Fitness
Do you train the same set of muscles every day? It can be disastrous
Maybe you are conscious about your thick thighs or eagerly want to get your back into better shape as soon as possible – does that mean you should train them every day in the gym? Nope, you can’t and you shouldn’t.
Training the same set of muscles can go horribly wrong and leave you with severe injuries. Fitness experts as well as doctors warn against it.
Risk of muscle fatigue and injury
“Training the same muscles over and over again can lead to injuries or increased soreness. Muscles need time to recover and rest. After a good workout, you should give your muscles at least 24 to 48 hours to recover so that they get repaired well, and your performance will increase,” says Abhishek Singh, a Raipur-based fitness coach.
Recovery plays an important role in hypertrophy, which is the process of muscle growth.
“Recovery allows for neuromuscular adaptations, which enhances the communication between one’s nervous system and muscles, improving coordination and overall performance. Allowing time for muscle recovery also increases the density of Actin and Myosin filaments within muscle fibres, which enhances contractility or strength,” says Dr Prasad Bhagunde, orthopaedic and arthroscopy surgeon, Saifee Hospital and Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai.
Robin Nagar, a Delhi-based gym trainer, explains how training the same muscles every day can work against your goals.
“For instance, you train your legs every day; by doing that, you are only breaking down your muscles. During a workout, muscle fibres break down, and it is during rest that they repair and grow. Without proper rest, muscles can become overly fatigued, eventually obstructing recovery. This can lead to injuries and prevent muscle growth (hypertrophy) and strength gains,” Nagar tells India Today.
Now, continuing this pattern without proper recovery can prevent micro-tears in the muscle fibres from healing, leading to chronic fatigue, muscle strain, or even tears.
“Attempting to push through without recovery often results in lowered performance; one may not be able to lift the same weights or complete the same number of reps,” says Dr Bhagunde.
Ever heard of muscle imbalance?
There is also an increased risk of muscle imbalance – a condition where some muscles are strong, but others aren’t. It happens when you focus on only a particular set of muscles or don’t switch up your workout often.
If a daily run is the only form of exercise that you perform, you are not training your other muscles. It is important to train all major muscle groups in the body, to avoid pain and injury risks.
People who focus on one particular activity or sport often witness this issue. A study noted that professional soccer players with strength imbalances were four to five times more likely to get a hamstring injury compared to those with no imbalance.
Hence, if you do the same kind of workout every day, it is important to introduce other types of activities as well. And if you are a gym-goer, it is recommended to alternate muscle groups throughout the week to ensure each set receives attention and also gets time to recover.
Safer ways to train the same muscles in the gym daily
The risk of muscle fatigue and injury is especially higher with high-intensity training involving bigger muscles like quadriceps (thighs), hamstrings, glutes (buttocks), back muscles, and chest muscles. Big muscles take longer to recover after being worked out, especially when trained intensely with heavy weights or high volume. If not given enough rest, the muscles can become fatigued, lead to poor performance, affect coordination, and increase the risk of overuse injuries.
“Normally, smaller muscles with low intensity can be trained every day like biceps, triceps, and abs – but only with low-medium intensity,” says Yash Sharma, a Delhi-based fitness YouTuber.
“If you keep the intensity light or moderate, you can perform some exercises every day – like push-ups and biceps curls. The important thing to keep in mind, however, is to not reach the saturation of training and not reach a point where the muscles get more damaged than they can recover from,” Sharma adds.
Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Bhagunde agrees and adds that training the same muscle groups daily can be managed safely by changing the intensity and volume of workouts.
“By alternating between high-intensity, low-volume training and low-intensity, high-volume sessions, one can keep engaging their muscles while not straining themselves,” he tells India Today.
In case you want to train your legs every day – for reasons like your mental satisfaction – you can also take up the technique of dividing the exercises throughout the week.
“If you do five exercises on your legs day, spread those exercises out throughout the week. Do one of those exercises each day to avoid overtraining and subsequent problems,” suggests Nagar.
Changing training modality, Dr Bhagunde says, can be an effective way to train the same muscle groups without overstraining them.
“For instance, after a high-intensity session of barbell back squats, one could switch to a lower-intensity activity such as cycling the next day. This method will keep the quadriceps engaged while reducing stress on the muscles. It is crucial to avoid lifting the same weight at high intensity on consecutive days, as this can hinder recovery and raise the risk of injury,” he says.
