As we already need help to fit the gym hour into our busy daily routine. But here comes an important question in your mind. How often should we go to the gym, or how many days a week do I need to work out? The answer is quite simple and complex at the same time.
It is simple and easy to understand if you are aware of what you want to achieve. Otherwise, it may become a complex answer that you don’t want to understand. It starts with a defined goal and a plan of action accordingly.
Your required gym workouts vary from goal to goal. Which subsequently changes the days you need to perform. Also, things get complex when you are not getting any guidance from a fitness expert.
You may waste your time trying different things at once. But the advice of a fitness trainer can save you time and energy from waste and help you follow the right plan to achieve your goal.
Define Your Fitness Goal
Your goal depends on your body fitness’s role in your life. Suppose you have gained weight in the past few months, and now you want to shed extra pounds. Your workout plan will be designed accordingly. On the contrary, if you are slim and want to put on muscle mass, your workouts will be planned according to that. Fitness goal holds great importance as it defines what and how you will get your desired body.
How Many Days a Week To Go To Gym
Normally, fitness experts like Meridian Fitness suggest performing workouts for at least 3 days or a maximum of 5 days a week. You can adjust your routine according to the time you have.
One of the most important factors that are often neglected is the rest or recovery time your body needs between workouts.
If you are nailing your workouts with heavy weights, you need to give enough time for your body muscles to heal. But if your workout plan consists of lightweight or bodyweight exercises, you may not need an extra day to recover completely.
A well-balanced diet plan can help you recover optimally and prepare your body for the next gym session.
To Gain Muscles
Gaining muscle mass is a dream of many, and normally gaining muscles is the hardest part of the fitness journey. Muscle-building workouts are divided according to the body muscle group. Performing a full-body workout daily requires high endurance, stamina, and energy. But splitting workouts over a number of days can give you enough time to focus on each muscle group.
Usually, workouts are divided into upper body and lower body categories, and perform these exercises on every alternating day. A minimum of 2 to 3 sessions or a maximum of 5 to 6 sessions in a week are required to target all muscle groups.
One day you perform the upper body exercise, and the next day you can perform the lower body exercise. It gives your body muscles enough time to recover and build.
To Improve Cardiovascular Health
Cardiovascular exercises are mainly focused on improving heart health. Cardio workouts are usually prolonged for up to 30 minutes to achieve desirable results. You must maintain your heart rate in a specific range to increase the blood flow and stimulate fat burning.
The most common exercises are swimming, cycling, or running. But you can also perform HIIT workouts at your gym. The HIIT workout once per week is enough, but you can go for a maximum of two HIIT sessions per week.
To Lose Weight
If your main focus is losing weight and achieving a more defined look. The first step is controlling your calorie intake. The rule of losing weight is simple. You need to burn more calories than your intake, which is called a caloric deficit, and your body uses fat as a source of energy to keep going.
Fat consumption can speed up your fat loss journey more than any other factor. Normally you have to perform bodyweight workouts 3 to 5 times a week. Though, you can increase or decrease the number of days.
Conclusion
Defining the number of days for a workout depends on your body, fitness goal, and available time. Focusing on your fitness goals requires dedication and motivation without any distractions. Once you are set in the workout routine, you can realize the impact of workouts and set the frequency according to it. Normally, fitness freaks hit the gym 5 days a week with 2 rest days. You can follow any pattern that works well for your body and make you closer to your goal with each passing day.
