If you’re a beginner gym enthusiast, you’ll ask yourself a question: How Long Should I Spend At The Gym?
Even though important, the question is baseless if you have no idea about your fitness goals, fitness level, schedule, and diet plan.
Therefore, to answer, how long you should be at the gym, understand the time and effort you need to put into workouts.
Rookies are usually worried about their workouts being enough. Ultimately, they start an unhealthy competition against the guy at the gym who’s been doing it for ages.
And that’s natural—trying to make rapid progress and feeling anxious about the outcome in the gym usually cause overtraining.
Usually, personal trainers recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity for 75 minutes per week. You can also combine strength training exercises twice weekly for more fruitful results.
However, effective gym time depends on individual to individual based on many factors, including fitness level, fitness goals, and the type of workouts you’re aiming for.
What Factors Determine Your Gym Time?
The amount of time to spend at the gym depends on many things. Here are a few factors that can help you determine your gym workout duration.
Fitness Level
Your current fitness level makes a whole lot of difference in determining the duration of gym workouts. If you’re a beginner trying to navigate through your fitness journey, working out for an hour every day might be too much for your body. When a beginner works out for long periods every day, they are at a greater risk of injuries and burnout.
Therefore, for beginners, professional trainers recommend starting with short workouts at least 30 minutes long.
You can increase the intensity and duration of your time at the gym when your strength starts to build gradually.
Type Of Workout
One of the major factors that determines how much time you should spend at the gym is the type of workout you’re aiming for.
For cardiovascular exercises, such as running, cycling, or using a treadmill and ellipticals, aim for 30 minutes an hour of moderate to vigorous exercise. However, for strength training, aim for at least 45 minutes and allow yourself an adequate amount of rest between the sets for muscle recovery.
Before opting for a lengthy gym session, it’s important to consider your office timings and other details. Making time for the gym can be a challenge, but with careful planning, it’s manageable. It will allow you to schedule your high-intensity workouts on weekdays and low-intensity workouts on weekends, so you can spend your sweet time at the gym.
Recent and Upcoming Workouts
If you’re combining cardio and strength training, your exercise session duration may last for 60 to 90 minutes.
Advanced workouts, combining strength and cardio training, can take longer than standard routines.
While your typical recent workout might be 30-45 minutes, advanced workouts take 60-90 minutes. This extended time is due to:
- Longer Workouts: The advanced sessions involve more complex exercises and require more sets.
- Proper Rest and Recovery: Advanced training prioritizes proper rest between sets for muscle recovery and injury prevention.
- Setup and Cleanup: It may take more time to collect equipment, adjust weights or machines, sanitize before and after use, and put everything back in its place.
Amount of Rest Time
Rest time may sound and seem unproductive at the gym. But trust us… nothing compares to rest when it comes to achieving your fitness goals.
Especially in strength training exercises when you’re pushing your limits to the fullest, rest is crucial for muscle recovery. For example, if you’re having a 40-minute weight lifting session, it’s important to rest for 3 minutes after each rep to stretch, rest, and recover your muscles.
Is There a Standard Guideline for Workout Duration?
No!
Just like there’s no definite answer to, “When Is The Best Time To Go To The Gym”, there’s no one answer to, “How long should you be at the gym?”
The workout duration depends on many factors, including your fitness goals and objectives.
For example, if you want to lose weight, the workout and diet plan will be entirely different from the one who wants to gain muscle mass.
According to Healthline, you should try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of hard exercise per week. After high-intensity workouts like weightlifting, your body may benefit from 1–2 days of rest.
Duration Guidelines for Different Workout Types
As mentioned earlier, the gym workout session duration depends on the type of workout you’re aiming for. Here’s a general guideline for how long you should workout at the gym for various workout types.
Effective Duration for General Aerobic Sessions: Up to 60 Minutes
Aerobic sessions include brisk walking, swimming, biking, dancing, and other low-impact exercises, ideal for people of all ages.
Effective aerobic sessions can be done anywhere with little to no equipment and improve your cardiovascular health, muscle strength, and body composition.
The effective duration for general aerobic sessions is up to 60 minutes.
Strength Training: Sessions Lasting 30-60 Minutes
If you want to improve your muscular health, endurance, and flexibility, invest up to 30 to 60 minutes in weight lifting for effective results.
You can use free weights at the gym, weight machines, or your body weight in the form of various exercises, including planks and squats for resistance.
Quick HIIT Sessions: Approximately 10 Minutes
HIIT sessions are always quick, short bursts of intense workouts, ideal for your busy days and weekdays.
You should at least invest 10 minutes in HIIT sessions with periods of rest to burn calories and improve cardiovascular health while also recovering your muscles in a short time.
Reasons to Increase Your Gym Time
If you’re hitting the gym only once a week and spending just a few minutes, consider increasing your gym time for the outstanding physical, mental, and emotional benefits.
Cardiovascular Disease
Regular exercise is proven to strengthen your heart and improve blood circulation. This prevents the potential risks of heart disease, strokes, and high blood pressure.
Improve Mental Health
Exercise has superior benefits for mental health because it releases the happy hormones—endorphins.
Endorphins are responsible for boosting your mood and alleviating symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression.
Improved Sleep
Forget lavender oils and teas, exercise regularly for at least a month and see how you sleep peacefully at night.
Better Immunity
When you exercise regularly, your body produces more white blood cells that fight off infection and illness, improving your immunity and keeping you away from deadly diseases.
Help Maintain A Healthy Body Weight
Regular exercise burns calories and builds muscle mass to aid weight management and a healthy metabolism.
Increased energy levels
With stronger muscles, you get enhanced coordination that helps prevent falls and injuries and combat fatigue to improve your overall energy levels throughout the day.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, there’s no one answer to, “How much time should I spend at the gym?”
The only answer to maintaining your fitness journey and going after your goals is consistency and prioritizing health and exercise in your daily routine.
Experts recommend investing 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity for 75 minutes per week in combination with strength training exercises twice a week for more fruitful results.
Always remember to start slow and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workout sessions as per your needs.
If you’re a beginner, stick to your workout gym routine and consult a trainer to avoid injuries and burnout.
FAQS
Is 2 Hours In The Gym Too Much?
Yes, 2 hours in the gym regularly or even twice a week can be too much to handle. If you want to increase your physical activity, you can always try alternatives such as brisk walking or yoga.
In general, we recommend aiming for at least 45 minutes of high-quality exercise that combines cardio and strength training.
Is It Ok To Go To The Gym 2 Times A Day?
According to Live Science, regular exercise is beneficial, but exercising for too long and too often may lead to unnecessary stress and also increase the risk of overtraining syndrome and injuries.
Is 2 Rest Days A Week Too Much?
No, generally, taking at least one or two days rest a week is recommended by the professionals.
Is It Bad To Go To The Gym Twice A Day?
It’s not bad to go to the gym twice a day, but it can be too much stress and a burden on your body. Therefore, sticking to the gym once a day is ideal to start a sustainable fitness journey.
How Many Hours Should I Spend In The Gym A Week?
According to the National Institute of Health, the ideal duration of exercise per week is 5 to 10 hours of moderate physical activity.
How Many Minutes Should You Work Out A Day?
Experts recommend investing 30 to 40 minutes of exercise a day to stay healthy, young, and fresh.
What Is The Ideal Gym Workout Duration?
The general gym workout duration is 30 to 30 minutes per session. However, the ideal duration depends on your fitness goals, objectives, and preferences.
