Erin Bunch

<p>Though most people categorize running as <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a22995307/cardio-exercises/" id="5f1f9a34-9b26-3421-a9b7-953ea54cf3ae">  cardiovascular exercise </a> , that doesn't mean you can't do more than boost your heart health and increase your <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a30796655/what-is-vo2-max/" id="c5d54cc4-f67f-3a45-a00e-f1ca825121fc">  VO2 max </a> (a.k.a. peak oxygen capacity) while putting in miles. Steady-state running and <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/g32633525/sprint-workouts/" id="bd551ac0-0ad3-3227-a303-655d34ea35c0">  sprint workouts </a> have very different effects on your body, says running and speed coach <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fittykat_" id="01370c28-a1c5-3a1e-ab09-0f0cb1f6c1bd">  Katrina Pilkington </a> , CPT. How much muscle you build running ultimately depends on how you run.</p>

<p>Before we get into that, however, you should know that there's one major caveat to running's muscle-building potential. Don't expect it to build up your biceps because you'll likely only see gains on your lower body. </p>

<p>With that in mind, here's everything you need to know about building muscle while runningplus how to switch up your routine to make pounding pavement (or, er, the tread belt) as muscle-friendly as possible. </p>

<h1>  So, how does running build muscle, exactly?  </h1>

<p>First, a little muscle-building 101 for you: Muscles grow as a result of a stimulus (stress) being applied while they contract, explains Pilkington. This stimulus causes micro-damage to the muscle, and then your body mobilizes an immune response to repair it. Over time, those repairs build muscle. Pretty cool, right? </p>

<p><strong> There are two ways running can put this necessary stress on your muscles </strong> , according to David Higgins, celebrity trainer and author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hollywood-Body-Plan-Minutes-Transform/dp/1472256999" id="98f461b0-a43f-3a2c-acaa-b0f621995dd0">  The Hollywood Body Plan </a> .</p>

<p>The first occurs via your horizontal movement through space. Your body has to propel you forward and, therefore, the thighs, glutes, core, and calves are really working to drive your body, he says. </p>

<p>The second occurs via your vertical movement, or the load your muscles bear as you land during each stride.  <strong> On average, people place between eight to 14 times their body weight on their muscles in a single stride </strong> , he says. (Yeah, that's up to around 1,000 pounds of weight...) </p>

<h1>  Not all runners reap the same muscle-building benefits, though.  </h1>

<p>As they does with any workout, your muscles adapt to the stress of running over time, which means the stimulus has less of an affect, says Higgins.</p>

<p>So, while your 30-minute jog might have provided enough stress to build some muscle when you first started lacing up your sneakers, that's no longer the case when you could run your usual route in your sleep. </p>

<p>Bottom line:  <strong> Newbies are most likely to reap muscle-building (rather than muscle-maintaining) benefits from steady-state running. </strong>  A beginner will rapidly improve week by week simply because they have gone from zero to 100, but if you're already at 90 on that scale, to get to 100 is going to be very difficult, Higgins says.</p>

<h1>  You can continue to build muscle with runningwith the right strategy, though.  </h1>

<p>Just because experienced runners won't continue to build muscle with the same old routine, gains aren't totally off the table. </p>

<p>To continue building your lower-body over time, you just need to switch up the focus of your runs from <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a29151456/fast-twitch-muscles/" id="66fd7708-88d1-39d7-a3fe-e3b5f0416369">  slow-twitch muscle fibers </a> (which activate during steady-state <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a28652016/aerobic-vs-anaerobic/" id="9e88e48f-9d7c-3a59-aac0-2eb18e5349d0">  aerobic exercise </a> ) to <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a29151456/fast-twitch-muscles/" id="d183a37b-12e0-3201-a503-defb4c4b06dd">  fast-twitch muscle fibers </a> (which fire up when you need to churn out shorter spurts of power, which are considered <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a28652016/aerobic-vs-anaerobic/" id="8e710ba5-fd55-33ae-a3a8-25b43a9b729b">  anaerobic exercise </a> ).</p>

