Health Benefits Of Working Out Twice A Week

One of the first things that a client will ask me after our free consultation is, “how many times should I come a week, and how should I schedule?” Let’s tackle the very loaded question on “how many times a week should I come?” I say it’s loaded because there are so very many factors that contribute to that answer, and the answer will absolutely not be the same for every client.

However, before we dive deep into the specific topic of “how many times should I workout,” I want to review how we’re putting our clients, and our staff’s health first during COVID-19

As mentioned in previous blogs, being closed for 3 months gave us an amazing opportunity (trying to find silver linings in this world we live in) to make some serious changes to our business. 

Haven’t had a chance to read our other blogs? Check them out here:

• How We’re Keeping You Safe As We Reopen After COVID-19
• Our Clean Building Thanks To Rainbow International

Most of the changes do not impact our clients but this one does. Nick and I spent many hours discussing the best way to implement this change and keep our little studio feeling like home and continue to foster our community. The way we decided to do this is to require a commitment from our clients in order to train with us at Peak Physique Fitness. What does this look like you ask? When you become a client with us we now ask you to either commit to 12 weeks, 24 weeks, or 52 weeks. 

There are several reasons for this and the first is about making progress and change. I promise you are not going to see major progress in 4 weeks and I would not be doing my job as a trainer if I promised you that you would. Will your body start to feel better and not fight against you quite so much? Absolutely! But if you walk away after 4 weeks, you most likely will slip back into habits and go right back to where you started. I’ve done it, Nick has done, and countless clients have done. We aren’t here to be that trainer anymore that is going to let you off the hook. We are here to see this through with you, make progress, and tackle your goals. That is just not going to happen in 4 weeks. By asking for your commitment to us we are actually asking you to commit to yourself and a healthier way of living. Please let us know if you have any questions during this transition.

How Many Times A Week Should I Workout

So back to the sessions and how many times a week should you come. The truth is, it absolutely 100% depends on YOU. It depends quite a bit on your past exercise experience; for example, if you’ve been working out on your own before coming to see us that’s a different situation than someone who is brand new. 

Is your body used to exercise, and you want help fine-tune form and learn some new amazing things about your body? Then heck yea…get that booty in here 3-4 times a week, and we’ll make sure to get it nice and toned. 

However, if you are an exercise newbie, starting out at three sessions a week may be a bit much for your body. And believe it or not we love clients that are new to exercise. It gives us a chance to start fresh and teach you the correct form from the start. 

Importance Of Recovery

In my opinion, recovery is a critical factor in your workout schedule. In fact, recovery from exercise is equally important to the exercise itself. With someone new, I will usually suggest twice a week with two days between sessions to allow for proper recovery. Our muscles need to rest and repair before they’re ready to do it again. Without proper recovery, we’re risking injury and fatigue. 

We want you to have a fantastic workout every single time you walk through our doors. Will that happen? Most likely no, we are human, and we all have bad days, and sometimes when it’s time to work out, it can be hard to push ourselves. However, if that feeling hits and your muscles are sore, and your body is exhausted, it’s nearly impossible to get the most out of your training. 

Your Age Could Determine Workout Frequency

Related to recovery, another factor to consider is a client’s age. As we age, it can take our bodies a bit longer to recover than it did previously. Does this mean if you’re over 60 years old, you can’t experience the health benefits of working out, or you’ll only work out twice a week? Nope! 

What it means is that we’ll start at two times a week and continue to make progress until your body is ready for three sessions a week. And like I mentioned before, it will be different for everyone. It’s also so important to remember that progress is never a straight line. Some weeks may be more taxing than others, and our goal is for our clients to learn to listen to what their body is telling them and honor that.

Health Benefits Of Working Out

Now that you understand some of the factors that go into determining how many times a week you should work out let’s go through some of the specific benefits to working out.

Controlling Your Weight

Along with diet, working out plays a role in controlling how much you weigh, if that’s a factor that matters to you. The number on your scale doesn’t necessarily mean you’re healthy or unhealthy, but if you feel that you’re overweight and you want to start working out, doing it multiple times a week will give you more benefits than just doing it once a week.

Reduce Heart Diseases

Staying active strengthens and keeps your heart healthy and improves your blood circulation. All of this lowers your risk for heart attacks or coronary artery disease. By exercising regularly, you’re helping to raise the oxygen levels in your body through increased blood flow.

Improve Mental Health And Mood

When you exercise, your body releases chemicals that improve your mood and help you relax. Doing this often can help you deal with stress in a healthy manner. Sometimes referred to as a ‘runner’s high,’ it’s definitely real and can help your mood.

Not only does working out often help your mood, but it also helps keep your thinking, judgment, and learning skills sharp as you age. 

Start Working Out Today

With our new pricing structure and commitment-based plans, clients are able to choose how many sessions a week fit best for their schedule, lifestyle, and goals. And the best part is that we structured it so if you start twice a week and progress as we expect to see and want to come a third day, we can easily adjust and make sure we can work together successfully to accomplish your goals.

If you are interested in finding out the best routine for your body and explore the health benefits of working out, please give us a call to set up a free consultation and free workout. We’d love to show you our home away from home.