Oh, and your muscle recovery not only depends on the rest days you are providing to particular muscles, but also on other factors like eating well, staying hydrated, and getting good sleep.
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Coming on the heels of the exercise-crazed 1980s, with its ubiquitous leg warmers and tights, were the 1990s. During the decade, cardio-packed martial arts workout videos and stationary bike spinning classes came into vogue, as well as some new gym lingo. And, while the decade did get some things right when it came to health and fitness — like the Health At Every Size Movement and the culmination of the U.S. government’s push to promote its Healthy People guidelines — it also got some things very wrong, especially when it came to its fitness jargon. We just can’t forget the fact that these popular ’90s catchphrases sounded quite ridiculous, not just today, but even back then. With that said, here are some of the classic cringeworthy slogans of the era, which you might recognize if you’re a Millennial, Gen Xer, or Boomer.
Tae Bo Nation (and Work It)
By the late 1990s, fitness guru Billy Blanks seemed to be touting his Tae Bo kickboxing-meets-martial-arts videos on every screen. Thus, his calls to form a “Tae Bo nation” and to “Work it!” became commonplace.
Interestingly, Blanks refused to follow a script for his Tae Bo videos (via Men’s Health). Consequently, his enthusiasm was totally legitimate (and smile-inducing) for everyone involved. As Blanks told The New York Times in 2026, “Even though we were working out hard, we were having so much fun with doing it.”
Unlike many fitness trends that completely disappeared, Tae Bo has demonstrated some staying power, with today’s generation rediscovering the classic workout, albeit without the “Work it!” catchphrase or the tight neon outfits.
Abs of steel
The 1980s saw the birth of “Buns of Steel” workout videos, featuring glute-burning exercises. The slogan took on a new form in the 1990s and became “Abs of Steel,” a branded workout featuring toned fitness instructor Tamilee Web that eventually took off as a catchphrase as well.
Even nowadays, it’s used as a figure of expression (or even ironically in memes) because of how everyone associates well-developed abs with toughness. Obviously, though, everyone knows that toned abs aren’t literally as hard as steel. (Check out these ab exercises that should be in your workout routine.)
Boo-yah!
In the ’90s, it wasn’t that uncommon to hear someone utter, “Boo-yah!” after any great accomplishment, like winning at sports or completing a particularly intense workout. In fact, the strange term became a one-word catchphrase after ESPN reporter Stuart Scott kept saying it during the early part of the decade.
According to Scott’s college friend Fred Tindal (via The Ringer), “boo-yah” was a misspelling of how someone used to describe the sound of a thunderstorm to them (“crack crack crack crack crack boo-yaw”). Interestingly, while Scott popularized the phrase, he didn’t invent it; experts traced its roots to West Coast hip-hop (per Slate).
Stop the insanity!
Fitness star Susan Powter gained popularity in the 1990s for her passionate cry to “Stop the insanity,” a rallying call for people to move beyond restrictive dieting and fad fitness trends toward true holistic health. Though it earned Powter positive attention (and a guest spot on “The Tonight Show”), her catchphrase also became the subject of jokes and spoofs on various TV shows of the era.
Ultimately, Powter’s following faded. But while her catchphrase is no longer popular, its message remains significant, as evidenced by the growing movement towards fitness at any size.
Squeeze your way to shapely hips and thighs
Longtime actress and model Suzanne Somers shook up the 1990s when she starred in ThighMaster exercise product infomercials, where she claimed it was possible to “squeeze your way to shapely hips and thighs.”
Consumers seemed to buy into the silly slogan: On the “Hollywood Raw” podcast, Somers claimed that they “stopped counting” when they reached 10 million copies sold (via Yahoo!).
But does Somers’ ThighMaster actually work, as the catchphrase suggests? “[With the ThighMaster], you’ll build muscle, but it’s not going to be functional in any way,” fitness expert Justin Price told the Los Angeles Times, reinforcing what we know about spot reduction being fiction.
More women are stepping away from strict “eat less, move more” fitness routines as demand grows for training programmes designed around the hormonal changes linked to menopause.
