How Many Days a Week Should You Work Out? - According to Experts

Whether you're a gym newbie or a seasoned pro, the question of how often you should hit the weights has probably crossed your mind. And how long should each workout be?

Let's get one thing out of the way: There is no cookie-cutter solution to any of these issues. You can't generalize how much time you should spend exercising because it depends on factors like your current fitness level, goals, and schedule. For instance, a beginner weight lifter's routine and an experienced marathoner's routine are going to look very different when it comes to the best weekly workout plan. And that is perfectly fine.

However, suppose you aren't looking to achieve anything in particular with your fitness routine (perhaps you just want to increase your strength and endurance to feel better and move around more easily in your daily life). In that case, you can use these guidelines to put together a productive training plan.

The American Heart Association recommends incorporating strength training and aerobic exercise into a weekly routine. However, your ideal amount will vary based on age, activity level, and fitness objectives.

You should choose a weekly exercise routine that you will stick to. This article will help you determine how often you should exercise, when you should rest, and how to create a routine that works for you.

How Often Should I Work Out?

The NHS suggests engaging in some form of physical activity every day, but that doesn't have to be a five-kilometer run or a high-intensity workout. You should aim for training three to four times per week. If you can do more, that's awesome.

However, you should prioritize rest and recovery of your muscles as well. Spreading out your workouts throughout the week can help you avoid injuring yourself by doing too much too fast.

This is the bare minimum in terms of how much physical activity you should engage in; if fat loss or muscle gain is your goal, your workout duration will be longer and more intense.

For Fat Loss

Working out three to four times a week is recommended if fat loss is your primary fitness objective. You need to combine your strength training with your cardio workouts.

Cardio exercise is good for the heart and for reducing body fat. You can do whatever cardio you like, but HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) is optimal for fat loss. Aerobics, the elliptical, cycling, boxing, and even the jump rope are all viable options for getting in shape.

Strength training is an essential component of any fitness regimen. Many people overlook weight training despite its potential benefits when trying to lose weight. Your metabolic rate will increase due to your increased muscle mass, which will cause you to burn more calories.

For Muscle Building

To maximize muscle gain from strength training, you should visit the gym no less than four times per week. Since this will require heavy lifting, focusing on one muscle group at a time is recommended.

Overtraining a muscle can lead to injury and further setbacks, so avoid the temptation. The standard practice is to train each muscle group individually once per day. This will allow you to rest between exercises that target the same muscle groups.

The legs, glutes, chest, back, shoulders, arms, and abs are a few body parts that can be worked on independently.

If you cannot make it to the gym four or five times per week, you could try working your muscle groups together on the same day; for example, like shoulders and legs. This will help lessen the days spent in the gym.

How Much Time At the Gym is Ideal?

Getting in a good workout, or at least a workout that is enough to produce the results you want does not require hours upon hours of dedicated exercise time. Some people, like marathon runners, may need to exercise for several hours as part of their highly specialized training plans.

Two hours in the gym isn't necessary for most people, and pushing yourself too hard and overworking your muscles can have the opposite effect.

A typical strength training session should last between 40 and 60 minutes, not including time spent warming up. Regarding cardiovascular exercise, the American College of Sports Medicine suggests seven days a week of 150 minutes of moderate to intense activity.

How you divide that 150 minutes will be determined by the type of training you're doing, be it longer, steady-state sessions, shorter HIIT workouts, or a combination of the two.

Related Article: How Often Should You Work Out If You're Beginning Weightlifting?

Excessive Exercise and Its Risks

More is better, as the phrase goes. However, this does not always appear true, especially regarding your exercise routine.

Training too frequently can lead to overtraining, which can impede your progress. When you work out, your muscles become tired and damaged. They will be better able to respond to the same exercise stimuli in your next session after they have had time to heal and strengthen during recovery.

Gaining muscle involves a physiological process called hypertrophy, in which the muscle fibers are damaged during training and then rebuilt larger and stronger after rest. Muscle fiber atrophy can result from disrupting this cycle and not allowing adequate recovery.

