why is it recommended you wait 2-3 days before working out muscles again but people in jobs like movers lift heavy things all day multiple days in a row?
In: Biology
It’s because of the term “progressive overload”. Weightlifters are progressively overloading their muscles. Whether it’s more reps, more sets, more weight, more total weight moved in a workout, and/or less time between sets. But by overloading the muscle, you’re tearing the muscle, which requires time for it to repair. Hence the 2-3 day recommendation to wait while the muscle repairs.
When you go for a walk, you are using your muscles. But just by going for a stroll you are not progressively overloading the muscles required for walking. Your walking muscles are used to the load that you are requiring from them. People that work physical labour jobs will eventually get used to the load required for the work. It’s like walking to them. This is a simplification but it’s the ELI5 answer.
This is also one of the many reasons why some people can go to the gym every day but never gain muscle. It could be due to other factors as well, but if you’re going and doing the same workout over and over, you’re not going to get any bigger and eventually you won’t need 2-3 days to rest between workouts because it’s the new ‘normal’ for your body.
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