How long should I be at the gym?

iheartmy1dog

I go to the gym every other day for strength training... I'm wondering if there is a certain amount of time I should spend there? What's considered too much? Does it stop being beneficial after so long.. More isn't really better?

Thanks for any advice!

DavPul

I go to the gym every other day for strength training... I'm wondering if there is a certain amount of time I should spend there? What's considered too much? Does it stop being beneficial after so long.. More isn't really better?

Thanks for any advice!

how long does it take to complete the total amount of sets and reps in the program that you're following?



....wait, you are using a solid, full body resistance training program, aren't you? you aren't just going in and winging it, doing a lil of this and a lil of that, are you? hello? is this thing on?

Hauntinglyfit

I go to the gym every other day for strength training... I'm wondering if there is a certain amount of time I should spend there? What's considered too much? Does it stop being beneficial after so long.. More isn't really better?

Thanks for any advice!

how long does it take to complete the total amount of sets and reps in the program that you're following?



....wait, you are using a solid, full body resistance training program, aren't you? you aren't just going in and winging it, doing a lil of this and a lil of that, are you? hello? is this thing on?

I follow the boys around and do what they're doing. Except that thing where they lift the barbell off the floor, because ewww calluses.

srogers89

I honestly ask myself the same thing sometimes! I am on a low weight training program and I do my cardio twice a week outside of the gym. I am usually there between 35 mins to an hour (usually an hour on days where I do abs). I don't really fluff around and I get in do my thing and get out! I usually do between 6-8 exercises at 3-4 reps each depending on what I am doing.

I have to say when I go with my partner or friends I am there longer, I guess because you chat, take your time between sets.

thatbelinda

When I do weights I take half an hour. I do this twice a week with a personal trainer.

Not to say that is the best or only way to do it, but that's what's worked for me.

ElliottTN

I've heard some people preach under an hour, some say under 45. I just get what I need to get done and leave. End of story.

Aerosam

I do free weights at home and spend around an hour completing my workout which usually consists of 10-12 excercises, 30 reps each done in sets of 10 reps with 1min - 90secs rest between each set.

I alternate between upper and lower body, trying to do at least 3 sessions per week, fitting around my lifestyle (having 2 very young daughters makes you incredibly busy) but if I complete my workout in under an hour, I usually put a few more excercises in there to fill the time up, and up the weight next time.

For cardio I cycle to work and back, about 12km each way, once or twice a week, swim once or twice a week and am just getting back into running after a lay up from a knee injury.

pandorakick

I go to the gym every other day for strength training... I'm wondering if there is a certain amount of time I should spend there? What's considered too much? Does it stop being beneficial after so long.. More isn't really better?

Thanks for any advice!

You only need the time it takes you to do al sets and adequate rest in between for the program you're doing. Most programs will take about 45-60 minutes per workout. If you are not yet following a solid program with progression built in, I strongly advise you to start one. Good starter programs for strength training are Starting Strength, Strong Lifts, All Pro's Simple Beginners Routine and New Rules of Lifting.

mammamaurer

forever and a bacon :flowerforyou:

Kr1ptonite

I spend about 1 hour and a half in the gym doing weights 5 days a week, Mon - Fri. I do cardio Saturday sunday but thats at home. To be honest the only reason i don't spend longer is because i have to go to work. I got into trouble for coming late everyday. I love being there.

Shawshankcan

I spend about 1 hour and a half in the gym doing weights 5 days a week, Mon - Fri. I do cardio Saturday sunday but thats at home. To be honest the only reason i don't spend longer is because i have to go to work. I got into trouble for coming late everyday. I love being there.

Same here. I like volume.

PJ_73

If i go in the mornings before work, time is limited and I usually only do a short cardio warmup followed by strength programme - in and out within the hour.

If i have more time, I may throw in a stint on the Spin bike or alternative cardio along with strength and that can be up to hour and half.

I am not sure unless you have loads of time or are training hard for something specific that you need to be spending too long in the gym.

I just do my thing and out.

JADEPH0EN1X

I was told by a gym instructor that 45 minutes was the best amont of time!

