Misconceptions with resistance training #1

Over the years I have been in many health clubs and talked to numerous “so-called” experts about how often I need to train to be able to make gains and stay healthy. All the while I knew the answer. More times than not they all said it depends on what your goals are. BULL! Research has shown that you only need to resistance train 1-3 times a week. Once a week will maintain your current status and make consistent gains. Twice a week will give you 88% of the results that you’ll receive from three days a week. Three times a week is the maximum, because of the time the body needs between resistance training workouts to rest and recover. Personally, I lift twice a week. The clients I currently have resistance train no more than twice a week and if you were to talk to them, they would tell you about the great results they are getting. You see, the more important thing when resistance training is the intensity level at which you train. Resistance training at the proper intensity level twice a week is all anyone needs and is very beneficial.

Resistance training more than four days a week will bring detrimental effects from training called overtraining. Overtraining leads to plateaus in your lifting, fatigue, illness, or even injury. So if anyone tells you that resistance training more then three days a week is the only way to get results, let that information go in one ear and right out the other. Most trainers are interested in making money over other things, my goal is to do things right so that my clients reach their goals and the rest will take care of itself.

This doesn’t mean that on the other days of the week you do nothing. After a hard training session you’ll want to stay active and help keep the muscles from tightening up too much and help the waste materials get moved out of the body. On your off days from resistance training try some conditioning, participate in a sport, housework, gardening, etc. The most important thing is to stay active everyday.