Devon-founded wellbeing community Holsm has opened registrations for its latest eight-week programme, which focuses on strength training, recovery and sustainable exercise habits for women during perimenopause and beyond.
The programme was founded by coach and former care management specialist Holly Fivian, who said many women were beginning to question whether traditional fitness advice still worked for them during midlife.
With around 13 million women in the UK estimated to be peri- or post-menopausal, the programme aims to help women adapt exercise routines to changes in energy levels, recovery and overall wellbeing.
Holsm’s approach centres on strength training, alongside mobility, posture, nutrition, hydration, sleep and stress management.
Holly Fivian said: “Hormone-friendly fitness isn’t about doing less. It’s about training smarter.
“It’s about understanding when to lift, when to recover, and how to support your body through change rather than pushing against it.”
Members taking part in the Holsm programme (Image: Holsm)
The programme includes short strength workouts lasting between 12 and 15 minutes, with optional longer sessions of up to 30 minutes.
The eight-week Fundamentals First programme begins on Monday, June 22, with another intake planned for Monday, September 21. Places are priced at £259.
Holsm also runs retreats combining strength training, yoga, breathwork and coaching. Its next retreat is due to take place from Thursday, November 20 until Sunday, November 23 at Gitcombe Estate in Devon, with prices ranging from £750 to £950.
Ali, 71, who takes part in the programme, said: “I’ve developed a real belief that small, everyday exercise makes a difference over time.
“At first the changes were subtle, but after a few months I realised I felt stronger and more capable, even lifting my eight-year-old grandchildren or gardening with ease.”
More information about the programme is available at Holsm.
I have a story that a lot of people might be able to relate to,” 47-year-old David Keohan tells me. Given the Irishman’s favourite pastime is ripping 150kg-plus boulders from the ground, I’m doubtful. But he continues.
“In my twenties I was into art and music and drinking and smoking. I was obese and unhealthy, mentally and physically. Then you get to your thirties and your body says, ‘Hold on a second, we need to start doing something about this, kid’.”
At 32, hungover, he went into a sports shop and bought a pair of trainers. “I remember the young fella working there laughing and going, ‘Are you sure, man?’” says Keohan, laughing.
Within six months, he had run a marathon. In the next few years, he became a world champion in kettlebell sport. Then, when Covid lockdowns struck, he started lifting stones. Heavy, heavy stones.
“I got bitten by the bug of feeling good,” Keohan continues. “Before, I never knew what feeling good felt like. But once you start to feel good, it’s amazing, and you realise how bad you felt for the last 10 years.”
Reviving the ancient culture of Irish stone lifting
When Covid lockdowns hit in 2020 and gyms were closed, most people used burpees in their bedroom to stay in shape. But Keohan, a father-of-three, had other ideas.
“I met my wife in art college and she carved stones,” Keohan says. “The stone I started lifting in the backyard was one of hers that weighed 60kg. I use strength training to keep me on an even keel anyway, so I think this helped keep me mentally sane throughout those years.”
A friend, who was building a wall at the time, saw what Keohan was doing and duly dropped 70kg and 90kg stones at his house. He has been without a gym membership ever since, instead performing lifts such as squats, rows and presses with gigantic stones – often with kettlebells balanced precariously on top of them.
Come along to one of these stones. If you can get the wind under it, great, but it doesn’t matter. The most important part is that you get to be a part of the continuation of its story and culture
This approach isn’t for everyone, sure. But it goes to show how fitness plans are far from one-size-fits-all.
“I sometimes go to the beach, name stones and lift them,” Keohan says. “It’s a free gym, you’re there by yourself, you get to hear the seabirds – why wouldn’t you?
“Then I found out there was a whole culture attached to stone lifting – it was more than just ‘man picks up rock’, so I started researching it.”
Read more: How to start running when you’re a walker, according to an exercise physiologist
Scotland has strong ties to lifting stones, with the Dinnie stones in Aberdeenshire being the best-known example. Other areas in Iceland and the Basque region also have a rich history in the practice.
“They were like a job interview in some cases,” Keohan says. “You couldn’t be a stonemason or a fisherman unless you could lift a certain stone. Or they were used as a rite of passage as you progressed from child to adult to warrior.”
Ireland has a strong culture of stone lifting, too. But this was wiped away centuries ago, largely through British colonisation and the famine, leaving little trace.
