A JD graduate of the University of Louisville, Michael Meyer serves as an attorney in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In his free time, the Florida attorney maintains an active lifestyle; in addition to offering personal training fitness sessions to others, Michael Meyer maintains his own fitness regimen during the week.
When it comes to working out, you’ve likely heard the usual “no pain, no gain” mentality. However, like everything that it good for you, exercise must be done in moderation. Routines that are too strenuous don’t give your body the time it needs to recover and may actually hinder your progress. Following are several signs your workout is too intense:
- You hate your workouts. A good fitness routine is something you look forward to during the day. If you find yourself dreading your daily workouts or using shortcuts that make your workouts easier, your routine may be too strenuous. If you’re trying a new routine, keep in mind that you should perk up once you start working out. When you still feel bad halfway through your routine, re-examine and simplify it.
- You’re unusually sore. When starting a new workout, you’ll likely experience muscle soreness within 24 to 48 hours after you complete a session. This soreness does not continue happening after two, three, or more weeks of the same workout. When this does occur, your regimen is too intense. Similarly, any soreness you experience should be related to the muscles. Joint pain is always a bad sign and suggests you are either working out too much or using the incorrect workout technique.
- Your training goes past daily norms. Although commitment is key when it comes to working out, this doesn’t mean you should overdo your training. Limit your workouts to only three to four days a week, particularly if you focus on high-intensity workouts or strength training. This gives your body plenty of rest time between sessions so it can repair and grow your muscles. Between these days, you can engage in lighter exercise to keep your body moving or just relax entirely.
