It is not uncommon to hear people asking the question of how often they should be working out. Many beginners make the mistake of overtraining when they begin working out because of their enthusiasm of wanting to accomplish their fitness goals. It doesn’t matter whether your fitness goals are to gain muscle mass and increase your strength or increase cardiovascular strength there is a limit to how often you should be working out.
Cardiovascular
If you’re working out to increase your cardiovascular strength and endurance an average workout session should be around 30 minutes 3 to 5 days per week. If you are attempting to lose weight and are in moderate shape already you may increase this to 4 to 5 days per week. If you’re doing cardio more than five days a week you are running the risk of injuring yourself and also burning out. If you are a beginner then 15 to 20 minutes a day may be a good starting point. You can gradually increase the time and the number of days as you begin to get stronger.
Strength or Resistance Training
This type of training would involve either free weights or machine weights and can be very stressful on the body and most individuals involved in this type of training usually workout three days a week. Even the most advanced bodybuilders know that it is necessary to have rest days incorporated into their training routine. If you are working your muscles to increase your muscle mass and strength it is imperative that you allow your muscles to rest because this is the time when they are repairing, healing, and most of all growing.
Stretching
These exercises fall into the category of stretching. Stretching is so important that it can be done every day however, as a minimum you should be stretching 2 to 3 days per week. Stretching should be done at the beginning of all exercise routines whether it is cardiovascular or strength training. Stretching helps to improve flexibility and lessens the risk of injury as your muscles will be properly warmed up before getting into your normal routine.
Large muscle groups such as the hamstrings, back, and chest should be stretched prior to lifting any heavyweights and also at the end of your workout session.
The main thing to remember when deciding how many days per week to workout is that you do not want to overdo it. If you do not give your muscles and joints time to recover between workout sessions all your hard work will be for nothing. Your muscles will not grow, you will not get stronger and you will probably become discouraged about your entire workout regimen. Many people forget that rest is an important factor in any workout routine.