<p>How do you get those fast-twitch muscle fibers to light up? With running workouts that focus on speed (like sprints) or incline (hellooo, hills), says Higgins. By kicking up the intensity, you introduce a new stimulus to your musclesand start seeing results again.</p>

<p>Try these three workouts (with an easy mile as both your warm-up and cool-down) to keep building muscle with running: </p>

<ol><li> <strong> 20-second uphill sprints:  </strong> Find a hill and sprint up it for 20 seconds, suggests Pilkington. Then, walk back down to where you started and repeat 10 times.  </li><li> <strong> Lamp pyramids: </strong>  Log a tough interval workout in your neighborhood by using street lamps to guide your pace. "Increase your intensity between each street lamp," says Higgins. Start out at about 40-percent effort. When you pass a street lamp, kick it up to 60-percent. At the next lamp, push to 80-percent. Then reverse the pattern to get back down to 40-percent effort and repeat as desired.  </li><li> <strong> Track straightaways:  </strong> If you have access to a track, walk the curved portion at an easy pace, then sprint the straightaways all-out, Pilkington says. Repeat for about eight laps.  </li></ol>

<h1>  FYI: Runners should still use strength training to build muscle.  </h1>

<p>Though higher-intensity running workouts unlock a whole new world of muscle-building potential, both Higgins and Pilkington recommend having a non-running workout routine dedicated to building muscle if you want to continue seeing results in the long-term. </p>

<p>FWIW, you should be tacking on at least two strength-training workouts to your cardio per week, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Physical Activity Guidelines. </p>

<p>Try adding this 20-minute upper-body workout into the mix for starters:</p>

<p>Not only should you show your arms, back, and abs some much-deserved love on the regular, but <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a30522035/what-is-strength-training/" id="6b7d2d08-8023-3166-a191-273610c04942">  strength training </a> muscles like the glutes and hip flexors, extensors, and rotators also keeps gait muscles strong, says Pilkington. Basically, building muscle totally boosts your running game from head to (sneaker enclosed) toe.</p>

When you think of <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a20702885/arm-toning-exercises/" id="4292055d-9c7e-35d4-a21c-be23ab6018d0">  sculpting your arms </a> or <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/leg-workouts/" id="3560996e-8582-3c11-a9ee-e78129ff9988">  building strong legs </a> , you probably think about bodyweight moves like <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a20702206/how-to-pushup/" id="96943899-d3b4-37d5-aa46-92f3bad22408">  pushups </a> and equipment like ...

How Much Muscle You Build Running Ultimately Depends On How You Run

<p>To be clear: There is nothing wrong with taking rest days. As a refresher, the <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/fitness/be-active/physical-activity-guidelines-for-americans/index.html" id="1ca34465-0520-381e-a721-741cee2037de">  Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans </a> recommends adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio (or 75 minutes of <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/g19988771/high-intensity-interval-training/" id="96f5d5ad-bf1b-3a72-a6ee-10dbf8b29836">  high-intensity cardio </a> ), plus at least two strength training sessions, per week. So, depending on your sched, you could meet these minimums in just a few days. But if, say, you prefer shorter workouts, you could feasibly find yourself dedicating more days to your fitness routine, hence the need to know how to do that in a way that optimizes your efforts and doesn't undo them.</p>

<p>How many times a week you should get sweating, on the other hand, depends on your goals (and, to some degree) preferences. Here's the low-down on the pros and cons of working out every dayplus guidelines for making daily exercise work for you. </p>

<h1>  5 Benefits Of Working Out Every Day  </h1>

<p>Whether the idea of daily sweat sessions brings you joy or makes you cringe, moving your body every single day offers some pretty legit potential perks. </p>

<h1>  1.   You'll be less sedentary.   </h1>

<p>Many adults spend <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2996155/" id="5644b68b-d424-35e6-a5c5-be2f6a0f2472">  70 percent </a> (!) of their time awake sitting, according to the Mayo Clinica fact that's wreaking havoc on public health.</p>