Exercising too much can counteract the positive effects of exercise and prevent losing weight. Overtraining causes a rise in cortisol, which encourages fat storage everywhere, especially on the face and belly. Similarly, it causes an increase in ghrelin and leptin, two hormones that regulate hunger and satiety.

Taking a few days off to recharge will improve your health and performance. Pay attention to your needs and carefully plan your exercise routine. Take full days off from physical activity to let your body heal, and mix in active recovery days by going for a leisurely walk.

After 8-12 weeks of regular strength training, you should have a week consisting of lighter and/or easier workouts should be scheduled, and you can take supplements to help reduce stress in your body.

How Long Should the Rest Period Last?

Resting for at least a few days is necessary for your body to repair and rejuvenate itself. Check your resting heart rate or RHR to know when you've recovered enough to start your next workout.

Most fitness trackers and smartwatches can analyze your resting heart rate. The number of times your heart beats in a minute while at rest; also known as your resting heart rate (RHR). The lower your resting heart rate (RHR), the more efficiently your heart is pumping blood. That's fantastic news because it means you're getting healthier and stronger.

According to the American Heart Association, a healthy resting heart rate (RHR) falls between 60 and 100 beats per minute. Regular RHR monitoring may reveal that your heart rate remains elevated for several hours or even days after a particularly strenuous workout. Wait until your resting heart rate (RHR) is back to normal before starting a new workout routine.

On your rest days, focus on what your body needs most so that you can return to training stronger than ever. A day off can be used for whatever you need, whether catching up on sleep, preparing healthy meals, or both. Walking around the block, doing light stretching, or foam rolling are all excellent options for rest days.

Related Article: Why is Sleep Important for Your Health?

FAQs

1. Is it bad to exercise every day?

Working out daily is neither "bad" nor "good," but it can have positive and negative effects. Depending on your type of exercise, working out daily can increase your risk of injury, overtraining, and burnout.

The key to minimizing the negative effects of exercising daily is switching up the exercises you perform. For instance, if you want to get in shape but are concerned about the impact of running every day, you could run four days a week and engage in low-impact cross-training on the other days.

Focus on strength training with split routines rather than intense full-body workouts to give your muscles a chance to recover and grow between sessions if you plan to exercise daily.

It is recommended, however, that you give yourself at least one day off per week to rest and recuperate.

2. Is working out 30 minutes a day, five days a week, enough?

Depending on what you want to accomplish, a workout schedule of thirty minutes, five days a week, could very well be sufficient. If maintaining your health and living a long life are priorities for you, then you should aim to exercise for at least half an hour five times per week. Thirty minutes is enough to keep your body healthy and fit.

3. What to do on recovery days?

You shouldn't just lie around and do nothing on your recovery days. To aid in your recuperation, you can still engage in light exercise, stretching, foam rolling, and even some mild cardio could fall into this category.

Keep up your regular routine of daily movement, even while you're healing. Getting enough sleep is another important element in your daily routine. No time spent in the gym can compensate for lack of sleep. Providing your body with a restful night's sleep is crucial. Muscle fiber damage cannot be repaired if you don't get enough sleep. Furthermore, if you don't get enough sleep, your next workout will be way more challenging, which can risk an injury.

4. Are 2 days of rest a week too much?

No, it's not too much. Many experts recommend taking at least one day off between workouts to allow your body time to recover.

Your muscles need time to repair and rebuild after a workout, and if you don't give them enough time to rest, you could end up overtraining and actually doing more harm than good. So if you're feeling tired or sore after a workout, take a day off to let your body recuperate. You'll feel better and be able to train harder the next time around.

Take Away

How many days a week should you work out? It depends on your fitness goals and how much time you dedicate to working out. Aim to work out 3-5 times a week if you want significant results. But even 2-3 days a week of regular exercise can positively affect your overall health and fitness.

Moreover, pay attention to your health and avoid overstraining. It's best to gradually ease into an exercise routine if you've never done so. Resting for a day or two is also fine if you need to recuperate from muscle soreness or fatigue. The most crucial aspect is sticking to an exercise routine that you enjoy.

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