Frequency of work outs

[jackfaire]

Okay so I started a gym membership, finally, and the problem is how to balance going to the gym with work and my personal life.

So I ask you is it better to work out M-F 30 to 60 minutes each day or to work out for a few hours on Sat and Sun?

Thoughts?

[BlaqueKatt]

So I ask you is it better to work out M-F 30 to 60 minutes each day or to work out for a few hours on Sat and Sun?

Thoughts?

well current medical literature recommends 30 minutes a day minimum, 5 days a week, trying to crush that all into two days would likely not be as helpful, and would either overtax ones body or due to not wanting to overdo it would be less than optimal.

[anakhouri]

I vote for M-F. For me, if I miss even a few days of a workout, it's really hard to get back into things and I am really stiff afterward. If I do my 60 minutes or so every day, I am fine. It would be much more difficult for me to do 2-3 hours a day for a weekend (not to mention I would have trouble finding 2 or 3 hours to myself; getting up way early before the kid does afrords me about an hour!).

[Andara Bledin]

I depends a lot on what sort of workout, what your normal schedule is, how good you are at sticking to a schedule, and what sort of results you want.

One thing you might want to do, now that you've got the membership, is talk to a trainer to work out what sort of schedule would be most effective for the results you want and check to see if there are any scheduled classes or sessions that you want to take part in.

^-.-^

[Greenday]

Monday through Friday is probably better. It puts your body into more of a routine than a Saturday-Sunday workout would.

[Silverharp]

Also if you are able to I would schedule a checkup at the 30 day mark.
IT's a good idea to do cardio each day with weightlifting every other day. If you insist on every day on weightlifting you should concetrate on different muscle groups each day to avoid strain and give them time to heal.
A good rule to remember is the guys who are built like tanks and work out a couple of hours a day 5 days a week have been doing this for YEARS and their bodies are used to the strain

[Rapscallion]

well current medical literature recommends 30 minutes a day minimum, 5 days a week

Last I heard it was twenty. That was some time ago, I have to admit. Any idea when they change their minds?

Rapscallion

[crashhelmet]

It depends on what your goals are.

If you're looking to just lose weight, 6 hours of cardio a week is ideal, along with a proper diet. That can be broken up however you like, but try and stay uniform with it. 1 hour at a time, per day. 30 minutes in the morning and another 30 in the evening. 2 hours every other day. However you want to do it.

If you're looking to tone muscle, 3 days lifting is ideal (M-W-F, for example) but still keep your 6 hours of cardio through the week. If that means having nothing but cardio days, that's fine.

If you're looking to gain muscle, you're looking at 5-6 days a week, staggered. 2 days lifting, 1 day off.

With all of that said, start at whatever pace you can handle. Don't push yourself beyond your means

[jackfaire]

Since my OP I actually found there is a gym in my new office building so have been able to workout M-F without sacrificing any time spent having to go to a third location out of my way from getting home.

I tend to work out on the elliptical machine and then do some of the leg and arm weights, the kind attached to the machines that have you do various arm and leg extensions or curls. Really my time in the gym is other than my walking to the Max about the only time I am doing active stuff.

I am thinking I need to find more activities that get me up and moving about honestly. I don't even go to the store for anything less than grocery shopping most of my errands are done over the internet to save me the time so I can spend most of my free time in pleasurable pursuits instead of having to run errands. I am trying to lead a more active outdoor lifestyle.

Today for example I was supposed to head to the park, but it's raining, to read. Basically it means that right now the gym is supposed to make up for an almost total lack of physical activity on my part as I work a desk job and my after work activities until recently have all been hanging out with friends in the digital world as most of them no longer live in the area.

[anakhouri]

Do you watch movies or have a show you watch regularly? Buy some hand weights and do arm stuff while it's on, or do leg lifts or whatever the exercise of your choice is. Park way back from your office building so you have to walk. Take the stairs rather than the elevator. There's all sorts of little things you can do to keep active here and there, just keep an eye out for them.

[Andara Bledin]

Actually, parking in the outer reaches and walking can actually save time, too, in crowded lots like the grocery store as you'd just park and go rather than having to get around everybody else who wants a close spot and then hoping you find one.

My mom does the workout thing with a jar of vinegar while watching tv, and it works really well to keep her arms toned and eat up random calories.

I want to get myself a foot pedal set so that I can do that while, say, posting to my favorite forums.

^-.-^

[Bloodsoul]

I've been trying to get fit again and I've personally found it much easier if I don't watch or read anything while doing so, less I get too distracted.

Listening to Alice in Chains "Nothing Safe: The Best of the Box" actually helps because the beat of some of their songs really gets the idea of "pumping iron" flowing through my head.

[powerboy]

As everyone else said. Monday - Fridays is the best option.