1) Recovery
Have your muscles have enough time to recover since your last session? It’s important to remember that progress happens while at rest, not in the gym. An easy way to determine whether you have recovered or not is by checking your stats. If you can match or surpass efforts from your previous workout (i.e. reps completed and/or weight lifted), you have properly recovered. If your performance has declined, your body may need more time.
Another useful indicator of sufficient recovery time is the body’s level of soreness. Though many see DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) as a necessary sign of a good workout, this mindset can hurt long-term results and adherence to exercise.
Post-workout soreness is caused by microscopic tears and inflammation in muscle tissue: a common occurrence while aiming to improve strength and fitness. That said, while challenging your body is necessary to see results, soreness is not! Excessive soreness can hinder your performance over time, deter you from sticking to your workout plan, damage your mentality around exercise, reduce flexibility, and make you more susceptible to injury. If you place repetitive stress on your muscles without proper recovery you will only cause damage and decline. More exercise is not always better.
Pro Tip: Use a baseline test to monitor your recovery. For example, include a wall sit at the end of every warm-up before a lower-body workout. If you are not able to match the form and time of the wall sit before your last workout, your legs may need more rest. Just make sure you do your initial baseline test on fully recovered muscles!