What do the established recommendations suggest?
Physical activity recommendations primarily focus on the amount of time individuals should spend exercising. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults engage in at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity each week. In addition, for enhanced health benefits, the WHO recommends performing muscle-strengthening exercises at least twice a week and striving to exceed the minimum recommended levels of physical activity.
Similar recommendations have been made by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which sets the minimum for moderately intense activity at 150 minutes per week. Importantly, this time can be distributed flexibly – such as through five 30-minute sessions or daily 22-minute workouts.
These recommendations are grounded in findings from scientific studies conducted on large sample populations. It needs to be stressed that the guidelines are not intended for optimizing performance in any specific sport. Rather, they focus on preventing various diseases and health issues, and reducing the risk of premature death associated with physical inactivity. Two conclusions can be drawn from this. First, any kind of physical activity is better than none – any form of movement enhances your health. Second, when planning the frequency of training, take into account the specifics of the exercises and your personal goals.
Strength and aerobic training – how often should you train?
While training goals are personal and vary by individual, certain universal recommendations apply to the most common fitness objectives and types of physical activity. They’re based on both scientific research and insights gained from the practical experience of coaches and athletes across various levels.
When it comes to strength training, consistency and recovery are key factors to consider. To effectively build muscle mass and strength, it is crucial to provide consistent training stimuli, while also ensuring adequate rest for tissue repair. Therefore, it’s recommended that beginners do strength training 2–3 times a week. As you progress and become more advanced, the frequency of sessions can be increased, depending on the specific training method.
If you choose circuit training, which involves all muscle groups, 3 sessions per week is the optimal choice. In the case of split training, where different muscle groups are targeted in each session, you can train 4 to 5 times a week or even more. It’s important to avoid excessively long strength training sessions, as prolonged workouts lead to elevated cortisol production, which may inhibit muscle growth.
If your goal is rapid weight loss and you opt for aerobic training, you can increase the frequency of your workouts while keeping in mind the need for recovery. Experts suggest that you can train up to 5 times a week for one hour! In theory, there are no contraindications; however, in practice, many of us struggle to find the time. If this applies to you, it’s advisable to shorten the training duration while increasing the intensity. Varied training plans – such as longer endurance sessions, high-intensity intervals, or running strength training – can be equally effective. Consistency is crucial, so tailor the duration and intensity of sessions to your individual capabilities to prevent overtraining and discouragement.
What if you simply want to improve your well-being, enhance your fitness, or counteract the ailments associated with a sedentary lifestyle? In this scenario, short but regular training sessions, such as yoga or mobility exercises, can yield excellent results. Just 20–30 minute workouts performed three times a week are sufficient to strengthen the muscles that stabilize posture and enhance overall fitness. Incorporating activities like NEAT (walking, brisk marches, bike rides) can accelerate the results even more.
Tailor your training to your current abilities
General indications and recommendations are just a starting point. How often you can exercise – and consequently how quickly you achieve the desired results – depends on various individual factors. A crucial aspect is balancing training time with family, social, and professional life commitments. Since time is often limited, it’s important to consider the key elements of your lifestyle when planning your workouts:
- Diet. There are no shortcuts – your energy balance and body composition are primarily determined by the quality and quantity of the food you consume. Therefore, it’s better to maintain a balanced diet rather than adjusting the frequency of training to compensate for energy balance.
- Daily responsibilities. The nature of your work and lifestyle often plays a key role in determining the purpose, type, and frequency of physical activity. It’s essential to ensure that training is enjoyable, and avoid excessive stress, exhaustion, or overtraining.
- Level of advancement. Beginners are advised to train less frequently to allow their bodies to adapt to increased effort and focus on improving technique. Advanced athletes, on the other hand, can afford up to two workouts a day if they have the time.
- Circadian rhythm. Rest is just as crucial as the intensity and frequency of exercise for achieving optimal results. Workouts should align with your natural circadian rhythms. Evening sessions, in particular, may be counterproductive as they can elevate cortisol levels, potentially impairing sleep quality.
- Commitment. Workouts serve various purposes in people’s lives – they can be the primary form of physical activity, a supplement to another sport, a means of relaxation, or a passion that goes beyond just a hobby. Therefore, when planning the frequency of exercise, it’s advisable to align it with your personal motivation, commitment, and available time.
Physical activity is never a waste of time!
Although the optimal training frequency depends on many factors, scientists, trainers, and physically active people agree that any physical activity is better than none! Regardless of the duration or frequency of exercise, you will experience its positive effects on your health.
If you’re concerned about not having enough time to train regularly, here’s some good news. So-called weekend warriors – who engage in longer and more intense physical activities during their leisure time – can achieve health benefits comparable to those who exercise less intensively but more consistently throughout the week. So it turns out that the recommended levels of weekly physical activity are actually quite realistic. Every moment of exercise is a step toward improved health, enhanced fitness, and overall well-being. No matter the intensity or frequency of your workouts, remember that no activity is ever a waste of time.
References:
1) WHO guidelines for healthy living: WHO Europe 2021.
2) Dos Santos M., Ferrari G., Lee D. H. i inni, Association of the “Weekend Warrior” and Other Leisure-time Physical Activity Patterns With All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality. A Nationwide Cohort Study, JAMA Internal Medicine, 2022.
3) Schoenfeld B. J., Grgic J., Krieger J., How many times per week should a muscle be trained to maximize muscle hypertrophy? A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining the effects of resistance training frequency, Journal of Sports Sciences, 2019.
4) https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/benefits/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/pa-health/
5) https://www.acsm.org/education-resources/trending-topics-resources/physical-activity-guidelines
6) https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a44929530/how-many-days-a-week-work-out/
7) https://www.menshealth.com/uk/building-muscle/a758839/how-often-should-i-work-out-to-build-muscle/
8) https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults
9) https://www.sciencealert.com/how-often-should-you-exercise-to-get-in-shape-according-to-science
10) https://www.health.com/fitness/how-many-days-work-out