I’ve wondered about the science behind optimal exercise regimens. When I was studying ballet intensively in my youth, we had class every day of the week, except Saturday and Sunday. The teachers said that working out on sore muscles made you stronger. Does it? Doesn’t it?
The bottom line of this article is that you should skip no more than 2 days in between workouts, or you waste some of the conditioning you’ve worked to build.
…there is some evidence that injury rates can rise after a multiday layoff, especially in activities requiring well-honed technique. A 2011 study of circus performers found that two-day breaks between performances lessened injury rates, but the rates rose again if performers rested for three days or more.
“The key is probably to not miss more than two days in a row,” Dr. Joyner says, “and skipping only one day is even better.”
