How often should you exercise in the gym?

For most ordinary fitness enthusiasts who do not have special competitive needs, going 3-5 times a week is currently the most agreed-upon and most cost-effective range. It can not only ensure sufficient training stimulation, but also prevent sports injuries due to insufficient recovery.

However, this number is not stuck. In fact, the controversy about frequency in the fitness circle has never stopped. There is a group of people who focus on "efficiency first" and think that three times a week is enough. Each time, all muscle groups are trained according to the whole-body training arrangement, and the remaining time is reserved for muscle repair. On the contrary, it is more effective than random frequency. I used to know a brother who worked in an Internet factory who worked on products. He usually worked overtime so much that he could only squeeze in 1.5 hours each on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights to go to the gym. He practiced according to the whole-body differentiation plan. In one year, his body fat dropped from 24 to 17, and his total weight in the three major items increased by almost 120 pounds. For him, this frequency is just suitable for his work rhythm, and he can't spare the time even once more.

There is also a group of people who follow the "high frequency and low intensity" route and feel that as long as the intensity is properly controlled, it is absolutely fine to practice 6 days a week or even every day. There is a retired Aunt Zhang in the gym downstairs of my home. She comes to the gym for 40 minutes every morning, does light weight exercises for shoulders and back for 20 minutes in the strength area, and then rides on the elliptical machine for 20 minutes. After practicing for almost three years, the old problem of lumbar protrusion that was so serious that she had to be hospitalized has been relieved a lot. She has never been overtrained. For her, going to the gym is like going downstairs for a walk. It is already a part of daily leisure, and there is no need to limit the frequency.

In fact, the most common pitfalls are the novices who have just applied for the card. In the first two weeks, they are so enthusiastic that they go to the gym every day and train hard on the same part, until they can’t lift their arms. Last month, I met a little girl who developed tendonitis during shoulder training. Her arms hurt so much that she had to struggle to put on clothes. It took more than half a month to rest, and all the training effects she had made before were lost.

To put it bluntly, the frequency of exercise is just like eating. If you have strong digestion ability, you can eat four meals a day without bloating. If you have weak digestion ability, you have to eat three meals a day to be eighty percent full, and stuffing it will only hurt your stomach. If you are really not sure what frequency is suitable for you, you might as well try it out from 3 times a week first. After practicing for two months, you will feel very relaxed the next day after each exercise. Then increase it to 4 or 5 times and slowly adjust it. There is no need to copy the training schedule of Internet celebrities. After all, fitness is to serve life. You cannot make yourself exhausted every day just to make up for the number of times, but you will not be able to persist.