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?
Advertisem*nt
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.
Is it OK to do the same workout every day?
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.”
Doing the same cardio workout every day
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:
- Don’t have injuries.
- Choose an intensity appropriate to your fitness level.
- Get enough nutrition to fuel your workouts.
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.
Doing the same strength workout every day
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.)
What are the benefits of changing your workout routine?
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:
- Challenge your body: New exercises help your body adapt and improve.
- Prevent boredom: Doing the same activity repeatedly can become a drag and eventually lower your motivation to exercise. Switching things up can keep workouts interesting.
- Work different muscle groups: Why let the same muscles have all of the fun? Different activities — even if it’s just trying a new cardio machine — can target and strengthen different areas of your body.
What are the benefits of taking breaks from your workout?
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:
- Give your muscles time to heal: Muscle fibers tear and break down during heavy exercise. Building recovery time into your workout schedule allows muscles to repair and get stronger.
- Prevent injury from overtraining: Pushing too hard over too many days can lead to injuries that sideline you and keep you from working out. (And who wants that, right?)
- Replenish ATP (adenosine triphosphate): ATP fuels your muscles so they can contract and work hard as you exercise. Rest allows your body to build up your ATP levels.
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.
FAQs
Performing the same routine every day can lead to excess soreness or strain. Using the same muscle groups over and over again doesn't leave any time for your muscles to repair and grow. I recommend alternating days training different muscle groups so that you give your body time to recover.
What happens if you do the same exercise every day? ›
Reduce risk of injury
According to Stewart, it's OK to do the same workout routine daily if the intensity is not too extreme. Frequency can be a good thing if it's done safely. However, varying your workouts can decrease overuse and optimize physical benefits.
How often should you change your workout routine? ›
The longer you do a single move, the more your muscles become used to it. Over time, that adaptation means you'll stop seeing gains in the mirror. Most experts subscribe to the strategy of changing your workout routine every six to eight weeks to avoid this plateau, but you can't rely just on the calendar.
How often should I repeat the same workout? ›
Also, try to make sure that you're moving on to something new every three weeks since you will be challenging yourself right when your body starts to get comfortable with your current routine. It's important to change up your workouts so you don't plateau and to prevent injuries.
Is it bad to do the same full body workout everyday? ›
A full-body workout means many groups of muscles are working at once. This helps to achieve greater workout results from a lesser number of exercises. Because these are more strenuous exercise than usual, the muscles require 2-3 days to recover from all the strain they endure. Hence, these must not be attempted daily.
Can I workout 7 days a week? ›
The Concept of Training Every Day
Muscle groups can require anywhere from 48hrs - 72hrs to fully recover. Therefore training every day may be possible. However, the body parts you target in each workout and the intensity at which you train will need to be varied to allow muscle groups complete recovery.
Can I workout 5 days a week and rest on weekends? ›
The Answer? Rest One or Two Days Per Week. For the best performance and to reach your goals in the safest and most effective way possible, plan for one to two rest days per week. Olenick recommended spacing these out — take one rest day mid-week and the other on the weekend, or in between bigger workouts.
How often should I change my routine? ›
“I recommend doing the same workouts for at least two weeks in a row, and then you can change them up," says Victoria. "The reason for that is because if you change workouts every single week, you will not be able to keep track of progressive overload and if you are truly increasing reps or weight from week to week."
What is the best exercise to do daily? ›
Pushups, planks, squats, lunges and burpees are all great options. Doing these exercises without additional weight also allows you to practice and perfect proper form, which is essential for preventing injuries in the future.
Will my body change if I workout everyday? ›
Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance. Exercise sends oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lung health improve, you have more energy to tackle daily chores.
Each muscle group should be trained 2 to 3 days per week with at least 48 hours separating the same muscle group. For example, if you worked out your legs on Monday, you'd have to wait until at least Wednesday before working out those muscles again.
Can I get in shape in 3 months? ›
And if you exercise regularly, over time you will gain even more fitness benefits. “At 6 to 8 weeks, you can definitely notice some changes,” said Logie, “and in 3 to 4 months you can do a pretty good overhaul to your health and fitness.” Strength-specific results take about the same amount of time.
Will muscles grow if you workout every day? ›
Spending your whole day in the gym isn't necessary to build muscle. Weight training for 20 to 30 minutes, 2 to 3 times a week is enough to see results. You should try to target all your major muscle groups at least twice throughout your weekly workouts.
What happens if I do the same workout everyday? ›
Doing the same strength workout every day
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.
Is it bad to lift weights every day? ›
It's not necessary to lift weights every day, and if you do, you increase your risk for overuse injuries and overtraining syndrome. For most people, strength training two to three times a week is sufficient, but if you prefer to split training different muscle groups, then you can train up to five days a week.
Is it good to work out at the same time every day? ›
Promotes healthier habits
So, if you're having trouble making exercise a habit, morning workouts might help. One review looked at exercise timing. Researchers found that working out at the same time every day, especially in the morning, may increase your ability to stick to an exercise routine.
What happens to your body when you exercise every day? ›
Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance. Exercise sends oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lung health improve, you have more energy to tackle daily chores.
Does your body get used to the same exercise? ›
This means if you undertake exercise that's physically challenging, your body will adapt to this stress to ensure the same activity feels slightly easier in the future. This mechanism of adaptation is both a blessing and a curse. The adage "if you don't use it, you'll lose it" can be applied here.
Is it better to work out everyday or alternate days? ›
Is It OK To Workout Every Day for a Week? Instead, taking at least one or two days of rest allows your body to rebuild and recover. Rest days are, more than anything, a chance to listen to your body's needs so you can prepare for your next workout.
