How (and Why) to Do Two Workouts a Day
Most often I train in two: in the morning – on a stationary bike, and in the afternoon or evening – I do weightlifting. But I remember a time when two days a day seemed like an incredible amount of work, the prerogative of professional athletes and people with an unhealthy obsession with exercise. It turns out that doubling your workout isn’t nearly as scary as it sounds, and can actually help you find more time per day to exercise.
Before we get into why and how, let’s talk about one important reason why you can’t do two workouts. If you are concerned about how many calories you burn, or if you exercise to “earn” food, or if you feel like a bad person for exercising less than usual, these are all reasons you might want to rethink your relationship. exercise and consider seeking help.
These could be signs of compulsive training , which are in the same group of mental health problems as eating disorders. The National Eating Disorders Association has a helpline and resources if you need them.
Why you can do two workouts a day
Okay, now let’s talk about some good reasons to do two workouts a day. The most common one is to avoid uncomfortable long workouts. Runners often split up their easy runs to get enough miles per week: it’s easier to run five miles in the morning and five in the afternoon than getting up early enough to run 10 miles before work.
Another is to add volume to an already packed schedule. You may already be training five days a week, but you know you need to do cardio and stretch a little to improve your performance as an athlete or even overall health. (Cardio is good for you and, no, it doesn’t kill your gains .) Doing these extra things in a separate custom workout might work better for you than just adding them to your existing workouts.
You may also like doing multiple workouts. Exercise is good for your mental health , helps reduce stress, and potentially helps manage symptoms of anxiety or depression. If your morning run will cheer you up for the next few hours, there is no need to skip it just because you have another workout scheduled later.
Big secret: light workouts
When someone does two workouts a day, here’s the big secret: Not all are hard workouts .
If you’re used to pushing your hardest every time you hit the gym, then you need to moderate your expectations of a two-day life. Your body can handle three or even five really intense workouts per week. He can hardly cope with ten.
Plan your week and figure out how much really hard work you need to do. Place them as needed. Then add extra workouts, making sure to choose ones that don’t require a lot of recovery.
It takes a bit of experimentation to figure out what you can easily get rid of. These things tend to take a heavy toll on your body and are likely to make your next workout that much more difficult. Be careful planning them:
- Deadlift
- Maximum use of large lifts
- Speed running workouts
- Long runs
- Race or time trial
- Anything very long, very heavy, or something that makes you feel drained afterwards.
On the contrary, there are many workouts that do not require high recovery costs. The items on this list can be anywhere on your weekly schedule. I’m going to give you a few examples, with the caveat that a workout should only be considered easy if it seems easy to you . If you’re a marathon runner, a three-mile run is nothing. But if you’re new to exercise, that same run could be one of your hard workouts of the week. So use your judgment. Here are some examples of potentially light workouts:
- Walking
- Stretching, foam rolling, or other active work
- Short, easy runs
- Low intensity cardio on bike, elliptical trainer, etc.
- Working with light to medium weights, especially if you are not exhausting your sets.
- Conditioning work if you are in good enough shape so that it does not break you (for example: rower jerks, burpees, kettlebell swings)
As you get stronger and more alert, things can start to move from a “hard” list to an “easy” one. Last year’s long run may turn out to be a short easy run this year. The deadlift will stay on the heavy list if you continue to increase the weight, but the lighter deadlift can go on the light list. You get the idea.
Pay attention to your food
Usually, eating before and after training is not that important. A regular meal at a normal time can easily supply your body with protein. While there is an optimal window for replenishing muscle carbs after exercise, these stores will be replenished within about 24 hours, no matter what you do.
But if you exercise two days a day, you will have the next workout before 24 hours have passed. So it becomes important to actually get into that post-workout window. Be sure to consume carbohydrates, ideally mixed with protein, after every workout. It can be as simple as scheduling one of your regular meals so it doesn’t fall out after your workout, but you can also bring a shake or energy / protein bar to the gym if you need a more convenient option.
Work up to two workouts a day
As with everything else in fitness, forming this habit can seem like a daunting task at first. If you currently exercise three times a week, don’t expect to jump straight into the habit twice a day. Start by adding one or two light workouts each week, which can be as simple as a walk in the neighborhood or a yoga video for beginners.
Develop this over time, each week deciding to add a little more volume or make one of your workouts more intense.
If you want to see how this might work in practice, I currently do Olympic style weightlifting on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. I do deadlifts on Saturday. These are five hard workouts, and they are all in the afternoon or evening, because that’s when I prefer them. On top of that, I sit on an exercise bike almost every morning for a light workout of at least 30 minutes. Sometimes I mix it up and do something with weights instead of or in addition to the bike, so the schedule is not set in stone.
My training schedule changes with the season, and so does yours. There is more lifting in some phases, and cardio in others. There are definitely times when I go back to one workout a day because, hey, everybody needs a break sometimes.
So don’t be afraid to try two days a day if you’re interested in them. You won’t hurt yourself or wear yourself out if you are careful in planning your schedule. And who knows, you might like this.