<p>Committing to making some sort of exercise a daily part of your routine helps combat thisand ultimately makes it easier for you to make the habit stick, says <a href="http://future.fit/" id="cf9ce49b-6721-3412-a447-b5678a394fc6">  Future </a> trainer Josh Bonhotal, CSCS. This removes an all-too-common tendency to rationalize not working out by convincing yourself that youll do it tomorrow instead, he says. Whether it's a walk outside or a strength training session, a daily commitment to movement means a less sedentary (and healthier) life.</p>

<h1>  2.   Youll be more likely to reach your fitness goals.   </h1>

<p>The true key to achieving whatever fitness goal you've got your sights on: consistency. </p>

<p>Stringing together workouts on a daily basis can help you gradually ramp up their intensity and difficulty over time, leading to even greater results, says Bonhotal.</p>

<h1>  3.   You'll enjoy a major daily mood boost.   </h1>

<p>Elle Woods knew what she was talking about. Moving your body daily not only supports your physical fitness, but your mental wellbeing, too. Exercise helps to release endorphins, a.k.a. happy hormones, which can help reduce stress and anxiety, says trainer and nutritionist Whitney English CPT, RD. In fact, researchers consistently identify exercise as a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5430071/" id="07a63860-9af1-3cc9-a0b1-784a865e9da0">  noteworthy treatment for depression </a> .</p>

<h1>  4. You'll think more clearly, too.  </h1>

<p>Exercise has been shown to improve both <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3951958/" id="324a3f3b-3f42-3b2c-a09a-f06067745c9d">  memory and problem-solving </a> ability, according to research from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (It may also protect you from <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7113559/" id="1dd93803-1fc1-3d9b-a6ab-ec72de34eb16">  neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimers </a> , per a study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience, if you needed another motivation to get moving.)</p>

<h1>  5.   Youll be more likely to eat better.   </h1>

<p>For many people, exercise and healthy eating go hand-in-hand. If youve just worked out, you've made a conscious investment in your health, and are more likely to pass up the potato chips for a healthier alternative, Bonhotal says. </p>

<p>Daily exercise may also help you better practice moderation with after-dinner drinks and late-night snacks, according to English. (That second glass of wine may not appeal as much when you know you've got a 6 a.m. run planned the next morning!) </p>

<h1>  The Potential Downsides Of Working Out Every Day  </h1>

<p>While the benefits of exercising daily can be ~so~ real, there are two major potential drawbacks to keep in mind.</p>

<h1>  1. Inadequate recovery time can hurt your progress.   </h1>

<p>In case you think daily exercise means daily high-intensity exercise, know this: Your gains dont happen until you recover from a workout, says Pilkington.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a25807543/strength-training-program/" id="393db572-75e2-3edc-acb2-c42a4ccaef14">  Strength training </a> , for example, breaks down muscle tissue, adds English. If you want to see the results you're working for, you need to give your muscles adequate time (ahem, days) to repair. Otherwise, you may physically <a href="https:http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a27562920/signs-of-overtraining-recovery/" id="9f25e77f-71fa-3d4c-a911-51eccef61d5d">  overtrain your body </a> and ultimately undermine the effectiveness of your workouts, she says. (Excess fatigue and unusual aches and pains signal you're doing too much.)</p>

<h1>  2. Mental b  urnout is a very real thing.    </h1>

<p>Another serious downside of doing too much too often? A quick departure from motivation station.</p>

<p>If you dont vary your daily workouts enough (nope, you definitely can't do the same <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a29561423/what-is-hiit/" id="9201be8d-7ea7-3dbb-a292-320bbd006e5b">  HIIT </a> session every day), you can quickly experience psychological burnout and become unmotivated to stay active, Bonhotal says. And you can't enjoy the benefits of daily exercise if you bail on the habit.</p>

<h1>  How To Balance Your Fitness Routine So You Can Work Out Every Day  </h1>

<p>To skip the burnout and get straight to the benefits of daily workouts, you've got to get strategic with your routine. </p>

<p>Since low-intensity exercise (like walking or yoga) doesn't stress your system, you can pencil it in every single day, says English. </p>

<p>However, if your workout routine incorporates higher-intensity exercise, alternate between tougher days and easier days in order to give your body a break while still staying active, Pilkington explains.</p>

<p>For example, if you do HIIT on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, stick to lower-intensity workouts on Tuesday, Thursday, and the weekend.</p>

