How Long Should I Rest Between Workouts?

%3Cspan+class%3D%22Apple-style-span%22+style%3D%22background-color%3A+white%3B+font-family%3A+Arial%2C+Helvetica%2C+sans-serif%3B+font-size%3A+14px%3B+line-height%3A+22px%3B%22%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv+style%3D%22padding-bottom%3A+5px%3B+padding-left%3A+5px%3B+padding-right%3A+5px%3B+padding-top%3A+5px%3B+text-align%3A+left%3B%22%3E%0D%0AResearch+actually+says+that+muscle+damage+isn%E2%80%99t+necessary+to+stimulate+gains+in+strength+and+size.+In+a+study+in%26nbsp%3B%3Cem+style%3D%22margin-bottom%3A+0px%3B+margin-left%3A+0px%3B+margin-right%3A+0px%3B+margin-top%3A+0px%3B+padding-bottom%3A+0px%3B+padding-left%3A+0px%3B+padding-right%3A+0px%3B+padding-top%3A+0px%3B+text-align%3A+left%3B%22%3EMedicine+%26amp%3B+Science+in+Sports+%26amp%3B+Exercise%3C%2Fem%3E%2C+subjects+performed+exercise+that+resulted+in+muscle+damage.+Afterwards%2C+their+gains+in+strength+were+compromised+for+several+weeks%2C+not+enhanced.%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv+style%3D%22padding-bottom%3A+5px%3B+padding-left%3A+5px%3B+padding-right%3A+5px%3B+padding-top%3A+5px%3B+text-align%3A+left%3B%22%3E%0D%0AIn+another+study%2C+researchers+looked+at+strength+and+muscle+gains+in+two+groups.+They+created+muscle+damage+in+the+first+group%2C+and+had+the+second+group+train+in+a+way+that+prevented+muscle+damage.+In+the+end%2C+both+groups+increased+muscle+mass+to+the+same+degree.+So+based+on+these+results%2C+you+can+see+that+muscle+damage+isn%E2%80%99t+all+that+necessary+to+make+gains.%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv+style%3D%22padding-bottom%3A+5px%3B+padding-left%3A+5px%3B+padding-right%3A+5px%3B+padding-top%3A+5px%3B+text-align%3A+left%3B%22%3E%0D%0ABut+just+for+argument%E2%80%99s+sake%2C+let%E2%80%99s+say+that+you+train+hard+enough+to+make+yourself+sore%2C+which+signals+that+you+have+damaged+your+muscles.+Do+you+need+to+wait+7-10+days+to+wait+for+them+to+heal+before+you+can+train+again%3F%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv+style%3D%22padding-bottom%3A+5px%3B+padding-left%3A+5px%3B+padding-right%3A+5px%3B+padding-top%3A+5px%3B+text-align%3A+left%3B%22%3E%0D%0ANot+if+you+hit+the+gym+regularly.%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv+style%3D%22padding-bottom%3A+5px%3B+padding-left%3A+5px%3B+padding-right%3A+5px%3B+padding-top%3A+5px%3B+text-align%3A+left%3B%22%3E%0D%0AAssuming+you+exercise+a+few+times+a+week%2C+it%E2%80%99ll+only+take+about+three+days+for+your+strength+to+return+to+normal%2C+according+to+researchers+in+Singapore.+In+addition%2C+consider+the+%E2%80%9CRepeat+Bout+Effect.%E2%80%9D+Basically%2C+it+says+that+after+you+train+a+muscle+once%2C+you%E2%80%99re+less+likely+to+do+significant+muscle+damage+or+recreate+that+same+soreness+you+experienced+in+your+first+hard+workout.+Additionally%2C+studies+in+the%26nbsp%3B%3Cem+style%3D%22margin-bottom%3A+0px%3B+margin-left%3A+0px%3B+margin-right%3A+0px%3B+margin-top%3A+0px%3B+padding-bottom%3A+0px%3B+padding-left%3A+0px%3B+padding-right%3A+0px%3B+padding-top%3A+0px%3B+text-align%3A+left%3B%22%3EJournal+of+Strength+and+Conditioning+Research%3C%2Fem%3E%26nbsp%3Bhave+shown+that+training+three+days+later+won%E2%80%99t+impede+your+ability+to+recover+from+the+first+workout.%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv+style%3D%22padding-bottom%3A+5px%3B+padding-left%3A+5px%3B+padding-right%3A+5px%3B+padding-top%3A+5px%3B+text-align%3A+left%3B%22%3E%0D%0AHere%E2%80%99s+how+you+should+approach+your+weight-room+comeback+to+make+big%2C+quick+gains+without+having+to+take+any+downtime+and+to+avoid+soreness.+Take+advantage+of+the+repeat+bout+effect%3A+condition+your+muscles+for+big+gains%2C+but+start+at+an+intensity+level+below+your+best+effort.+Don%E2%80%99t+do+repetitions+of+a+given+exercise+to+failure%3B+stop+short+by+a+couple+of+reps.+This+will+prevent+you+from+creating+excessive+muscle+damage+which+would+impact+your+next+workout+in+a+couple+of+days%2C+but+you%E2%80%99ll+still+create+an+overload+on+the+muscles+that+will+kick+start+your+gains.%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv+style%3D%22padding-bottom%3A+5px%3B+padding-left%3A+5px%3B+padding-right%3A+5px%3B+padding-top%3A+5px%3B+text-align%3A+left%3B%22%3E%0D%0ARegardless+of+whether+your+goal+is+strength%2C+size%2C+or+both%2C+start+by+doing+sets+of+five+repetitions+with+weights+that+you+are+able+to+do+seven+or+eight+reps+with.+That+combination+of+weight+and+repetitions+will+activate+the+larger+muscle+fibers+that+contribute+the+most+to+size+and+strength.%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv+style%3D%22padding-bottom%3A+5px%3B+padding-left%3A+5px%3B+padding-right%3A+5px%3B+padding-top%3A+5px%3B+text-align%3A+left%3B%22%3E%0D%0APerform+the+following+exercises+two+or+three+times+a+week%3A+front+squat%2C+Romanian+deadlift%2C+split+squat%2C+bench+press%2C+military+press%2C+dumbbell+row%2C+chin-up.%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv+style%3D%22padding-bottom%3A+5px%3B+padding-left%3A+5px%3B+padding-right%3A+5px%3B+padding-top%3A+5px%3B+text-align%3A+left%3B%22%3E%0D%0AEach+week%2C+increase+the+weight+that+you+lift%2C+until+by+the+end+of+the+third+week%2C+you%E2%80%99re+working+at+your+best+effort.+Do+three+sets+of+each%2C+two+or+three+times+a+week%3A%3C%2F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