Ask A Body-Building Expert: Should I Lift Weights Every Day?

One of the most frequently asked questions we hear when new members sign up with Prodigy Gym in Ft. Collins is whether they should lift weights every day. However, this is not a question with a straightforward yes or no answer. This month’s blog will give you some basic guidelines to follow.

There is no denying that lifting weights has enumerable advantages that extend beyond just building muscle and strength. Here are a few:

Whether you lift weights every day or several times a week, your metabolism boosts, which is an essential part of reaching and maintaining a healthy weight. Weight lifting helps you build and retain muscle during weight loss efforts, improving calorie burning, even at rest. The fact is that muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat tissue.

Strength training facilitates your body’s ability to perform any task, from carrying groceries to opening jar lids. As we age, muscle size and strength begin to decline. So, incorporating resistance training into your gym routine is crucial to building muscle and preserving strength as you age.

Building muscle improves several factors of your health because having low levels of lean body mass, which includes muscle and bone, increases your risks of chronic diseases, injuries, and pain.

Remember the old advertisements that claimed, “Milk does a body good?” While the high calcium concentrations in milk are great for bone health, lifting weights is another great way to stimulate bone development and increase bone mineral density.



Many experts recommend weight lifting to treat conditions that affect bones, such as osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia.

Weight lifting boosts muscle and tendon strength and functionality, reducing your risk of injuries and pain. It also improves muscular endurance, reducing the risk of musculoskeletal injuries and preventing cardiovascular diseases.

Now that we have established that a consistent weightlifting routine is valuable, the next question is how often you should lift.

The key is balance. If you lift weights every day – targeting the same muscle group day after day – the likely result will be pain, injuries, and fatigue.

Overtraining can lead to health problems, including insomnia, muscle soreness, mood changes, loss of appetite, fatigue, and more. Incorporating rest and recovery into your body-building routine will help ensure you are not overtaxing any specific muscle group.



Rest and recovery are when your body heals and makes the necessary adaptations to meet demands and perform better next time. Research supports a 24- to 48-hour rest period before training the same muscle groups again. This time off from stimulus allows muscles to grow and repair, benefiting your overall physical and mental health.

If you want to lift weights every day, here are a few tips that can maximize results and minimize injury:

Start with two or three days of weight training and slowly build your tolerance to increasing the total volume over time.

If you want to lift weights every day of the week, use one or two days for very light maintenance work and target different muscle groups each day, allowing time for rest and recovery.

Building muscle is hard work. To maximize your results, you must get sufficient rest, which involves quantity and quality. Prioritize your sleep!

A crucial part of building muscle and sustaining your routine is learning to lift weights without injuring yourself. For this reason, training in correctly using the equipment at your body-building gym is essential to your continued success. Make an appointment with a trainer at the gym to give you instructions on technique and form. Whether using free weights or a machine, their professional insight will keep you safe and maximize your results.

So much of what we do at Prodigy Gym centers around education and support – and that starts with personal attention to each and every gym member.

We believe a strong, supportive community is the key to change. From our personal trainers to our owner, Chris Havekost (former body-building champion and Mr. Colorado), our dedication and support will nurture your desire for total body transformation.

Get started today with our complimentary 3-day pass.