Embracing an active lifestyle offers significant physical and mental advantages, as regular exercise elevates your heart rate and engages your body, thereby reducing the risk of various diseases and health conditions.
However, findings from a 2020 YouGov survey highlight a concerning trend: on average, a quarter of Britons (27 per cent) fail to complete even a single 30-minute exercise session per week.
Despite the NHS’s recommendation that adults engage in daily physical activity, ranging from moderate activities like brisk walking to more vigorous exercises such as running, determining the appropriate amount of exercise for individual fitness goals can be challenging. Each person has unique needs and abilities, making it difficult to ascertain the ideal exercise regimen.
To address this challenge, Kunal Makwana, a personal trainer and director of KMAK Fitness, provides guidance on establishing effective and enjoyable workout routines while ensuring balance and safety.
How Many Days a Week Should You Exercise?
While the NHS advises incorporating physical activity into your daily routine, it doesn’t necessarily mean engaging in intense workouts or lengthy runs every single day.
According to Makwana, it’s ideal to aim for three to four training sessions per week. He suggests that exceeding this frequency may not be necessary, as adequate time for recovery is essential for optimal results.
To prevent overexertion and reduce the risk of injury, it’s advisable to distribute your exercise sessions evenly throughout the week. This approach ensures a balanced workout routine while minimizing the likelihood of strain or overuse injuries.
How Long Should Your Workouts Be?
Contrary to common belief, achieving fitness doesn’t necessarily require lengthy workout sessions. In fact, exercising for extended periods can lead to fatigue, increasing the risk of injury due to compromised form or reduced focus.
Makwana suggests that workouts should ideally last no more than 90 minutes. For individuals with busy schedules, he recommends aiming for a duration of 60 to 90 minutes. The emphasis should be on efficiency, with the goal of completing the session effectively within a reasonable timeframe.
Spending excessively long durations, such as two to three hours, is generally unproductive, particularly for individuals managing busy lifestyles. Keeping workouts within the 60 to 90-minute range allows for effective training while accommodating other commitments.
What Is a Good Way for a Beginner to Get into Exercise?
According to Makwana, weight training serves as an excellent entry point for newcomers to exercise. Also referred to as resistance or strength training, this method utilizes weights to enhance muscle strength. However, Makwana cautions against beginners attempting to embark on weight training independently.
«We would recommend starting with classes,» Makwana advises. «This allows you to become acquainted with communities, make new friends, and receive guidance simultaneously.»
Can you weight train two or three days in a row?
It’s not advisable to engage in weight training on consecutive days because your muscles require adequate time to recover between workouts.
«We would recommend having at least a one-day gap between training sessions to facilitate more efficient recovery, especially early in your fitness journey,» advises Makwana.
He suggests incorporating a blend of weight training and cardio exercises into your routine, although it’s not necessary to perform cardio simultaneously with weight training.
How important is sleep to your fitness routine?
«Sleep constitutes 33 percent of your life,» emphasizes Makwana, highlighting the crucial role sleep plays in recovery and improving workout performance.
A disrupted sleep pattern can also trigger food cravings, hindering weight loss efforts, he notes.
Research indicates that sleep deprivation can alter levels of appetite-regulating hormones in the body, leading to increased hunger.
How can you ensure you’re seeing results from your exercise routine?
After defining your exercise goals and settling into a suitable workout regimen, Makwana recommends a simple yet effective strategy: «progressively increase your load each week.»
This entails adding an extra repetition or incorporating additional weight into your exercises on a weekly basis. By consistently challenging yourself in this manner, you can enhance your performance and witness tangible results from your workouts.
Makwana emphasizes that this approach can be sustained over the long term, serving as a reliable method for continual improvement in weight training.