Giving your body enough time between intense training sessions is crucial if you want to see results. Often, in their haste to speed the process, it's easy to keep adding more workouts to the week . So how do you know what is the right amount of time between workouts?

The simple answer is, we don’t.

In a series of weightlifting studies, a group of Canadian researchers has revealed that optimal nerve-muscle activation takes at least a full week to recover after an intense weightlifting session. The nervous system sends the electrical impulse that powers and co-ordinates muscle contraction and is the key to lifting your heaviest weights.

Only lifting your heaviest weights will trigger the body shape changes that most people want. This research showed that it could take as long as seven or eight days for the nervous system to fully recover so maximal force can be generated. That’s why you have to be so careful with program design – its far better to less and do it well and concentrate on the nutrition to enhance results.

Don’t run the risk of overtraining,– it's the fastest way to kill progress and motivation.

FOLLOW Dr Paul Cribb PhD.