<p>This advanced HIIT workout from Kelsey Wells will fire up your weekly routine:</p>

<p>Varying your intensity is also key if strength training is part of your plan. In this case, alternate which muscle groups you focus on so that you don't work the same parts of your body on back-to-back days, suggests Pilkington. If you do a <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/lower-body-workouts/" id="36f04d2e-5b41-3f15-a7c7-9394f06792e4">  lower-body workout </a> today, for example, focus on upper body tomorrow.</p>

<p>To incorporate both strength training and cardio, either tack light cardio onto the end of your strength sessions, or use cardio days as buffers between strength training days, suggests Bonhotal.</p>

<p>Doing back-to-back cardio days? Mix up the intensity there, too. "If you want to run multiple days in a row, for example, you would be wise to mix up a longer duration run one day with a <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/g32633525/sprint-workouts/" id="26f57bd1-b583-35ac-abb6-706676f8e9f4">  sprint workout </a> or shorter intervals the next, he explains.</p>

<p>Whichever approach appeals to you, your weekly routine should include workouts that match your goals but still allow enough rest and recovery to make daily training safe. Keep a "live to fight another day" mentality, Bonhotal says. This way, you leave enough gas in the tank to get after it tomorrow.</p>

<h1>  How To Tell If Your Daily Workouts Are Too Much  </h1>

<p>If working out every day is pushing your body too far, a few tell-tale signs will pop up to let you know it's time to pump the breaks. If any of the following ring true, shift toward <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a28819119/low-impact-cardio/" id="fd51177e-8273-3952-a992-313153b10a08">  low-impact cardio workouts </a> and other forms of light exercise like walks, yoga, and mobility training, Bonhotal says.</p>

<h1>  1. You're crazy sore or in pain.  </h1>

<p><a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a32005309/why-do-muscles-get-sore/" id="1367bbca-ccc0-3be3-af53-d2b36ba36690">  Muscle soreness </a> can be a totally normal part of exercising, but if it lasts for more than a few days or makes it hard just to walk around during the day, it's an indicator that you're doing too much in the workout department, says Bonhotal.</p>

<p>Injuries (like muscle tweaks and pulls) also signal that you aren't giving your body enough rest and recovery to handle daily exercise, English says. </p>

<p>Excess stress on the body can affect your menstrual cycle, so be wary of any changes to your period when exercising daily, English notes. </p>

<h1>  3. Your mood and energy are all over the place.  </h1>

<p>Overdoing it on exercise also impacts your mood and energy levelsso if you find yourself fatigued and irritable, your everyday workout routine may be to blame, according to Bonhotal. </p>

<p>Another side-effect of going overboard with the daily sweats: an up-and-down appetite, Bonhotal says. In fact, both a diminished appetite and crazy cravings can signal that something is off. </p>

<h1>  Exercising every day sounds great, but how many days a week do you need to work out?  </h1>

<p>Again, the <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/fitness/be-active/physical-activity-guidelines-for-americans/index.html" id="1ca34465-0520-381e-a721-741cee2037de">  Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans </a> recommends adults log at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio, plus at least two full-body strength sessions, per week to support overall health.</p>

<p>If you want to exercise seven days a week, aim for about 30 minutes per day, English says. If not, Bonhotal recommends shooting for at least four workouts per week.</p>

<p>Ultimately, though, it all depends on your individual goals (and schedule!). </p>

Working Out Every Day Is A-Okay When Done Properly

Considering how good it is for your body and mind, you'd think more exercise (like more vegetables) is always, well, better. But does that mean you should be working out every day? It really depends on what you're doing...to ensure you're not over doing it (a.k.a. <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a27562920/signs-of-overtraining-recovery/" id="d8427584-fdff-3113-a551-595baee8e6e1">  overtraining </a> ), which is why we reached out to fitness pros for their best practices when it...

Working Out Every Day Is A-Okay If You Follow These Pro Tips

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Erin Bunch

Articles written by the author

How Much Muscle You Build Running Ultimately Depends On How You Run

Working Out Every Day Is A-Okay If You Follow These Pro Tips