Learning of the Fianna stone in Scotland – named after bands of medieval Irish warriors – gave Keohan the hint he needed that lifting stones existed in Ireland. He then made it his mission to unearth any stones that remained west of the Irish sea.
Read more: I tried the Royal Navy’s new fitness test – and it wasn’t what I expected
The stone of Inishmore – the first of many
He found his first on the Atlantic island of Inishmore in 2023. The breadcrumb trail that led him there included a mention in a short story called The Stone by Irish author Liam O’Flaherty, a tip-off from a Reddit post by O’Flaherty’s ancestor, and a collection of folktales from locals.
“Me and my friends went off in a camper van, headed over on the ferry then cycled to get to the right area,” Keohan says. “But once you get to Inishmore, you realise it’s just an island made of stone, covered in stones. And the stone we were looking for was located in a field of boulders.”
Fortunately, it stood out immediately – a rounded 171.2kg rump of granite with a uniquely pinkish hue, sitting in the middle of a small clearing. This isn’t 171.2kg of weight plates loaded on a knurled, ergonomic barbell either. It’s wet, it’s unwieldy, and it won’t be picked up without a fight.
Keohan went away and dedicated his free time to becoming strong enough to lift the stone: lifting progressively heavier stones in his training, eating more and packing on 20kg of body weight.
Months later, he returned to Inishmore and prised the stone from the floor. He lifted it to his lap, then lips, before planting three kisses on its cold surface – just as the protagonist in O’Flaherty’s short story had done. And with that, the culture of Irish lifting stones was continued.
From this point on, Keohan doubled down on his goal of tracking down more stones through myths, stories and word of mouth. Continuing the hunt at weekends, around his job at a construction depot in Waterford, he has since found more than 50.
“It’s given me a whole new purpose and a lease of life in my forties,” he says. “Finding this culture and sharing it with people has been amazing. It’s bringing back strength and pride, and there’s a whole national identity attached to it, too. ”
People now travel from all over the world to lift stones that Keohan has rediscovered. His Instagram account, Indiana Stones, has a loyal five-figure following. He recently released a book about his discoveries called The Wind Beneath the Stone. Irish stone lifting is back.
Read more: Scientists followed women through midlife for 15 years – this activity was linked to longer, better lives
Keep rolling: the life of a lifting stone
Historically, lifting stones served many purposes. Some started life as jostle stones outside pubs, stopping horse-drawn carts from cutting corners and damaging the pub’s walls. Some were placed at crossroads or along mass paths as entertainment. “People have always wanted to pick stuff up,” Keohan explains.
Other stones were used as a tangible measure of strength to decide if you were well-suited to a certain job. In Iceland, a set of four called the Dritvík stones were used to determine how much of that day’s fishing haul each sailor took home, Keohan tells me. They weighed 23kg, 54kg, 100kg and 154kg – the stone you lifted onto a natural plinth dictated your role in the boat and what share of the catch you kept.
“They had the same thing in the west of Ireland, I’ve found,” he adds. “They were all in the same boat, quite literally, and whoever could lift the stone the highest on their body would get the share of the catch they wanted. It was a cut-and-dry way of thinking, which I really enjoy.”
This, he says, is “the opposite of toxic masculinity” – a buzzword describing an antiquated environment of hierarchical masculinity, often based on subjective measures.
Read more: Study reveals the small changes to your diet, sleep and exercise that can add years to your life
The stones, by contrast, are inarguably objective – you either lift them or you don’t. Whoever you are, whatever your background, you can try. Pass or fail, you’re part of something bigger.
“It’s supportive and healthy,” Keohan says. “Come along to one of these stones. If you can get the wind under it, great, but it doesn’t matter. The most important part is that you get to be a part of the continuation of its story and culture. The strength aspect is secondary to me.”
To take part, there are just two overarching rules: “Respect the stones and respect the culture.”
“These stones aren’t pieces of gym equipment; they’re historical items,” says Keohan. “If the stone is broken, the story is dead and you broke the chain.
“If you’re strong enough to pick it up, you’re strong enough to put it down again without dropping it from your chest or shoulder. If you do that, you’ll have me and every other person who loves the lifting stones chasing after you.”
And that is a brawny group you do not want to fall foul of.
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