Fitness enthusiasts, listen up! If you're on a quest to achieve your fitness goals, you're likely open to incorporating new strategies into your routine to shake things up and accelerate your progress. Enter a fitness trend gaining traction on TikTok: "two-a-day" workouts. This approach involves breaking up a longer workout into two shorter sessions within the same day, potentially targeting different muscle groups and allowing for ample rest in between.
Now, you might be skeptical, thinking, "I struggle enough to stick to one workout a day, and you're suggesting two?" But hear us out. We consulted with a fitness expert and discovered the numerous benefits of integrating two-a-day workouts into your regimen. While this approach may not suit everyone, it's worth exploring with the guidance of a personal trainer to determine if it aligns with your goals and preferences.
How to plan a "two-a-day" workout:
Engaging in two workouts within a single day can yield significant benefits compared to a solitary session. Tyler Read, BSc, CPT, the founder of PTPioneer.com and a seasoned personal trainer with 15 years of experience in the health and fitness realm, elaborates on this advantage: "The primary advantage is being able to hit multiple types of workouts in a single day."
For instance, instead of enduring a prolonged "marathon workout" lasting 90 to 120 minutes, one can opt to divide the regimen into two distinct sessions. This approach allows for targeting different body parts or alternating between cardio and weightlifting exercises across the two sessions.
Read further emphasizes, "Similarly, skill-based athletes can perform a skill-based workout (i.e., soccer training) in one session and then strength training in a different section, allowing more focus and recovery for each workout." This segmentation enables athletes to dedicate specific attention to honing skills and promoting recovery between training sessions, thereby enhancing overall performance.
George, a TikTok user and online fitness coach known as @georgegatsby3, recently showcased his two-a-day workout regimen in a video, driven by his desire to achieve peak fitness for the summer season. Expressing his intention to "test himself" after a hiatus from two-a-day workouts, George outlined his routine, which commences in the morning with a regimen comprising a protein shake, creatine supplementation, and cardio and abdominal training at 6 a.m. In the afternoon, his focus shifts to weight training aimed at muscle building.
Discovering the Benefits of Two-a-Day Workouts:
Depending on your fitness objectives, incorporating two-a-day workouts into your routine can offer significant advantages. According to Read, "[Two-a-days can help you hit] smaller muscle groups you don't have time or energy for during your current lifting sessions. Additionally, if you are an athlete dividing strength and conditioning from your technique/skill-focused training, this can be a strategic approach."
However, it's essential to consider that two-a-day workouts emphasizing different fitness goals may not always align seamlessly. Read provides an illustration: "If you're aiming to maximize muscle growth, pairing cardio with weight training on the same day may not be optimal. Cardio, in this scenario, could potentially impede muscle gains, depending on various factors."
Nevertheless, incorporating cardio into your workout regimen for health reasons is always beneficial, regardless of whether it's performed in conjunction with weight training or as a separate session.
Is It Safe to Incorporate Two-a-Day Workouts?
For newcomers to the fitness scene, Read emphasizes that two-a-day workouts may not be the most suitable training approach. "It's preferable to aim for three to four consistent days per week, focusing on a single workout," he advises.
Two-a-day sessions are primarily designed for seasoned athletes who possess ample time to devote to both the recovery process and the workouts themselves, Read elaborates. These athletes often benefit from professional coaching to monitor their workout strategy and fatigue levels, or they have acquired extensive experience in managing their overall training program.
"Moreover, achieving transformational results hinges on long-term consistency—spanning years—in the gym," Read adds. "Engaging in two workouts per day for multiple days each week may not be feasible for most individuals over extended periods. It's essential to recognize that those who claim to undertake two-a-day workouts may not sustain this regimen long term due to other life commitments, or they may rely on additional supplementation or strategies to support their training intensity and recovery."
For individuals who are not yet at an advanced fitness level and aim to build muscle, Read suggests adhering to a training schedule of three to four days per week, focusing on one workout per day, for a minimum of six months before contemplating a transition to a two-a-day workout regimen.