How Often Should I Work Out?

How often should I work out?

It can be difficult to determine how often you should work out. If you listen to social media influencers you can quickly find yourself working out seven days a week. But for most people, this is too much. The number of days you need to work out to actually see results depends entirely on you. To help you better understand how often you should work out here is the framework OPEX Coaches use when starting with a new client.

It Depends on Your Abilities and Goals

How often you should work out depends on your current abilities and goals. That’s why OPEX Coaches assess every new client’s abilities and consult with them on their goals.

This information directly influences the training program they create. Clients who are new to consistent exercise will not have to work out as often as someone with a lot of experience. Furthermore, clients with lofty goals will have to train more than a client who wants to live a healthy well-rounded life. 

To give you some specifics here are two common types of clients. 

If You Are Seeking Longevity

If you are seeking longevity and health you may work out in the gym 3 times a week. The priority for this type of training is exercising in a way you can do consistently for a lifetime. 

We recommend three times a week because it gives you time to recover between sessions and time to enjoy activities outside of the gym. Since the goal is to live long there is no need to spend extreme amounts of time inside of the gym. Combine these 3 gyms sessions a week with slow aerobic activity on your rest days–such as walks, hikes, and bike rides–and you will be surprised by what you can accomplish.

You Want Athletic Performance

If you are working out to prepare for your sport you may have to train 5-6 times a week, sometimes even multiple sessions per day. This is not for everyone. Only high-level athletes or those seeking performance goals need to train this often.

Athletes typically required a higher training volume because their bodies are very advanced and need a lot of stimuli to create adaptation. For the general population this is overkill and can lead to burnout.  

How often you need to work out is entirely dependent on you and your goals. Most clients can see amazing results from 3 workouts a week. If you are struggling to be consistent and want a workout plan custom-tailored to your goals, find an OPEX Gym near you and get started today.