Muscle recovery time

[Os Cangaceiros]

Lately I've been trying to build up some muscle/strength, eating a high-protein diet, drinking a lot of water, doing reps for at least an hour a day etc. It seems to be working thus far. My question is, is it appropriate to exercise every other day to insure proper muscle recovery? From what I've been reading online it seems to depend on the intensity of your workout whether you should work out every day or every other day or whatever, depending on your personal fitness goals, but I was just wondering what people here thought...

[PhoenixAsh]

Muscle safe recovery is ~48 hours when you do strength training. Total recovery is ~72 hours. You could do every day for a while but you run the risk of overloading your CNS and of injury. Especially tendons and the (I don’t know the english words) fleece around your muscles.

Intensity is totally subjective. 40 kg dumbbell press 10x10 for me is low intensity....for somebody else it would be top performance.

I am not sure what the recovery time is for cardio. But I am guessing it is about the same.

[Os Cangaceiros]

By "intensity" I meant time spent exercising, not necessarily what you're lifting or whatever.

[PhoenixAsh]

By "intensity" I meant time spent exercising, not necessarily what you're lifting or whatever.

Well I would encourage workouts to last 1-1.5 hours at max (But it depends on how much rest you take between exercises and sets). After that your body starts to produce excess amounts of cortisol ephinephrine which are both catabolic and fat producing.

Again...the length of the exercise and how this relates to intensity is subjective. I workout for 2 hours with extremely long pauses. For me a 1 hour exercise would be considerably more intense and I would have problems doing the exercises I do.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Well thanks, that's given me some stuff to think about. I think I'll start exercising every other day.

[Quail]

It usually takes me a couple of days to stop aching after a hard exercise session, but I don't know if that's just because I'm a bit unfit now.

[boiler]

My question is, is it appropriate to exercise every other day to insure proper muscle recovery? From what I've been reading online it seems to depend on the intensity of your workout whether you should work out every day or every other day or whatever, depending on your personal fitness goals, but I was just wondering what people here thought...

I think it depends on what muscles your exercising in your workout routine. Your chest, back and legs need 48 hour recovery while biceps, triceps and shoulders only need 24 hour recovery.

If you are working a group of muscles in your workout routine you need 48 hour for recovery.

[PhoenixAsh]

Well as long as we are at it.

You train and you recover. After the recovery phase comes the supercompensation phase in which the body adjusts compensation to a higher level than before you started training. If you train during the compensation phase you will increase your performance. If you train during the recovery phase or after the compensation phase you will basically level out. However...when you train a few times during a recovery phase...your next compensation phase will theoretically be higher and last longer.

[PhoenixAsh]

It usually takes me a couple of days to stop aching after a hard exercise session, but I don't know if that's just because I'm a bit unfit now.

Yes and no.

I think what you are talking about is delayed onset muscle soreness. Which starts a day after your training and gets more intense over the next 24 hours after it.

It is because of muscle damage and micro-trauma but has no effect on the recovery time. In fact using the muscle again may reduce the pain even if an exercise initially hurts like hell.

Usually that is because you do an exercise for the first time or overload/overdo an exercise, So it could be because you are out of shape or it could be because of progressive overload.


(My opinion is...if it hurts...just take it easy)

[Comrade Jacob]

The first time I went to the gym it took 5 days but now (going once a week) it takes (me) 1 day, 2 days max.

[Ocean Seal]

Lately I've been trying to build up some muscle/strength, eating a high-protein diet, drinking a lot of water, doing reps for at least an hour a day etc. It seems to be working thus far. My question is, is it appropriate to exercise every other day to insure proper muscle recovery? From what I've been reading online it seems to depend on the intensity of your workout whether you should work out every day or every other day or whatever, depending on your personal fitness goals, but I was just wondering what people here thought...
Depends on how you divide your workout. If you do four different exercises like Tri/chest biceps/back legs and shoulders then ideally you should do each of these once a week.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

I think it totally depends on the individual.

