How Often Should You Train?
There are different variations on this question, but it seems that a lot of us wonder how often we should train, how many days of rest we should have between workouts, etc. It would be nice if there was a blanket answer for everyone such as “Train 3 days a week with one day of rest in between.” Wouldn’t it be nice if everything was that simple?
The fact is that different people do better under different routines. I believe that in the end you have to experiment and learn what works best for you and your situation. There are just so many things to take into consideration such as your work schedule, how much time you have to go to the gym, nutritional concerns, etc.
Real Solutions Magazine put out a good article on this topic that approaches it from those different angles. In fact, at the end of the article the author, Nick Nilsson, actually gives examples of different routines he has followed during different times in his life. It makes a good read.
Here’s a link to the article: Training Frequency: How Often Can You or SHOULD You Train to Maximize Your Results?
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This is the question that I always ask myself. I usually exercise when I don’t feel tired anymore. So I take alternate days to exercise (swim).
I think it depends on person to person how much he should work out in a week.But I think you are right and average person should work out atleast 3 times a week.
I think a lot of this depends on your personal schedule. But you can always get in a home or bodyweight workout as well!
before, i only trained 3 x a week, but my body seems to be reacting well to this frequency. but now (10 years after) 3 x a week seems to be no longer the optimal frequency for my body… man… age is just a strong factor
actually tolerance to exercise is also something that the body gets better at, so that the more years you exercise the quicker your recovery will be
when starting out, for sure, you can overdo it so easily and it may take a week to recover or you are overtraining, always remember recovering is the most important thing,and nutrition is a part of that
It depends a lot on your workout intensity and what muscle groups you work in each exercise. For most people, I would say about 4 days a week is optimal, but this is not a scientific answer. It really depends on your personal approach and your goals. Someone trying to build muscle will have a different style than someone who is just looking to shed a few pounds, for example.
I think 4 days a week of formal workout time is a good goal to aim for. Anything less and it feels like you aren’t making any progress. Of course it depends on your starting point, but still even a couch potato should be able to workout 4 times a week.
The hardest part is finding the time to get the workouts in.
Hey.. when i get tired then i go for exercise and i enjoy…
3 times every is for beginning i guess and i depends on what training that you do…for people who not use to train before,they should start with walk first and slowly upgrade to jogging…that’s what i use to do…
Well, I’d say the more the better, but it isn’t really that easy. It depends on a lot of factors: your age, the intensity of the training and the type of the training.
This is a question many people face. I think it depends on the person and how they feel. Bringing variety to your daily training can help alot. Swim one day instead of doing weights.
I can’t train as much as I would like to. Seems like I am always nursing an injury or my body is still worn down from a previous workout. Getting older sucks!
The bottom line is that the number of days someone should train depends on their goals, genetics, and lifestyle. This is why it’s so important for people to track their progress!
I think the general consensus is that even if we do figure out the optimum number of workouts per week, in the real world circumstances change every week. We get sick, we get tired, we get invited out for dinner or we have to work overtime. All these things come into play. But having said that, I would say the bare minimum is 2, and the absolute maximum is 6 (and I would probably opt for 2 rather than six and just focus on compound all-body exercises).
I think you have a good point…you should choose a training program that fits your abilities. Personally, I always like to use the pull/push program to train. This way I was able to access all of my muscles at least twice a week, yet I gave my muscles time to recuperate.
Yeah…no point using other peoples methods or programs because it might or might not fit you. Everyone’s body is different and thus, reacts in a different way.
I have 4 trainings a week and it’s enought for me, cause in this case I have a few spare days for my rest
I would say about 4 days a week is optimal, but this is not a scientific answer. It really depends on your personal approach and your goals.
Good question. How often should you train? One of the most basic questions in weight training is “how many times a week should I train for best results?”
EVERYBODY has wondered this at some point in their training career, from the complete beginner to the most advanced professional. At this point, most instructors or training manuals will go right to the stock response of “train each body part twice a week” or something to that effect. It’s easy to believe that this is the best answer because that generally works okay for most people. It’s a safe answer.But it’s not the BEST answer. Learning what IS the best answer will help you cast out preconceived notions and determine what REALLY works best for your body.
Always listen to your body. It will tell you when to stop, and when to pursue. Over training is one of the biggest factors that leads to poor results and injury. More is not always better.
I would train 3-4 times a week plus 1 cardio workout. DO NOT OVERTRAIN. This is very important but some people still don’t listen.
It depends on your previous experience. If your just starting out I’d say 2-3 times a week, but if your already ripped then 3-5 times a week.
For beginners I’d suggest to start 3 times per week and move up from there. Any additional workouts will just help you lose more weight.
HST and three times a week have got me the best results and still going up. I have tried 4-5 even 6 times a week workouts, but then the injuries started. HST has helped there alot, and now I don’t spend that much time at the gym anymore. Cardio I do 2-3 times a week.
I completely agree, sometimes I feel that I have found what seems to be the perfect routine but somehow after a while it starts to take no effect. I think as usual a good mix of routines will help find the ideal one.
Determining the amount of days to train all depends upon your numbers. If your strength is increasing, your days are fine. If you hit a plateau, increase rest days. It is that simple. Go by your numbers, and not the advice of others.
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Hello, I started training before 4 days, and this article is really helpful for me. Thanks for reading.
I think it depends on the person. I like to work out each muscle group once a week (about 3-4 times a week in total) but my friend works out every muscle group every day. If I did that I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed in the morning.
When it comes to running though I feel like I really have to do it every day because if I dont do it, I’m afraid I wont the next day either and then I’ll spiral out of control.
it depend on person, i believe 3 sessions per week it’s ok
A few words of advice: Whatever routine you choose, make sure that you stretch before and after. I spent 10 years body building and laughed at warm-up and warm-down routines. Now at the age of 41 I have the neck of a 60 year old in terms of cervical disc wear and tear and bone spurs. My father, who never worked out, got the same conditions at around 55. Moral of the story?: we’re not meant to have big, tight muscles that compress the spine, so take some measures to decompress yours every once in a while.
thank you for sharing
Such a great article, Thanks for sharing buddy
Keep up the good work.
Thanks! Very valuable information for training schedules. I just started a blog in search of the best anxiety treatments and since a lot of people who suffer from anxiety also do body building, this will be very helpful! Thanks again
It really depends on many things especially periodization, athletes level of fitness, food intake etc. People need to stop thinking from session to session but weekly blocks sometimes even monthly slots instead. There is some good reading of this topic on mesomorphis forum but it may be too advanced for some people.
But i guess not a lot people know what they are doing, they just do how much they feel like is good and hope to get stronger next time. It just doesn’t work like that.
But another perspective many Olympic lifters train 5-7 days a week nearly twice a day so are they overtraining?