How many times should you workout a week?

This is a question I just got from a client and one I am asked frequently. How often should I be working out? 3 days per week? 4? 5? 7?

I wish I could just say the magic number is 5...but that's simply not the case.

As with anything in the fitness realm, how many times you workout a week is based on the individual; personal goals, limitations, and comfort level.

The first step is determining what your goals are. Let's take a general approach.

If your goal is to lose weight then I recommend 3-4 days/week of moderate to high intensity workouts. Elevating the HR 50-100 bpm over resting heart rate for 20-30 minutes several days throughout the week has shown to be sufficient in promoting health benefits; Improved aerobic capacity, weight-loss/maintenance, and reduction in health related diseases.

If your goal is building strength I too believe 3-4 days/week is sufficient, but intensity has to be factored in. If you are trying to build strength you are effectively trying to adapt your central nervous system to an outer stimulus that is above that of which you are accustomed to. The resulting outcome is the adaptation to being able to overcome and perform the task being asked a.k.a lifting heavy a$$ shit with ease. So intensity must be high and focused at developing the appropriate systems to improve strength. I believe a slightly more conservative and diverse programming across 5 days would show equal to increased benefits as well, but a 3-4 day split works just fine.

If your goal is to build muscle then we are looking at providing the highest level of stimulation to the muscle. This too can be done in a 3-4 day window but is best over a 5-7 day period with high and low volume days. Airing on the side of higher volume or more days per week, allows us the opportunity to hit target muscle groups more often whilst getting recovery. This may seem counter intuitive to some if we are working out 7 days per week and getting rest?. But essentially when focusing on hypertrophy/muscle growth you can allocate specific muscle groups to each day of the week, allowing set muscle groups to rest while training others. Effectively getting the highest possible volume without overtraining. I would still recommend 1-2 full rest days, making 5-6 days/week the sweet spot.

Also recall comfort level in which I will touch on after, but just a note that with strength training the overall fatigue associated with developing strength > hypertrophy training, thus a shorter training week is better/easier on the body.

If your goal is just general physical health then I believe a similar programming as that of weight-loss. 3-4 days of moderate to high intensity workouts. However, I would opt more for a reduced level of intensity across the entire week, as 20-30minutes of exercise each day of the week has proven to promote greater health benefits vs. 3-4 days / week, as previously stated.

Truthfully we should maintain some level of physical activity each day of the week regardless of goal as maintaining a sound aerobic base (10,000 steps) along with sound health practices; 8hrs of sleep, 3-5L of water, 3-5 nutritious whole food meals / day, develops healthy habits and an overall healthy body.

Once you have sorted your primary goal, general or specific, you must consider your limitations.

Limitations can be physical. mental, or time related.

For those busy cats out there who only have 30-45minutes of spare time, possibly at lunch, before work, or after supper. I suggest 3-4 intense full body workouts. Bodyweight, calisthenics, yoga, and weights can all be done in a small window of time. Use AMRAPs, EMOMs, METCONs, and HIIT as methods to accumulate lots of volume in a short time.

People that have the luxury of having lots of spare time, I would invest in a tailored program with phasic progressions lasting 4-6days/week, this will allow you to benefit the most from a proper individualized program and see consistent results week in and week out. The same goes for any other option (stated above and below), but benefits are seen most when working with a personal trainer/coaching professional.

Those with physical or mental limitations regardless of what they are, I suggest opting for 6-7 days per week with lower intensity exercise each day. Now this would also seem counter intuitive, as certain mental and physical limitations have greater impacts on movement and capacity than others. But i've found that keeping the body and mind busy aids greatly in getting through the day, allows for a physical or mental escape, and can act as a great gateway to faster rehabilitation for those recovering from an injury. It isn't always about how much someone is doing, but what they are doing, and how it helps them. 5 pushups a day 7 days/week may help someone just as much as squatting 225 for reps 3 days/week.

The goal most associated with this "category" is the maintenance of general physical activity and health.

Another limitation, which we are all experiencing right now, is equipment availability. Most people don't have the luxury of a home gym, and even those who do are more often than not limited to dumbbells, kettlebells, and exercise bands. This is where you need to be creative, do your research, and develop the best outcome you can with what you have available to you. I highly recommend signing up for online workouts, program design, or meet ups/consults on how to make the most of your limited equipment.

Once you've snuffed out your personal limitations then assess your personal comfort. Now this one is tough because for those just starting out or who have dealt with difficulty finding motivation in working out in the past will often undershoot there needs due to their discomfort with exercise or the idea of exercise. This is fine to an extent, but you have to weigh out your goals vs. your comfort level. If your goals are vital to your health and happiness then they outweigh your discomfort. If the discomfort inhibits your health and happiness then comfort level outweighs your goals. It's a result dictated by self reflection and determining the pros and cons. Something you have to find out for yourself.

If you are super comfortable and enjoy the feeling of exhaustion from exercise, then it's best you figure out the first two steps above and focus on finding the right program for yourself. Too often eager beavers will go out like a bat outta hell and go too hard thus resulting in diminished gains and potentially the cessation of activity due to an injury.

So, love the pain of the game and wanna get after it everyday? Find the best suitable program and aim for 5-6 days/week.

If you find yourself shying away or cringing at the thought of exercise then there is an equal importance in finding the appropriate program, but also there should be an emphasis placed on determining your maximal productive/comfortable output. What is the most you are comfortable doing in a day, week, month. From there you can better isolate what will work for you, feel comfortable with, and get the most out of.

I'll still always push, from a supportive stance, to move and groove at least a bit each and every day, but it is equally important to do what makes you feel comfortable.

Like I said at the beginning there is no magic number. On one hand I push for physical activity every single day but on another I believe a coordinated approach across 3-6 days/week dependent on goal is the way to go.

Goal dependent, limitation dependent, and comfort level dependent.

All the resources are out there for everyone, up to you to determine your goal, your intended outcome, and what's limiting that from happening.

#PLUG

All answers and needs are available in the shop and/or via coaching services.

"Progression is built through consistency and tested by passion"

JB