At his peak, Arnie trained at least twice a day. Intensely.

Some other people might find training 3 times a week to be a stretch.

It totally depends on the following:

What sort of shape are you in? Out of shape, average non-athlete, fit amateur athlete, professional athlete, elite professional athlete etc.

How long have you been training?

What are your goals?

How intense are your sessions/how intense do you want them to be?

How often do you want to build up to going to the gym?

[consuming negativity]

I think the standard for working out is do an upper body day and a legs day, every other day. So, you'd give each group of muscles 24 hours to recover, and then do that like 6 days a week (mon: arms, tues: legs, wed: arms, thur: legs, fri: arms, sat: legs, sun: nothing). I'm not exactly an expert, but that's what I've been repeatedly told should be what I do. It all depends on what you're looking for though. When I speak like that, it is assumed that you're working out until muscle exhaustion. Hope that helps.

[Delenda Carthago]

Only PhoenixAsh knows his shit.

[Os Cangaceiros]

What sort of shape are you in? Out of shape, average non-athlete, fit amateur athlete, professional athlete, elite professional athlete etc.

How long have you been training?

What are your goals?

How intense are your sessions/how intense do you want them to be?

How often do you want to build up to going to the gym?

I consider myself to be pretty fit. I'm just an amateur at working out or whatever, I have some 25 lb and some 30 lb dumbbells and that's pretty much what I use, along with, you know, pushups/pullups/sit ups/certain tricep exercises that you don't need gym equipment for. I had a co-worker once who used to be really heavily into bodybuilding and bodybuilding culture (including steroids, unfortunately) and he taught me a bunch of different exercises that I still remember and do, plus the internet is a massive help of course, huge repository of info on the web. I'm pretty much just doing it as a hobby, something to do, and a challenge for myself. Currently I usually work out for an hour every other day, and I try to keep breaks between reps as brief as I am able to.

[Thanatos]

What about bodyweight exercises like chest dips, pushups etc.? Will muscle recovery apply to this as well, meaning should a person rest between two workout days? Or does this apply only to weight training regimen?

[Thanatos]

Another thing. The first time I tried certain bodyweight exercices, like dips, it hurt for even two or three days. I rested and then tried again yesterday. But it does NOT hurt at all, the exact opposite of how badly it hurt last week. Does this mean my body is getting used to it, or am I not working out enough?

[PhoenixAsh]

What about bodyweight exercises like chest dips, pushups etc.? Will muscle recovery apply to this as well, meaning should a person rest between two workout days? Or does this apply only to weight training regimen?

Yes. But....

There is a caveat with recovery in general. If you continue at the same weight and same reps/sets then eventually you do not need the recovery time...just like you do not need the recovery time everytime you lift a soda bottle ;). On the other hand...you will not or barely grow.

Strength and muscle volume will only increase if the training is progressive overload (which means you increase the weights and/or change up the exercises/rep/set volume...that last one btw is something you need to do regularly...like every 6-8 weeks)



Another thing. The first time I tried certain bodyweight exercices, like dips, it hurt for even two or three days. I rested and then tried again yesterday. But it does NOT hurt at all, the exact opposite of how badly it hurt last week. Does this mean my body is getting used to it, or am I not working out enough?

Muscles need to get accustomed to the ROM (range of motion) and WOM (way of motion) dipping is not something we generally do a lot during a normal day. So yeah...the first time will probably require a few days to get used to. This accustomization can be rapid or slower depending on a few things...like rest quality, diet, metabolic rate, bloodvessels etc.

But unless you tell us what kind of dips you did, how many, what your increase or decrease in Body Weight is....how low your dip was...or if you changed your exercise list....we can't really say if you are doing well or not.

Remember....if you are doing BW exercises...your body weight can vary from day to day because of fluid retention...this can be as much as 5 kg. Which is a whole lot with certain exercises.

[Thanatos]

Thanks, Phoenix. Very valuable ideas.

