Have you ever heard about working out twice a day? Usually, it is popular among high-level athletes who train themselves for competition. An average individual only can manage a single workout per day. You might be thinking about why athletes work out twice a day. Or what the benefits of working out twice a day. Working out twice a day has its benefits, as long as you implement a proper schedule.
Similar to others, you might find it hard to make time for one workout. But it does not mean that workout twice a day is not suitable for you.
Would you like to incorporate this workout into your fitness routine? Read one! In this guide, we will mention the pros and cons of working out twice a day.
Can I Workout Twice a Day?
Exercise put stress on your body, so it is natural to ask if I can work out twice a day. Generally, it is safe and healthy to work out twice a day. However, it can impart negative effects if you practice irregularly.
From elite runners to everyday people just looking to stay fit, many people follow a two-a-day workout routine multiple days per week every week and find it to be the training structure that works great logistically for their lifestyle and r yields the best physical results.
When planning a twice-daily workout, consider the following points:
- Take a six hours break in between two workouts
- Do strenuous training in the morning
- Perform longer workouts in the morning
- Prioritize your nutrition and hydration
- Add naps to your day
Start slowly and increase the intensity gradually!
Benefits of Working Out Twice a Day
One of the foremost benefits is that it increases your per-day activity. The International Journal of Obesity has indicated that time spent sedentary leads to several health issues. So, if you increase your daily activity, it will boost your metabolism and improve overall health.
In general, the benefits depend on:
- The type of exercise
- Intensity
- Duration
Here are a few top benefits of working out twice a day:
Whether you work out twice or thrice a day, the exercise burns calories and helps you lose weight. Moreover, exercise improves your:
- cardiovascular health
- lower blood lipids
- regulates blood sugar levels
Any minutes you accrue being physically active in the week can contribute to these positive benefits of moving your body.
If you want to enhance your strength and endurance, it is best to increase the training volume. Enhanced training volume results in protein synthesis, fat oxidation, mitochondrial development, and power output.
Strength training twice a day yields better neuro-muscular adaptations than single daily training sessions. This enhanced muscle fiber recruitment leads to practical increases in muscular strength and power.
Exercise produces an endorphin chemical that is beneficial for mental health. When you double the workout, the production of endorphin will increase. It will elevate your mood and provide you with a sense of well-being.
Moreover, exercise decreases the amount of cortisol hormone that helps you feel less stressed. Working out twice a day will increase your energy and focus and doubles the number of feel-good chemicals.
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One of the practical benefits of working out twice a day is that it makes you fit. Sometimes you do not have uninterrupted time for a workout; you can split your workout into two sessions. Workout in two sessions will help you fit in all the movements and training you like in your schedule.
In a nutshell, working twice a day will help you accomplish your goals faster. Plus, you may find that two shorter workouts are a better fit for your schedule than one longer one
Drawbacks of Working Out Twice a Day
Let us discuss a few downsides of workouts in two sessions!
One of the primary drawbacks of double training is that it results in an increased volume that puts you at greater risk of overtraining.
Some other drawbacks include:
- Increased risk of injury
- Mental & physical burnout
- Increased training volume
- Disrupt sleep pattern
- Suppress your immune system
- Impact your appetite
- Inadequate time for recovery
- Increase in cortisol level
Also, Read – 8 Best Ways to Move During the Workday
5 Tips for Working Out Twice a Day
You may want to accomplish some workout goals and look to work out twice a day. Here are a few tips and guidelines that help you work out without injury
Give your body ample time to recover by limiting the workout days when exercising twice. In the starting days of working out twice, increase the duration and intensity of the workout progressively.
For example, you might start by adding an easy 15-minute shake-out ride on an indoor cycle in the evening on the days you have a threshold run or interval session in the morning and progress to 30 minutes after a couple of weeks
To reduce the risk of injury, pair two different types of workouts. For example, you can combine high-impact cardio with low-impact cardio or strength training.
Also, you can choose the pair of those exercises that target different muscle groups. For example, you can do push-ups in the morning to target the upper body and a leg workout in the evening.
Going full-blast for both workouts can be overtaxing, so mix up the intensity of your doubles so that at least one training is more of a recovery in terms of modality, such as yoga, walking, deep water walking, or effort level.
Do the stiffer workout first to allow your body to recover. For example, if you have paired running and weight lifting, run in the morning, and do weight lifting later in the day. In this way, running will not affect your weight lifting
Your resting heart rate can provide a window into how well you’re recovering from workouts. If you notice your heart rate upon waking to be trending upward, it is a sign you need to cut back and give your body more recovery time.
How to Add More Movement to Your Day?
Whether new or a pro, the perfect way to implement twice-daily workouts is to look for ways to increase your daily activity. It is all about finding ways to stay active throughout the day.
For instance:
- After strength training in the morning, use a foam roller at night to relieve soreness, reduce inflammation, and increase the range of motion.
- If you don’t find time for stretching after a workout, try a 10-minute walk after dinner and then stretch yourself.
When doing household work, turn on the music and dance to increase your heart rate
The Bottom Line
If you decide to try working out twice a day, ease your way into it. As Mentor suggests, do not start with more than two days in a row of twice-daily routines, and decrease your overall intensity for a few weeks before ramping up your effort. It takes time to acclimate to new stressors, so be smart and give yourself time to adjust.
