Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your body. But how often should you work out? Most people don't have time to hit the gym more than once or twice per week—and if they do, it's usually because they love exercise so much that it doesn't feel like a chore. In this article, we'll explain why three workouts per week are ideal for maximizing fitness gains and discuss how intensity and timing factor into all of this.
The best combination for the most gain
- Frequent exercise. The most effective way to maximize your fitness gains is by performing high-intensity workouts at least three times a week.
- High intensity. You should focus on doing short bursts of intense exercise, rather than long periods of low-intensity work. For example, sprinting up stairs or jogging uphill are both better than walking on a flat surface because they involve more muscle contractions with each step and thus burn more calories per minute than walking does.
- Morning or evening? Studies have shown that morning workouts may be better for burning fat because they increase your metabolism throughout the day and help regulate your appetite hormones; however, evening workouts could be better if you have trouble waking up early enough in the morning due to an overactive circadian rhythm (your body's internal clock).
Frequency, intensity, and timing
In order to gain maximal fitness gains, you need to stress your muscles in a way that causes them to grow stronger. This is called overloading, and it's what happens when you work out more often than usual or increase the intensity of your workouts. By stressing your body through these methods, you create tiny tears in muscle tissue which then heal stronger than before.
The frequency with which you work out can be thought of as how many days per week (or days per month) you exercise; this is usually between three and six times per week for most people. Intensity refers generally speaking both to cardio-related activities such as jogging or swimming vs weightlifting/resistance training activities such as bench presses and squats; however, there are many other ways in which one could define intensity based on factors like the speed at which one performs an activity (think sprinting vs walking), amount lifted during each repetition, etc.
Timing refers specifically here--as opposed to frequency or intensity--to when exactly within those seven days one chooses their workouts: early morning? Late afternoon? Nighttime before bedtime? It's up for debate whether there is any particular time period during which workouts should be performed more often than others but according to understandings about circadian rhythms suggest that early mornings lend themselves well towards physical activity because our bodies are naturally geared up at this point due largely toward endorphins released during REM sleep cycles earlier in evening hours."
How many days per week should you exercise?
The best combination for the most gain is frequency, intensity, and timing. You should also consider what else your schedule looks like: How much time do you have to work out? Is your goal weight loss, muscle growth, or cardio? Are you working out for fun? What is your fitness level right now? Are you a beginner, intermediate or advanced? What kinds of workouts do you like (e.g., running vs. weightlifting)? And finally--what kinds of workouts work best for your goals (e.g., strength training vs high-intensity interval training)?
The more often you can get in there and do something active with a reasonable intensity level that challenges your body but doesn't cause injury or burnout--the better! For most people who want to lose weight and improve their health overall though there's no need for more than three days per week unless something comes up unexpectedly like an injury etc. So if someone tells me they want five days per week but then admits they haven't been able to stick with it past two weeks then I know something isn't working here.
You should work out at least three times a week
- More than three is better.
- More than five is not necessarily better, but it doesn't hurt either.
The best frequency for you depends on your goals and what you're trying to accomplish with exercise in general. If you're simply looking to maintain health and fitness, then five days per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (like walking) may be enough for you--especially if it's something that you enjoy doing on a regular basis anyway! However, if your goal is building muscle mass or losing weight more quickly, then three days per week may not be enough; some people will need four or even five workouts each week before seeing any real changes in body composition or fat loss over time (though this varies based on several factors). It's also worth noting that the benefits associated with lifting weights decrease after 48 hours; so while it might seem counterintuitive at first glance since strength training results in soreness during those first few days after working out it's actually best not to work out again until those muscles have recovered fully because otherwise, they'll become weaker instead!
Conclusion
We hope that you now have a better understanding of how to maximize the gains from your workouts. Remember, it's important not to overdo it, and always listen to your body. But if you want to get the most out of exercise, then try our recommended frequency, intensity, and timing strategy!