At the moment I am only doing bodyweight exercises - dips using chairs (7 reps/3 sets), dips for triceps (same), reverse crunches (10*3), long arm crunches (10*3).

Only these four exercises morning before breakfast. They are very hard, particularly dips, so even a few reps gives that burn in the arm/chest/back. So my question is, should I do them every day, or is recovery time important? My body is changing, I can now see muscle definition in chest etc., but I was wondering whether doing it every day would speed things up. Currently, I am doing it on alternate days.

I am lean with just a little fat, so my goal is to be ripped. Not build big muscles, so bodyweight exercies are enough, I hope. Due to circumstances I cant do weight training.

[PhoenixAsh]

You can do them every day. But I suggest slowly building up and have at least a period of rest somewhere in a week.

I don't know you circumstances... so I really can't advice you effectively. But...

If you could manage to do some more exercises you could consider alternating exercises each day.

You should think about doing push ups, squat jumps (or jump lunges), planks and if at all possible pull ups.... with them. And alternate these two sets per day. (you can do pull forwards (basically reverse push ups) under a small table with some ingenuity)

This gives you a more balanced full body work out.

There are a lot of great body weight exercises (also some pretty shitty ones....so watch out)

[PhoenixAsh]

If you can get your hands on a core ball...and a football

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2i4zW5Bi37k/TPrm2P5w9mI/AAAAAAAAABc/arJN8F3pMa8/s1600/360%2BCore%2BBall.jpg

Your possibilities are endless

[PhoenixAsh]

For those who are interested.

When we are talking about being ripped we are talking about a certain state of muscle definition. Muscle definition doesn't necessarily depend on muscle mass or strength. The range of terminology goes from full house to shredded and the transitions between states isn't always very clear.

Full House means there is no real muscle definition. Body is big. Stomach is out.

Hard means there is a little more definition and the stomach isn't out.

Cut means there is clear definition on most body parts but other parts have visible fat and aren't as defined.

Defined means all parts of the body are clearly defined and no visible fat blurs muscle definition. Most models you see in pictures for underwear are defined. If there is visible fat...you are not defined.

Ripped shows clear definition to the extend that muscle fibers are showing on most muscles. We are talking about <9% body fat.

Sliced means you are so ripped you can see individual layers of muscles. This state means you have very little BF and little water retention. You won't be able to hold this for more than a couple of days.

Shredded means you have almost no water retention in your skin...at all. So you are super super super sliced. And you won't be able to hold this for more than a couple of hours. Usually requires dehydration medication to be taken.


Everything below ripped is unhealthy for a prolonged period of time. Because your Body Fat percentage comes close to the minimum necessary to stay alive.


Most of these stages are mostly independent from muscle mass....and have everything to do with body fat % If you want definition you need to reduce body fat. Period. This, arguably, is easier when you have more muscle mass...since muscles burn fat (if you are doing it right). So for a cut person to become ripped....simply means: diet! (watch what you eat and when)

[Thanatos]

Thanks, phoenix, for the list. Can u give an example of a cut as opposed to a defined male celebrity so we can better understand the difference? Ripped is like Brad Pitt in fight club ... all muscle and little fat.

[PhoenixAsh]

Cut:

http://www.trainerjosh.com/matthew-mcconaughey-workout1.jpg


Defined:

http://results4sure.getprograde.com/images/article_images/CutUp_UpperBody.png

[Thanatos]

thanks again.:)

One question. If you could recommend just ONE bodyweight exercise to target upper chest, what would it be? Inclined pushups .... legs raised (like legs kept on a chair) and the body does pushups by going toward ground. Would this be effective?

Or would u recommend something else .... at the moment I dont have access to weights, so which bodyweight exercise would be most effective for upper chest?

[PhoenixAsh]

I would do push ups. Just normal ones.
2 seconds down. 1 second hold. 2 seconds up. 1 second hold.
Elbows a bit outwards and hands a bit in.


Do you have a backpack? And books? Or bricks?

There you have your weights for the squats. push ups. and eventually dips.