Ask ten different authorities in exercise how often you should work out, and you’ll get ten different answers. Some people will tell you to train every day. Some will tell you never to skip a rest day. The answer lies somewhere in between depending on what you want to achieve and where you are starting from.
The question really should not be how often, but what balance of work and recovery supports getting the desired results without getting burnt out or injured.
What Counts As A Workout?
A 20-minute walk counts as a workout. So does a 90-minute grueling session in the gym. But the two do not require the same recovery period.
High-intensity workouts require more recovery than moderate-intensity workouts. Strength training that causes soreness requires different scheduling than an easy run or bike ride. That’s why frequency recommendations are difficult to make universally useful.
The Frequency That Works
The frequency that works for you depends on what you do and how hard you do it.
In terms of working out for general health, studies show that around 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week reduces your risk of heart disease and helps maintain healthy weight levels.
That level of activity might keep you healthy, but it is not enough to change your body composition significantly or even build much fitness. For meaningful changes in body composition or to build strength, most people need to work out a minimum of three times per week.
Three quality workouts a week is better than seven lousy ones.
When More Workouts Hurt You
Your body builds muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness when you recover from exercise, not when you are exercising. When you train, you stress your body and break tissues down. As you recover, your body repairs and rebuilds.
The symptoms of overtraining are all easy to recognize. You lose your edge. Your energy levels plummet. Your sleep quality suffers. Injuries crop up. Even your mind loses motivation. Most people overtrain because they are too intense with their training and do not spend enough time recovering.
Understanding How Much You Can Train
What you are trying to achieve from training should inform how often you should work out.
In terms of fat loss, four sessions per week combined with good nutrition should suffice. If you want to build strength, you need to train each muscle group twice a week—either 3 sessions focusing on all groups or 4-6 sessions focusing on individual muscle groups.
If building endurance is the goal, plan for at least three workouts a week. Alternate between high- and low-intensity workouts, as well as active recovery.
If improving your overall fitness and changing your body composition is your goal, four workouts a week may fit that balance nicely. A quick look at a current Austin SoCo fitness class schedule and planning for four classes a week gives you structure that produces results without dominating your life.
You Still Need To Recover
Recovery is not just a passive state; it requires planning. Young guys who sleep enough and don’t have too much else going on can recover from a hard workout quite quickly. Older people with families and jobs may not be able to bounce back quite so quickly.
You don’t only need to consider how often you can train based on your training goals. Factors outside the gym affect your ability to recover just as much as the intensity of the training sessions themselves.
Some weeks you may have more going on in your life than others. If something stressful happens outside the gym, if you’ve been sleeping badly or eating poorly, it may be better to plan for less training instead of trying to force yourself into an unrealistic routine.
Finding Your Own Training Frequency
Only you can find the optimal frequency that works for you.
Those new to training have not yet built up their bodies’ ability to recover from the stress of working out, so they need more time between sessions. As you become more accustomed to working out, however, your body is able to cope with increased workload more easily.
Age also plays a role in how often you can work out and still recover effectively. A 25-year-old may be able to recover from a hard session in 24 hours while someone aged 50 might need 48 hours before attempting something similar again.
Your weekly schedule impacts training frequency more than people think. If you know that consistently training six times a week has never been feasible for you, planning for that frequency is only going to set you up for failure.
Aiming for an achievable three workouts a week may be more doable than punishing yourself for weeks trying to fit six sessions in.
What Balance Looks Like
For most people focusing on training properly balancing their work and recovery sessions can involve three to five focused sessions a week with one or two completely rested days.
Focused sessions can include three strength-based sessions targeting all muscles, while cardio sessions can vary in number from one to two depending on how much time is available in your schedule.
Taking rest days does not mean lying on the couch but rather doing low-intensity activities like walking which actually aids recovery from more intense workouts rather than skipping those sessions altogether.
Avoid spending too much time in the gym doing anything that requires recovery time rather than actively making progress toward fitness goals.
Adapting Your Frequency
You need to regularly adapt the frequency of your workouts according to what is going on in your life. When starting a new program, keep it simple at first. Aim for three sessions a week for the first few weeks then add a fourth session if progress has been achieved and if it has been easy to recover from these sessions.
If something stressful is going on in your life at any stage, cut back on how frequently you work out. If despite being consistent with your workouts for an extended period of time you are seeing little progress, it may be that your training frequency needs adjusting rather than adding extra intensity or duration. Sometimes less focused quality sessions can yield the best results.
Consistency Wins
At the end of the day, what really matters is consistency over months and years rather than weeks.
Training three times a week for a year will net better results than banging in six training sessions a week for two months then burning out entirely.
Those who ultimately succeed in achieving their fitness goals find a workable frequency they can stick with no matter how busy they are or what else life throws at them along the way. Be realistic about how frequently you train. If you have never been able to stick with six training sessions a week, do not set yourself up for failure by planning for such intensity.
Signs You’ve Got It Right
You will know that you are training often enough when you are recovering well and making consistent gains in body composition or strength and endurance.
You should feel energized after focused work rather than depleted. Your body should feel good after sessions rather than being plagued by lingering pains from previous sessions making each focused session a struggle just to get through.
You should be able to consistently maintain the program in terms of fitness level and effort exerted without being sloppy or half-heartedly pushing through sessions feeling unmotivated by them as opposed to looking forward to them.
Finally, keep injuries and chronic pains at bay, even enjoying sessions instead of viewing them as punishment through improved conditioning and well-planned recovery strategy adjustments over time.
Plan Your Frequency
The best frequency of training doesn’t feel like something you have to negotiate from week to week; it becomes part of your routine just as brushing your teeth does every morning and evening.
Respect the time needed for focused sessions by planning them like a meeting that cannot be changed so easily.
Plan your schedule around your training so that it fits seamlessly into your life by establishing patterns that enhance rather than interfere with your life while still allowing for progress in achieving your goals however they may change over time.
