We all know we need to workout.
By this point, most people know that they need to be engaging in strength training as well. I mean, the data doesn’t lie … people who strength train live longer, healthier, happier lives (that’s why we love getting strong at Yellow Rose!).
But how many days a week should we commit to our fitness?
Like every question, a coach like myself will say, “It depends….”
So without further ado…
It depends 🙂
Thank you for laughing at that (even if you didn’t, just pretend you did, please OK?)
There’s so many questions to ask when it comes to figuring out how often you should be working out. Let’s look at what I think are the 2 most important ones.
- What are you training for?
- What do you think is realistic for you?
Let’s dive in.
WHAT ARE YOU TRAINING FOR?
Depending on what you’re training for will shed some light on how often you should be working out. If you’re trying to achieve incredibly high levels of fitness? Well … that’s going to take an incredibly high level of effort, and subsequently more time training.
If you want to do this, it’s absolutely possible, you’ll just have to be willing to make the necessary trade-offs.
More time training = more time needed and dedicated to nutrition and recovery.
More time training = less time elsewhere.
If you’re willing to do this, you can look at working out anywhere from 5-10 sessions a week (yes, multiple double day sessions can be done).
If you’re thinking to yourself, “pffffffft 5-10 sessions a week this guy is crazy.” You’re not wrong. As much as all of us would love to be in peak pinnacle shape, the majority of us are not willing to make those trades.
Close your eyes for a second and think about what you’re actually training for. Think about what you really want out of all the time and effort you put into your fitness.
If you’re like me, you thought something along the lines of, “I want to feel really good, be happy with how I look, and be able to do anything I want to do.”
Good news for us, we can achieve those goals with 3-5 sessions a week at Yellow Rose. The more you do, there’s greater potential for you to achieve those results faster, but that brings us to the next question…
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS REALISTIC FOR YOU?
I know that whenever I get hyped for fitness, I am ALL about 5 days a week. Here’s a schedule that I love to do:
Workout Saturday, Sunday, rest Monday, workout Tuesday – Thursday, Rest Friday.
I LOVE that schedule. In a perfect world, this is what I would do!
Too bad I live in a realistic world, huh?
So in reality, I know that 4 days a week is very realistic for me. I can most of the time make 4 days a week without too much strife. If we’re looking at our 3-5 days a week as our marker, then that’s perfect! The good news is if I get an extra day to get after it, I’m golden. An extra day might help me reach my goals faster afterall!
But what happens if I can’t get my 4 in? My kids get sick and I have to stay home. Work blows up and I can’t get away. Rachel’s out of town and I have to solo parent.
Remember, it’s a realistic world, and these things happen.
In my life, and most of the people who I’ve coached, we’ve almost always been able to carve out 3 sessions a week. These sessions might vary in intensity based on life’s demands, but we can still get 3 in (if anyone says they don’t have time to workout, we need to help them redefine what “workout” actually means).
I might not be able to get 3 strength sessions in at Yellow Rose, but I might be able to get 1 + 2 30 minute runs or walks at home. Or maybe it’s 2 sessions at Yellow Rose + a garage workout while the girls are still sleeping.
Either way, I know I can commit to 3 sessions a week at a minimum, and when the realistic world relents a bit (because it always does), I can get back to my 4 per week.
SO … HOW OFTEN SHOULD I WORKOUT?
In my opinion, I think people should aim to complete 3-5 workout sessions a week with the majority of those being strength training (the science tells us that 3 days a week of strength training reduces all cause mortality by 30%, so let’s prioritize the strength).
Time is a major factor, and sometime the act of getting to the gym is just too much for logistics … but you can still engage in a workout session. Long walks, slow jogs, rucks, 100 burpees in the living room, 200 squats while you make dinner. You can do it, even if it doesn’t look like a traditional workout.
So let’s aim for 3-5 per week, understand that some weeks won’t be our best, but we can always get back to it. If you do this 3-5 per week for long enough, you’ll get the goals that you’re training for.
And remember – fitness is the ultimate, never ending game. As long as you’re playing and actively engaging in it, you’re winning.
-Clark
