How often should I be working out?

We know that movement is medicine, and working out is good for us – but how often should we be doing it? What is the magic number? 

You can probably guess the answer here, because it’s usually the truth: it depends. 

Many people (usually selling you something) would have you believe that they know the magic number; that if you just do X type of workout Y number of times per week, all your troubles will be cured and your dreams will come true. 

However, humans are wildly diverse - we come in all shapes and sizes, all ages, all levels of experience, all patchwork patterns of injuries, talents, abilities, goals, and preferences. Not to mention, the workouts we’re doing will vary in intensity, duration, and recovery. 

That means that a “one size fits all” recommendation simply isn’t possible. A person just starting out with exercise shouldn’t work out as often as a professional athlete. A new parent might have to adjust their schedule compared to their lives before kids. There is no single amount of workouts/week that works for every person. 

So what’s to be done? Well, we can’t speak to every type of workout, so if your goal is something specific - like, hit a PR with your next marathon - we recommend seeking out an expert in that field to guide you. 

If your goal is to achieve well-rounded fitness (including cardiovascular endurance and strong muscles), then we highly recommend a guided workout that includes cardio, strength, and resistance training, like RiseUp. If you’re just starting out, we’ve seen the best results with three classes per week. 

Once you’re feeling established and confident, you can feel free to incorporate more, as long as you continue to nourish your body and pay attention to your recovery. If you ever want to speak with one of the trainers about more specifically tailored goal-setting, don’t hesitate to reach out! 

Haven’t been to RiseUp yet, but ready to get started on your fitness journey? Try a free class here!