How often of work out in week exercise to get in shape myth?

[moonhill99]

I got into a dispute with my friend he was saying you can work on cardio and lift weights two or three times in a week!! I said that is pointless!! You need at least no less than 4 times a week to work on cardio and lift weights.

So what is the magic number? Well obvious MMA fighters and athletes work out everyday.

But working out two or three times in a week such seem silly. That is 4 to 5 days being couch potato if goal is to get in shape work on cardio and be lifting weights to build body muscles.

Well some other people say no less than three times in week, but even that seem too low and two times in week such seem pointless. Well if the magic number is no less than 4 times in week.

So what is the magic number? What should I say to him?

I'm bit confused now getting different numbers of working out in a week some say 3 and some say 4 or 5.

 

[JR 137]

Doing anything, even a few minutes once a week is better than nothing at all.

How often, how long, what intensity you work out at, and what type of exercise you do should be determined by your goals. Do you want to lose 5 lbs in a day, week, month or year? Do you want to put on 5 lbs of muscle in the afore mentioned time? Do you want to increase VO2 max (how efficiently your body uses oxygen)? Where are you now and where do you want to be, and when?

5 minutes once a week may seem pointless to 99% of the population. It might be realistic for the first few weeks for someone who's 700 lbs.

Again, something's better than nothing at all. The best thing is consistency, regardless of what you're doing.

 

[JP3]

Depends on the person and the individual's goals, I'd say.

For someone who is truly trying to maintain cardiovascular health, say... they can probably get by with 3 days per week, each week, of moderately intense cardio workouts. It won't rip/shred them up unless they are eating really, really well, but it would promote better heart health.

For lifting, to get big, I've heard a wide range of things, probably because people are so different and they eat differently. For me personally, what worked best was a 2-day on, day of rest, 2 days on, another day of rest, then the last 2 days on then 3 days off... repeated on and on. Tricky to schedule with a normal job, but with the work a day (24-hour shift), off two days schedule I had when I was a paramedic, it was perfect. I had the best muscular development during that phase of my life (call it 22 to 28).

 

[Tez3]

That is 4 to 5 days being couch potato

Why do you think that? The person could be doing jobs that require walking, lifting etc. they could be running up and down stairs, could be mothers looking after children and a home as well as working. don't assume that because someone isn't training all the time they are a 'couch potato'.

 

[marques]

Better 2 days a week forever, than 4 or 5 days for a while, until you get tired, injuries or starting having many schedule conflicts.

Some people already 'workout' in their professions, others are lucky enough to need less training for the same results. Also, how much training days is relative to what you want to achieve. 2-4 days a week seems reasonable for health purposes. If you want the 1st place in triathlon or wining the Mr Muscle Trophy, you may need 6 training days, plus a rigorous lifestyle.

No magic number.

 

[CB Jones]

I like to concentrate on each muscle group twice a week with 3 days rest in between.

And I run 2 - 3 times a week depending on my knee.

 

[Deleted member 34973]

I would say it depends, are you training as a profissional fighter or to stay profissionWhat activities are you involved in. What are your end goals.

I will try to find a link to an article I read in mens health(i believe)...that stated a lot of people workout way more than what is needed, for their specific lifestyle.

 

[punisher73]

What does it mean to be "in shape"? That is a very nebulous term. Do you just mean having a healthy bodyweight and heart rate/blood pressure? Do you mean being in shape for a particular sporting event (football, basketball, baseball etc)? All of those things require different levels of fitness to be in shape for the activity and what level you want to do it at.

If you are just talking about a basic baseline fitness, I believe that walking 30 minutes a day is enough to stay healthy along with a good and balanced diet.

 

[KangTsai]

Thrice a week is not unheard of for most people's lifting programs. I went to the gym about 2-3 times a week along with 2-3 MMA sessions so yeah. Never really did cardio in the gym except bagwork.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I got into a dispute with my friend he was saying you can work on cardio and lift weights two or three times in a week!! I said that is pointless!! You need at least no less than 4 times a week to work on cardio and lift weights.

So what is the magic number? Well obvious MMA fighters and athletes work out everyday.

