Ask A Coach: How many days per week should you exercise?

How Many Days Per Week Should You Exercise?

The answer to this question depends on your goals and your current fitness level. Generally, exercising 2-3 times per week is ideal for beginners who are trying to improve their overall health. This can include activities such as walking, cycling, swimming and gardening. Anything that is low impact in nature and can get your body accustomed to exercising. Resistance training should also be incorporated into your schedule 2-3 times per week as well. This will allow you to build muscle mass and increase your overall strength.

For those who have more experience, 3-4 times per week of resistance training along with active rest days is optimal. The increase in resistance training frequency will maximize your opportunity for muscle growth and building strength. On the active rest days, low impact activities are highly encouraged to mitigate soreness and improve your overall fitness. The goal of active rest days is to keep your body active without adding excessive strain on the muscles you have been building in your resistance training days.

There are many benefits to performing light exercise on days you are not resistance training. Active rest days can improve your blood circulation, allowing for more oxygen and nutrients to reach your muscles. It can also help flush out lactic acid buildup, which helps with muscle stiffness.