How often should you work out?

How many days a week should you work out?

Short answer: three to six days per week is appropriate for most people, and it's probably the right answer for you.

We get this question a lot, and it really comes down to everyone's favorite answer: it depends.

What does it depend on?

How many days per week you should work out depends on several things:

1. Where are you in your fitness journey (how much training experience do you have)?
2. What are your training goals?
3. How well do you manage your recovery?

Let's look at each of those in a little more detail.

How much training experience do you have?

There's no need to overcomplicate this as some people like to do. Categorize yourself into one of three areas:

• Beginner: Less than 4 months of working out.
• Intermediate: Consistently working out 3+ days per week for at least 4 months.
• Experienced: Consistently working out 4+ days per week for at least 2 years.

What are your training goals?

One of my favorite things about CrossFit is how all of us can use CrossFit to achieve our own goals even if those goals are very different. Some of the different training goals are...

• Weight loss and/or regain lost fitness. This is probably the most common initial goal as people start working out and paying attention to what they eat.
• General fitness and health maintenance. This is probably the most common training goal across all levels of people who work out after they have been consistently working out for a few years (not just in CrossFit gyms). This is for people who generally want to maintain health and fitness levels. People with this goal usually are not trying to increase strength or endurance significantly.
• Increase performance. People with this goal want to either gain strength, improve endurance, or a combination of both. (Yes, it's 100% possible to improve both in the same program - I'm evidence of that myself.)
• Competition. Some people have a goal of competing. This can be anything from improving their score in the CrossFit Open to getting to Quarterfinals (or higher) to competing at Hyrox to Spartan Races and on and on. Competition can be a great goal for people from their teens to their 80's. Some of the age-group athletes in CrossFit do incredible things in the age 70+ division.

Recovery plays a key role

Any discussion about training volume and frequency must include a discussion about recovery. As training volume increases, you also have to get better at recovery. This definitely includes getting adequate sleep (both quantity and quality), and it also includes nutrition, mobility, and mindset.

The beginner's trap

People new to working out need at least three training sessions per week to allow their body to adapt to the "new normal." This is probably one of the most misunderstood aspects of getting started with working out. People who are new to working out will sometimes feel soreness after a session and believe that they need to rest until the soreness is completely gone. This results in only 1 or 2 sessions per week. When the frequency is that low, the cycle is never-ending. There is some discomfort as you get started with working out. Movement helps with the discomfort, and it will go away. Stay consistent and you'll be through that initial soreness phase in just a few weeks.

Putting it all together

Three to 6 training sessions per week is the right choice for just about everyone. This more ambitious the goal and the more training experience you have, the higher the frequency. So, if you're new to working out or just starting back after a long break, 3 sessions per week is probably your best choice. After 1 - 2 months of consistently doing three sessions per week, add in a 4th session.

If you've been consistent for several months at 3 - 4 sessions per week, and you want to improve your performance and/or change your body composition, 5 sessions per week is probably a good choice for you assuming you have sufficient recovery each week and you're dialed in in your nutrition.

If you're an experienced athlete with a goal of improving performance, you can experiment with 6 sessions per week. This comes with a caveat, though: you must stay tuned in to your body and ensure you're recovery and nutrition are both at a high performance level.

Bottom line: listen to your body. If you're just starting out, be consistent at 3 - 4 sessions per week while modifying your intensity level during workouts when needed.

The original CrossFit design

CrossFit's original training tempo was 4 days on and 1 day off. While this is a good option, it doesn't fit neatly into a week, so it's practicality is limited for those of us with a weekly schedule.

What's right for you?

Our coaches can help you clarify your goal and pair that with a training frequency that's just right for you. Click the button below to schedule your time with a coach today.

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P.S. The accompanying photo is Dakota asking you to really think about how many training sessions per week are right for you. Once you decide, she wants you to commit to it. If you need help working out a plan, Dakota's dad (Charles) is happy to help!