How Often should you work out?
When it comes to fitness, one of the most common questions is, "How often should I exercise?" Light movement, such as walking, can be done every single day if you’re able-bodied. But when it comes to strength and endurance training, the answer isn’t as simple as a one-size-fits-all recommendation.
Your ideal workout frequency depends on a variety of factors, including your fitness goals, current health, and lifestyle. Whether you're aiming to build muscle, lose weight, or simply maintain a healthy body, finding the right balance between rest and activity is key to success. In this post, we’ll explore how often you should work out based on your lifestyle and goals.
1 Day A Week is Best For:
Those who like to move every now and then and aren’t concerned with meeting any fitness goals
Those who are extremely overwhelmed and need to start with a very small goal
Those who are seriously deconditioned/ill
Remember, performing exercise is similar to contributing money to savings/investments: If you haven’t done this before, or it’s been a very long time, starting small is a great action step. Sometimes you just have to get started with a little bit, but at least you’ve started. Be proud of this, but also know that if you’ve got bigger goals for significant improvement, you will eventually require bigger, more frequent contributions.
2 Days A Week Is Best For:
Those who are trying to create a new habit
Those attempting to build consistency in their busy schedules
Those more interested in finding time for themselves
Those who are starting to think about bigger health/fitness goals
Once you’ve gotten started, adding an additional day per week is a great way to start working this into a regular part of your routine. In following with the money analogy from above, it’s always great to do a little just to get something in, but if you’ve got serious goals, you also know it’s a good idea to start prioritizing your contributions. You have to make space to make them more often. A small amount of improvement can be felt at this pace.
3 Days A Week Is Best For:
Those who are starting to build some capacity for strength/endurance and are ready to step it up a little.
Those who are starting to see minimal results and want to speed things up a little bit
Those who want to prioritize a fitness/weightloss goal and have a future date in mind they’re aiming for
Your body reacts to a stimulus and will adapt to any stimulus that’s introduced on a regular basis. Working out 3 or more days a week will drive your body to start making changes in its metabolism to meet the new demands for energy. This is the minimum amount of days per week you’ll need for significant improvement in body composition/weight loss goals and where you’ll start noticing changes a little faster. Things get exciting here!
4 - 5 Days A Week Are Best For:
Those who are serious about seeing progress quickly
Those who’ve made a bigger goal for themselves that’s going to require more frequent and structured plans
Those who have the ability to prioritize training above other aspects of their life/schedule
When you get to the point of being able to work out more days of the week than not, this is a big step up. Congrats! Keep in mind, you’ll also need to start paying attention to your work:rest ratios, and prioritize nutrition, sleep, and recovery to avoid overtraining issues/injuries. It may also mean cutting back or eliminating behaviors/activities that don’t necessarily align with your goals… like drinking alcohol, eating junk food, and late nights with little sleep.
This area is a little harder to be in for the average person. It requires some dedication and prioritization.
6 - 7 Days A Week Are Best For:
Those who want high level performance and high muscle/low body fat ratios
Competitive or professional athletes, those competing in body composition feats (figure or bodybuilding competitions), or anybody that’s being paid to have a specific physique.
Those who have the flexibility or ability to devote a good chunk of time each day to training.
This area is generally for highly trained individuals who’ve taken the time to build up base strength and physcial capacity. This is not a level for beginners to jump into. Those at this level also know (or have coaches who know) how and when to periodize their training to reach peak performance at a certain time. They also know when to dial it back in order to avoid overtraining issues/injuries. This level is not usually one that you can stay at for long periods of time. There’s usually a training season and an off season where you back off some, but not completely.
In Conclusion
Ultimately, how often you should work out depends on your individual goals, lifestyle, and current fitness level. Whether you’re aiming to build strength, improve endurance, or simply stay active, consistency and balance are key. Remember to listen to your body, prioritize recovery, and make adjustments as needed. If you need help, hiring a personal trainer to help you develop your plan of action will take away the guesswork and get you to your goals faster.
By tailoring your workout routine to your personal needs, and staying realistic with how much time you have to train, you’ll be more likely to stay committed and achieve long-term results. So, set your goals, find a plan that works for you, and enjoy the journey toward a healthier, fitter you!
