A new client of mine posed a very interesting question:
“Outside of training, how often should I work out?”
There is really no good answer for this—because everyone is on their own fitness journey.
But here’s what I said:
If you’re just starting out, or you’re a newbie to the whole exercise routine, then once a week is better than nothing.
Although once a week may not do anything to rapidly change your body, it’s going to help build the foundation you need to maintain a great exercise routine.
And this is a great thing.
If you’re used to exercising—or you’re not a complete newbie—then you should focus on getting in at least 2 to 3 days each week.
This may be very different than what other health clubs are trying to sell you on. They may tell you that you need to work out every day—or at least 5 days a week to really see results.
Is this true?
Unfortunately, it’s not—especially if you’re new to exercise. Going from the couch to exercising 5 days a week is an unreasonable demand to place on your body.
Not only are you pushing your body too hard, and too fast…you could suffer an injury, therefore halting the progress on your workout.
Now, as you get stronger, and you become more experienced at exercise, you can start playing with various programming and exercise options.
But for you right now, just starting out, the best recommendation is to start off slowly—and increase duration, frequency, and intensity as you become more comfortable with your program and routine.
The take home message on how often you should workout—especially if you’re new to exercise–is:
Start off slow. Focus on 1 to 2 days a week at first, then progress to 2 to 3 days a week. Be sure to include cardiovascular work, and a short strength training circuit targeting the major muscles in your body, and a flexibility program.
Remember, there is really no magic number to how many days you should workout. A slow, steady, and gradual approach to exercise will 1) prevent injuries from occurring, and 2) prevent burnout from your workout program.
Follow this simple approach, and you should see some pretty great changes occur in your body.
Your friend and trainer,
Paul F Sweatt CPT
Train Smart. Train Hard. Train Safe. Train to Sweatt.