Consecutive Training Days
A client asked me this exact question the other day, and it made me realize how common this fear still is.
Usually, people ask because their chaotic schedules make consecutive training days necessary. Their ideal is having a perfect rest day in between three total body workouts per week. But their reality is two days in a row, one off, one on, and three off.
This is like any presidential election: you must choose between available options, not wished-for options.
If you’re picking between skipping a workout or training two consecutive training days, I encourage you to choose being extra sore.
Think about the math of “skipping just one”:
- If you work out 2 days per week, skipping one means throwing away half your week.
- If you work out 3 days per week, skipping one means losing a third of your progress.
I do not know any human who can afford to skip that much.
“But what about overtraining?”
As a society, we fear “overtraining” when we should be afraid of “over-resting.” Let’s be real: overtraining is something full-time professional athletes need to worry about. They train twice a day, nearly every day, with extreme intensity.
If you work out three to four times per week, you cannot possibly be overtraining.
What you can do is botch your recovery. When people feel run down, they blame the gym, but the real culprits are usually:
- Poor sleep (or scrolling and asking AI random questions at 2 AM when you should be sleeping).
- Poor nutrition (getting too little protein and/or water).
- Too little daily movement (excess time being completely sedentary).
You cannot fix poor sleep, low protein, and a sedentary lifestyle by getting less exercise.
If you have to train back-to-back days this week, do it. If you get sore, don’t freeze up—walk it off. Motion is lotion, and stiffness breeds stillness.
Stop letting a chaotic calendar dictate your results.
P.S. Stop guessing if your workout routine is safe or effective. Let’s build a customized schedule that fits your actual reality—not your fantasy. [Click here to book a free strategy call with me today.]
Coach Josef Brandenburg — ACE | NASM | Precision Nutrition | Training Peri and Menopausal Women | Pain-Free Performance Specialist Certification | Functional Kettlebell Training | 28 years coaching | Specializes in strength training for women over 40.
Josef Brandenburg, best selling author, is the co-owner and a coach at True 180 Personal Training, Charlotte’s most effective personal training studio for women since 2016. With decades of experience and multiple certifications, he shares his research with you including regarding consecutive training days.
