How Often Should You Workout?
That’s a question you’ll hear bouncing around all the time in some form or another. I once heard it as scorn:
“You only worked out for an hour?” said an old gym partner with a laugh and a shake of his head. Then he went on to curl dumbbells for half an hour. The only thing this person consistently did in his routine was skipping a workout day.
You’ll also see many people sitting on their phones, chatting or taking photos, or scrolling through social media. Most people would rather post about being at the gym than actually be at the gym. Do you see the dilemma?
People confuse quantity for quality all the time. One hour of a solid workout will always be superior to two-three hours of half-assing things and lack of direction. Which reminds me of one of my favorite quotes:
“Never half ass two things. Whole ass one thing.”
There’s a distinct difference between how much time you can and how much time you need to put into the gym.
To hit our goals, let’s say we need two hours at the gym, three times a week. Doesn’t sound too bad right? But throw in work, kids, responsibilities… and suddenly time has evaporated. We know how many hours we need to put in, but there just isn’t enough hours in the day.
At this point, we look at priorities.
How important is lifting for you? You know the benefits (healthier, stronger, more energy), but how does that compare to: partying, eating, drowning in nachos in front of a big screen? Why not both?
Unless you’re working two jobs and going to school at the same time or raising three kids as a single parent while balancing a day job, it’s highly unlikely that you have no time at all to put into the gym. Nine out of ten times, it’s that most people don’t want to put time/effort into the gym and they only use being “busy” as an excuse. If I had more time, I’d workout too. Nine out of ten people who say that will never have enough time.
Even then, even if your schedule is packed tighter than the gym on New Year’s Day, there’s still some time. Most college campuses have gyms. There are local gyms in every neighborhood in most cities. All you have to do is dedicate some time to growth, to change. You need to sort your priorities.
Which brings me back to that guy asking, “Only an hour?”
How much do you really need? One hour is plenty if you remain focused and vigilant. Don’t be in the gym to say you’re in the gym. Be in the gym to make use of what it provides. If you can squeeze an hour, at least three times a week, then you’re golden. Bonus points if you use that hour during off peak hours (think early morning or late at night before the gym closes). There will be fewer people there and minimal waiting time for barbells or machines. The only people who show up at these hours are focused people, so you’ll be in good company.
And lift alone. If you go with a friend or a posse, the time needed for each workout will multiply by the number of people with you. Three people squatting? It’ll take three times as long for your group to finish than if you’d done it alone. Not to mention all the extra time chatting and adjusting the weights for one another.
I’m not knocking lifting as a social activity. I love working out with people and talking with them during rest periods. If you have the time for it, then do it. If you’re complaining about time, I don’t want to see you chatting someone’s ear off.
So how often should you work out?
As often as you can, keeping in mind how often you need to be there.
Sort out your priorities. Stop making excuses. I’ll see you at the gym.