One Day, Multiple Workouts

Find out whether two or three workouts a day are a boon or detriment to your good health.

You're reading this because you care about your body. You want to look your best, so you spend sufficient time in the gym each day to keep your body looking and feeling great. But you've always wondered about hitting the gym more than once a day.

After all, you get good results with an hour a day, so wouldn't a couple hours a day do twice as much good?
Read on to find out.

The Danger

As good as your intentions may be, the potential dangers of multiple workouts may outweigh any benefit you may reap. That's because after a good upper body workout, you may want even more the second time around. So you hit the weights again, putting more strain on your arms and chest. While you may work out any soreness you got from the first workout, pushing the same body parts twice in a single day can do substantial damage to your muscles and ligaments.

Likewise, if you work out hard the first time around, you will feel energized afterward, though your body will be a bit tired. By coming back and pushing your already tired body, you're more likely to get sloppy during your routine. As improper technique is a common cause of injury, you should be doubly careful to practice proper mechanics during your second routine and not let your guard down against potential injury.

The Benefit

Exercising twice in a single day has the potential to provide substantial rewards. While it won't likely increase your physical fitness two-fold, it will help to a certain extent. For maximum benefit, you will have to avoid overworking your muscles in a single day.

A great way to do this is to do something completely different on your second trip to the gym. If you spent your first trip hitting the weights with your arms, use the second trip to run on the track or play a game of pick-up basketball or racquetball. Attend a spin class in the morning? You may want to lift some weights in the afternoon. Of course, if you're trying to add muscle mass for body building purposes, you may want to lift weights during both sessions. To stay safe and to achieve maximum results no matter your goals, stay in touch with an exercise professional.

The Answer

As long as you're careful to work on different muscles each time you go to the gym, you should be safe from injuries that stem from overuse or tiredness. However, if you go to the gym and work the same muscles twice or three times a day, you never give your muscles time to recover, putting you at increased risk for pulls, tears, and strains. Also, if you ever feel pain that isn't the good kind of pain that results from a solid workout, rest your body until the pain goes away. If it sticks around for a few days, see a physician to ensure you haven't caused any serious damage to your body.