But working out two or three times in a week such seem silly. That is 4 to 5 days being couch potato if goal is to get in shape work on cardio and be lifting weights to build body muscles.

Well some other people say no less than three times in week, but even that seem too low and two times in week such seem pointless. Well if the magic number is no less than 4 times in week.

So what is the magic number? What should I say to him?

I'm bit confused now getting different numbers of working out in a week some say 3 and some say 4 or 5.

It depends what your goal is. There is some evidence that 5 minutes of exercise (the right time) 5 times a week can have a significant positive impact on fitness. Will that get you to where you can run a Tough Mudder Half? No. But it will produce results. As will doing cardio 3 times a week. Or lifting once a week. Any schedule that pushes your limits - even a little - will produce results, compared to doing nothing.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I would say it depends, are you training as a profissional fighter or to stay profissionWhat activities are you involved in. What are your end goals.

I will try to find a link to an article I read in mens health(i believe)...that stated a lot of people workout way more than what is needed, for their specific lifestyle.

If you can find that, please do post that. I'm collecting some sources about amount of exercise for certain goals.

 

[JP3]

Why do you think that? The person could be doing jobs that require walking, lifting etc. they could be running up and down stairs, could be mothers looking after children and a home as well as working. don't assume that because someone isn't training all the time they are a 'couch potato'.

Indeed. Personally, I prefer the term Desk Jockey.

 

[Tez3]

Indeed. Personally, I prefer the term Desk Jockey.

When my children were young and I was also working 12 hour shifts ( days and nights) where I rarely saw a desk finding a couch would have been an unheard of luxury.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I divide my training into 2 parts.

1. cardio - running, stretching, MA solo drill, ...
2. weight - single head, double heads, heavy bag, other training equipment.

For example. this week, I'll do

1. Monday - cardio
2. Tuesday - weight
3. Wednesday - cardio
4. Thursday - weight
5. Friday - cardio

Next week I'll do

1. Monday - weight
2. Tuesday - cardio
3. Wednesday - weight
4. Thursday - cardio
5. Friday - weight

I had tried to do weight 3 days, and cardio 3 days. It's just too hard for my age. After my retirement I though I could have all the time in the world to train. My body just don't allow me to train that hard.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

What does it mean to be "in shape"?

Not from the health point of view but from the MA point of view. To be in shape to me mean

when you are

- young, you want to "develop" something. You want something to get better.
- old, you want to "maintain" something. You don't want something to get worse.

How much time and how hard do you have to work in order to achieve that?

 

[moonhill99]

What does it mean to be "in shape"? That is a very nebulous term. Do you just mean having a healthy bodyweight and heart rate/blood pressure? Do you mean being in shape for a particular sporting event (football, basketball, baseball etc)? All of those things require different levels of fitness to be in shape for the activity and what level you want to do it at.

If you are just talking about a basic baseline fitness, I believe that walking 30 minutes a day is enough to stay healthy along with a good and balanced diet.

Do they not say the average young person should be able to at least run one mile? If you cannot run at least one mile you are out of shape?

 

[moonhill99]

Thrice a week is not unheard of for most people's lifting programs. I went to the gym about 2-3 times a week along with 2-3 MMA sessions so yeah. Never really did cardio in the gym except bagwork.

I guess it well depends on how much muscle one wants to get. If one wants to to get some muscles 2 or 3 times week is enough of bodybuilding.

Now if one wants to get really big like guys you see in WWE 2 to 3 times week is just not going to do it. You have to at least 4 times in week or more of bodybuilding.

May be there are some bodybuilding builders on this forum that can give proper plan for the goal.

 

[Tez3]

Now if one wants to get really big like guys you see in WWE 2 to 3 times week is just not going to do it. You have to at least 4 times in week or more of bodybuilding.

That's their job though, they know exactly what they have to do to keep their jobs and it may well not be just going to the gym.

 

[Hyoho]

I did ten times a week. No cardio, no weights. Specific training related to my art. All a total waste of time anyway if you cant fight.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I did ten times a week. No cardio, no weights. Specific training related to my art. All a total waste of time anyway if you cant fight.

Fitness is not only about fighting, though.