Less is sometimes more
“Daily training brings the best results; the more I train, the faster I’ll see results.” As a personal trainer in the Salzburg area for many years, I often hear the above statements. However, these assertions do not fully reflect the truth. The key to achieving long-term and good results lies in balancing regular training with adequate rest.
Recognizing the mistake
Many people believe that performing exercises more frequently or completing a training program more often will lead to quicker results. The idea here is “more is more,” but the reality is not quite so black and white. The first step towards sustainable and good results is to understand that more doesn’t always mean better.
It`s all about balance
A training plan is not just about the individual exercises but also about how often the training is completed and when to incorporate rest days. To a certain extent, more can indeed be more, for example, three sessions per week are better than two. However, when motivation is excessively high, there is a strong urge to dive into training at 110%, often leading to too frequent sessions. Instead of spreading this motivation across many different days, it would be much more effective to focus more energy on fewer days.
Full commitment
A good frequency for a regular training plan would be 2-3 sessions per week. On these few days, most of the available energy should be used. The more energy expended, the more effective the training will be, leading to better results. This ensures that the body receives a sufficiently large stimulus to trigger the various processes that lead to improvements (stronger muscles, less body fat, etc.). However, to allow energy reserves to fully recharge, rest is essential on the remaining days. This creates a perfect balance for more energy, both in daily life and during training.
