Exercise in itself is a point of contention for many. Yes everyone should exercise, but how should you do it? Between cardio, strength training, stretching and rest, there’s a lot to consider. This is a handy article on how often you should exercise.
Strength Training
According to experts, the perfect amount of time to do strength training is 3-4 times a week, as a benefit of strength training is that you actually burn more calories daily the more muscle you have. Yes, the more you build up resistance the easier everything becomes, causing a snowball effect.
Three to four times a week is the sweet spot, as that is when the best results are achieved. Why exactly that amount of times? Well, almost every single exercise program on Earth is based about doing weight training this many times a week. One reason this may be is because rest is very important and always needed, and doing strength training with one day in-between reached 4 days, 3 if you don't want to do anything on the weekends. Strength training on back-to-back days results in more fatigue, and fatigue leads ineffective and sloppy workouts.
Cardio Training
As far as cardio training? Some sources suggest that you should do it 2-4 times in a week. Cardio helps the circulatory system, recovery and longevity. The myriad number of ways to work out through cardio also helps keep up the variety, so you will not be bored so easily. One way to keep track during cardio workouts is to monitor your heart rate, as hitting the sweet spot of beats per minute helps ensure you're in peak fat burning mode.
Rest
With all of this exercise, is there time to rest? Better believe it. Some say resting is actually the most important (non)-activity of all. Resting two days per week will keep you in top shape, deal with fatigue, and recover mentally, as well as physically. Sometimes the constant grind can be tedious. It is important to live a balanced life where some days the best exercise to do is absolutely none of it. Give your body time to recover, along with plenty of sleep and all of the gains will take care of themselves. Also remember to properly warm up and stretch to prevent injury and keep you on the right schedule.
Your personal fitness goals will make a difference in terms of your specific workout plan. For example, if you’re trying to build muscle, you might do more weightlifting than cardio. However, you might focus more on cardio if you’re trying to burn fat. If you’re trying to find a workout plan that works best for you, talk to a fitness professional for advice tailored to your needs.
