“When working out at the gym, sometimes it’s good to take it easy.” How?

There are quite a few people who work out at the gym every day, sweating it out to stay healthy. A significant number of them, in particular, aim to engage in aerobic exercise and muscle-strengthening exercises at least five times a week.

However, Australian non-profit media outlet The Conversation reports that those who visit the gym and work out diligently should drastically reduce the number of workouts or the intensity of their workouts for one week every six to eight weeks. Fitness experts and influencers say that even if you spend a lot of time at the gym, it's crucial to give your body enough time to recover from the fatigue and damage caused by high-intensity exercise. They also emphasize that those who exercise intensely can realistically improve their fitness by occasionally taking a "deload week."

High-intensity exercise (training) causes cumulative damage to muscle tissue. While this is essential for improving fitness, allowing the body sufficient time to recover from this damage is crucial for achieving these benefits. Exercise can cause micro-tears in muscles, particularly after intense exercise. This can lead to muscle fibers being torn. This inflammation promotes positive changes in muscle tone, leading to improved fitness. However, continuing to exercise excessively without adequate rest can lead to permanent muscle damage. Without adequate recovery, the inflammation cannot effectively utilize oxygen in the muscles.

 

This can lead to negative consequences, such as a significant decline in exercise capacity. Therefore, reducing the number of exercise sessions or drastically lowering the intensity can effectively resolve this issue.

Gymgoers typically fear reducing their training volume. However, previous research has shown that muscle genes contain "memory imprints." This allows them to effectively maintain the genes responsible for muscle growth even when they're only half-prepared. This means that muscles respond more quickly to future workouts and are better prepared to accelerate growth after a period of rest.

 

Failure to take a break from intense exercise can lead to muscle soreness or overtraining syndrome (OTS). This syndrome occurs when you train too hard and at too high an intensity without sufficient rest, resulting in prolonged discomfort and poor performance. This can lead to decreased athletic performance, severe fatigue, and mood disturbances. Overcoming this condition typically takes days or months, but in severe cases, it can take years. Some studies suggest that OTS occurs in approximately 10% of elite athletes and up to 60% of highly competitive athletes.

During a "recharge week" (or "reduction week"), you typically reduce the number of workouts by about 50% or the intensity by about 20% compared to your usual workouts. In this respect, a recharge week differs from a "rest week," where you completely rest without exercising. One caveat is this: those who exercise less intensely at the gym one to three times a week don't necessarily need a "recharge week." This workout schedule provides sufficient rest. Meanwhile, fitness experts recommend a one-week recharge after four to six weeks of intense exercise. This is more conservative than what fitness influencers recommend. Therefore, it's best to use this guideline to adjust your recharge cycle appropriately based on your individual circumstances and physical condition.

 

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If you miss even one day of muscle strengthening exercise, you will feel unbearable.

You can see quite a few exercise enthusiasts around you.

However, it is advisable to give your muscles a break every now and then.

 

Those who like to exercise should work hard on muscle training.

I'm so jealous, but you should take it easy.