Whether preparing for a marathon or simply wanting to live better, knowing when, how long and how frequently to work out is difficult. We should all listen to our bodies, make educated guesses about how they feel, and adjust our exercise programs appropriately.
Is it that we shouldn’t work out today, or do we just don’t feel like it? Will increasing the frequency of our exercises get us to reach our objectives faster or put too much strain on our bodies? It’s the age old question.. and you probably ask it to yourself a lot.
We spoke with fitness professionals to learn the “optimal” frequency with which one should exercise. It turns out that there are still no 100% right answers, but we hope this helps!
How Much Is Just Right?
While it’s recommended to give your body a day of rest once every week when planning a fitness routine, you may sometimes experience the need to exercise on a daily basis, or take more than one day off.
Exercising every day is acceptable as long as you don’t overdo it.
Make sure it’s something you love doing, especially if you’re healing from an accident or illness, and don’t be too hard on yourself.
Consider why you feel the need to exercise daily. If taking a day off just doesn’t work for you make sure at least one day is very light on your body— like 30 minutes of stretching or a short walk.
The general recommendation is to engage in moderate-intensity physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day or 150 minutes weekly. Alternatively, you may try to work up to 75 minutes of vigorous activity every seven days.
What We Recommend
All of the following forms of exercise are important for optimal health and injury prevention.
Endurance training is a great way to get in shape since it challenges your cardiovascular system by increasing your heart and breathing rates. Athletic activities like running, swimming, and dancing are a few examples.
Regular strength training helps you gain muscle, maintain strong bones, and keep your weight in check. This kind of exercise includes resistance bands, bodyweight training, and weightlifting.
Exercises that target balance may boost stability, reduce the risk of falls, and simplify everyday motion. Examples include tai chi and yoga postures performed while standing, balancing exercises, and other similar activities.
Posture, mobility, and range of motion may all see significant improvements with regular flexibility training. Stretching, yoga, and Pilates are just a few examples.
At The End Of The Day
It’s easier to get the most out of your training plan if you include rest periods in your routine.
Rest a muscle group for at least 48 hours before training it again. If you train your legs on Monday, rest them on Tuesday and Wednesday, and so on.
Consider using a split routine schedule to maximize productivity. For example, you might alternate between upper- and lower-body workouts to make sure you have enough rest between.
Finally, even if you’re not training the same muscle groups every day, you still need to build rest days into your workout schedule for general body recovery. Schedule a day of rest in the middle of the week, and then take another day or two off on the weekend, so your body can recharge and be ready for the next week. Remember, your body can’t gain muscle or lose weight in a healthy way if it’s not given proper time between to heal.
