Should aerobic exercise be done every day or every other day?

There is no universal standard answer. Which frequency to choose depends entirely on your exercise foundation, training goals and physical tolerance. If you copy someone else's training schedule, it will either be ineffective or may harm your body.

A while ago, I met a young girl born in the 2000s who had just applied for a gym membership. She used to have to gasp for half a minute when climbing three floors. She read the "Self-discipline Check-in Template" on the Internet and forced herself to run 5 kilometers every day. Within a week, she came to the gym with a limp. She said she had to hold on to the handrails when going down the stairs, and her legs were so sore that she couldn't lift her up. This kind of novice has low muscle mass and weak cardiopulmonary capacity. Delayed onset soreness (DOMS) after exercise will last for 2-3 days. Forced training every day does not give the muscles and joints time to repair, let alone burn fat. It is easy to wear out the knees and stretch the ligaments, but will require a longer rest. For those who are just starting out, they should practice aerobic exercise every other day for about 30 minutes each time at low to medium intensity. Once their body adapts, they can slowly increase the frequency and they will be able to persist longer.

Of course, not everyone has to practice every other day. I know a veteran who has been running marathons for 8 years. During the preparation period, he ran 10 kilometers around the river every morning. The pace was not fast, and he could say hello to acquaintances while running. He has not had any knee problems for decades, and his cardiopulmonary function is better than that of a twenty-year-old boy. If you have a certain foundation in exercise, control the intensity during exercise in the aerobic range (about 60%-70% of the maximum heart rate, and be able to speak normally without gasping for air during exercise), and the goal is to lose body fat or maintain cardiopulmonary status, it is absolutely fine to do it every day. If you choose low-intensity aerobics such as brisk walking, Tai Chi, or square dancing, it will be fine if you do it once in the morning and evening, not to mention every day. Look at the aunts in the community who dance square dancing every day. Few of them are injured due to frequent movements. Instead, they are all in high spirits.

Interestingly, people in different sports fields have quite different views on this issue. People who practice muscle building in the fitness circle generally resist doing aerobic every day, especially during heavy weight training. Aerobic will consume a lot of glycogen, and if you practice too much, it will even break down the muscles, affecting the efficiency of muscle building. Therefore, most of them only arrange aerobic 2-3 times a week, or do it for 20 minutes after strength training, or simply stagger it with the strength day and do it every other day. But coaches of endurance events are just the opposite. Whether it is long-distance running or road cycling, they recommend maintaining a regular low-intensity aerobic frequency. Unless the body experiences obvious tingling, chest tightness and other discomforts, short-term training every day can maintain the state of exercise. Stopping training suddenly will cause endurance loss.

After all, the judgment criteria are actually very simple. Your own physical feelings are more accurate than any professional chart. If you sleep soundly on the day after exercising and wake up refreshed the next day, and you are less motivated to fish for work, then whether you practice every day or every other day, it is a good frequency for you. If you feel heavy when you wake up the next day after practicing, feel tired even climbing the subway steps, or even catch a cold frequently and have a weakened immunity, then the frequency must be too high. Take a two-day break and practice every other day or even every two days. It is not shameful.

I once had a colleague who forced herself to run 5 kilometers every day after get off work in order to look good in wedding photos. Within two weeks, she went to the hospital because of knee pain. The meniscus was slightly worn, so she took three months off work and gained three pounds. There is really no need to be kidnapped by the rhetoric that "exercising every day is self-discipline." Don't we ordinary people move just to feel comfortable and look good in clothes? The best frequency is the frequency that you can stick to. Even if you only practice three times a week, it is much better than trying to injure yourself with the daily amount. If you are really not sure, start practicing every other day. Once you get used to it and feel you still have energy, you can add it to every day.