Resistance Training and Recovery

When you perform resistance training, your intention is to force the muscles to adapt to an increased workload by causing microscopic damage to muscle fibers.   If they are not allowed ample recovery time (and just a little bit extra, this is called "super compensation"), you may soon see signs of overtraining (such as fatigue, failure to achieve desired gains, constant soreness, injury).  

Imagine if you had a bank account where all you did was make withdrawals, never making any deposits.   Your account would get smaller and smaller until there was nothing left to spend.   If you continue to spend, your account would soon be overdrawn.   

Now picture an account where you make a take out a small amount, make regular deposits, and have time to earn a little interest as well.   This is how you should treat your workouts.   If you only deposit what you just took out, you aren't really making a difference.   Increase your physical net worth.   Remember to train hard, but don't forget to rest just as hard!      

Written by Joe Stankowski - Originally Appeared in AbsoluteFitNews Nov. 2001