back in the gym. I was looking for the best ways to let my body heal after a tough workout since I haven’t worked out in a while. I can see how these tips are just as vital to weight training as lifting weights itself. In order to achieve long lasting results while refraining from overworking yourself, it’s best that you take it easy, be smart about your weight training, and give your body the right amount of rest. I’ll take these tips and put them to good use. You should too. 

Links: 

http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/13931/1/The-Importance-of-Rest-and-Recovery-in-Weight-Training.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/439446-should-i-lift-weights-every-day/

http://stronglifts.com/weight-lifting-101-the-definitive-guide-to-weight-lifting/

Please, don’t kill yourself like this guy here.