Most people are aware of the “use it or lose it” principle. That is, you get weak from not using your strength. Your muscles atrophy/shrink and weaken (https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22310-muscle-atrophy ) from lack of use.

Do you know about over use atrophy though? It’s true – using the same muscles too often leads to the same shrinkage as lack of use does! You can literally make yourself weaker by exercising too much. It is actually a huge reason why there is so much drug use in professional sports.

Why we mention it is to help make clear why exercise, if it is being used as medicine to get and stay healthy, must be used in a smart manner. Not only is it not long-term sustainable to spend too much time at it but it can also erode its own benefits. It’s easy to picture if you think about wearing down your hands to a blister rather than just toughening up the skin. Another example is a tan verses a cancer causing burn.

Exercise smart…

Andrew and Tierney