When starting a new gym routine, one of the most commonly asked questions is how often you should go to the gym?
Well, this depends on a variety of factors. Some people say that you should only go three days a week, others say that you can go all seven days of the week, and many are somewhere in between.
What we're here to do today is to provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision about how often you should go to the gym.
So, how many days of the week should you go to the gym?
How Much Exercise Should You Get on a Weekly Basis?
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, it's recommended that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week, or at least 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity every week.
Keep in mind that this is the minimum recommended amount, with more often being considered better.
As you'll see, the running theme of this article is that how much you should exercise depends on your own fitness level and your goals.
For instance, if all you are looking to do is to improve your overall fitness level, then doing around 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week should be more than enough.
However, if your main goal is to lose a lot of weight, then doing closer to 300 minutes of moderate cardio a week would help you achieve your goal quicker. But bear in mind that your diet will be one of the main factors in determining whether you lose weight or not as you need to create a calorific deficit to lose weight.
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How Many Days Per Week to Go to The Gym?
On average it is recommended that you workout between 3 and 5 days per week.
But this will depend on your training goals, as not everyone is looking to lose weight.
For instance, if you are looking to build muscle mass and train strength, it might be necessary for you to go to the gym almost every day of the week, all but one.
For the record, the rule of thumb is that you should be going to the gym anywhere between three and five times per week, with every session lasting anywhere between 45 minutes and an hour.
However, remember that if you're just starting off at the gym, you want to start slow, as it takes time for you body to get used to any new workout routine. So, you don’t want to overdo it and possibly get injured. In which case, two or three gym sessions per week is more than enough.
But, if you are already a seasoned gym veteran and your main goal is to build a lot of muscle mass, then go to the gym five or six days per week.
It is recommended that you take at least one day of rest per week, or in other words, only go to the gym six days per week at the very most.
Your body does need time to recover. If you go to the gym seven days per week, every single week, your body will end up being fatigued and your muscles won't be able to recover properly anymore.
If you do this for too long, you'll end up either minimizing your gains or even causing more damage than good.
Of course, there are other factors at play here as well, with diet and nutrition, as well as rest being the two biggest ones.
Just like a car, your body needs the fuel to keep running properly. If you get a lot of protein, carbohydrates, amino acids, and other supplements in you, while sleeping at least 8 hours per night, going to the gym six days per week should be no problem at all.
However, if you're not eating properly or sleeping right, going even three or four days per week might seem like too much for you.
In which case, you will need to work on getting your diet and rest in order before trying to increase your training load.
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How Long Do Muscles Take to Recover?
Something that you need to realize as far as gym frequency and recovery are concerned is that your muscles need about 72 hours to recover.
This means that if you work out your biceps on Monday, you realistically shouldn't work them out again until Thursday, or in other words, until 72 hours after your first workout.
This will give your muscles enough time to recover to the point where they are no longer sore, fatigued, or in recovery mode.
If you try to work out the same muscles far too often, you might actually cause them to decrease in both size and strength, because you're ripping those muscle fibers so extensively and frequently that they don't have enough time to recover between workouts.
Once again, your diet and sleep play an important role in how fast your muscles will recover.
How Long Should a Gym Session Be?
For you average person, a gym session should be about 45 minutes to one hour.
If you're a hardcore weightlifter or general athlete, you might push this to 90-minute sessions or even longer.
That said, if you're not yet in great shape and you're just starting off, a 30-minute gym session might be more than enough for you.
Consistency is key to any long-term fitness goals. So, if shorter workouts make it easier for you to workout on a daily basis, then start off with shorter workouts until you can comfortably add more.
Can You Go to the Gym Too Much?
Unfortunately, for all of you who would like to go to the gym every single day, it is possible to do more harm than good if you go every day and don't rest enough in between sessions.
While working out on a regular basis is important for remaining in good health, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.
If you don't give your muscles and your body in general enough time to recover in between workouts, you might shrink in size and strength.
Therefore, creating a solid workout routine that follows a schedule conducive to muscle growth is essential.
Exercise Benefits - Should I Go to the Gym Regularly?
Of course, going to the gym on a regular basis is beneficial. Just some of the benefits of going to the gym regularly include improving your overall muscle strength and size, improving your balance, coordination, and mobility, improving your cardiovascular health, and even improving your mental health too.
The simple fact of the matter is that exercising is good for both your mind and body.
Final Thoughts on Gym Frequency
The bottom line here is that if you are just starting off in your exercise journey, going to the gym three times per week for 30-minute sessions is more than enough.
You can then slowly work your way up to going to the gym five days per week for up to one hour, and if you're feeling really adventurous, you can add another day to that schedule.
The secret to any successful fitness routine, is to find a way to make your training enjoyable. While also trying to make sure your body gets the nutrition it needs to recover.