TamaraKat

I'm in there for 90 minutes, give or take! But I'm a bit of a fanatic!

sklebar

Due to injuries, I can't do weight training anymore. So I have a programme of one hour of jivamukti yoga (which is pretty intense and strength training for a class - I walk out drenched in sweat and no, it's not heated yoga); one hour of bootcamp reformer pilates (another pretty intense, strength and core training class) and then a couple of hours of spin and a dynamic yoga class every other week on my weekends. So far, so good. I am the most advanced person in my classes and my strength is better than ever before.

Mutant13

It really comes down to how you use the time you have there. You can accomplish more in 30 minutes of hard training than you will in 2 hours of f*cking about.

jennaworksout

i'm there for around 90 minutes on weight days...weights are 40 - 60 minutes, then cardio of 30 -40 ....I do weights 4 days a week, other 2 days just cardio for about 50 minutes, 1 rest day

pauljsaunders

I've been silly and tried doing it every day after work, I didn't make allowances for my usual work activities and now have an injury to my ankle and shoulder, so dont over do it, listen to your body.... and give your body time to unwind a little... This was all based on 30 mins a session.. take care....

MurphyGee

@ Hauntinglyfit - Gloves should help avoid the calluses. The benefits from dead lifts etc (the lifting the bar from the floor thing) for you back and butt are well worth the investment in a pair.

ndj1979

it should take you as long as it takes to do the work out that you are following...

my sessions usually last an hour to an hour and twenty ....but that really should not be a marker for anyone else, as I would assume that everyone else has different program/goals...

ndj1979

I was told by a gym instructor that 45 minutes was the best amont of time!

that is not accurate at all ...

I would suggest a new gym instructor...

MurphyGee

It depends on what you're trying to achieve but regardless of your specific goals you should have a program, which alternates between focusing on upper and lower body on alternate days with exercises for about 30 minutes (45 mins max) and 10-15 minutes of core focused exercises every session. Any more time on the weights is a waste, you're fatigued and you get very limited benefit and increase the risk of injury. Give yourself at least 1 rest day a week. It's also a really good idea to alternate between heavy weights, low reps one week and lower weights more reps in week two.

All the best with it

YouMadBro8281

Usually a little over an hr or just under and hr.....depending on which lifting program I am using...if it's 5x5 it might take some time especially if I am doing deadlifts or squats...

jeffpettis

As a beginner you should be doing some type of full body routine about 3 days a week that should take under an hour to complete.

thekyleo

about an hour

LishLash79

It normally takes me 45-60 min depends on the schedule for the day, and if I up my weights etc, usually take a big longer, I do 30 cardio everyday on top of this as well, but def can not complete the weights in under 45.

haroon_awan

Take a reasonable amount of time. Reasonable could be 40 mins or an hour. You could rest for about 1-4 minutes between each set, depending on the number of reps, or take however long you need to recover. If you are a complete beginner than you should be getting stronger on the squat, bench, deadlift, OHP and row each week, otherwise you are just wasting your time. Growth comes with progress, ie progressive overload.

You'll hear people talk about the ideal amount of time being something like 45 mins. When I did my fitness training course, the instructor mentioned a session should be 45 mins too. IIRC Poliquin in chapter 1 of his book cites some Bulgarian study about how the perfect workout time is 45 mins or something. I mean, that's utter bs, IMO. What are you going to do at 44 mins? "Well, lookie here, it's coming up to 45 mins, I need to stop training or I won't grow stronger"

F that. If it takes you 40 mins, train for 40 mins. It it takes you an hour, train for an hour. Just ensure you are getting stronger each week and taking a reasonable amount of time to rest between each set.

juliewatkin

I'm in for as little as an hour and sometimes over 2 hours. It depends on where I am in my training cycle. That's all just strength. My point is that it takes as long as it takes to get the job done for what I'm doing at the time.

I concur with finding a program and following it. You will see more benefits and the structure actually makes things run a bit more smoothly. When I train, I know in advance exactly what I'm doing, what the sets/reps and weights will be. I don't futz around thinking about things while I'm there.

As for picking the bar up off the floor and eww callouses, you can file the callouses and moisturize. In fact anyone who deadlifts a lot should anyway because it prevents callous tears.

arghbowl

I spend about 1 hour and a half in the gym doing weights 5 days a week, Mon - Fri. I do cardio Saturday sunday but thats at home. To be honest the only reason i don't spend longer is because i have to go to work. I got into trouble for coming late everyday. I love being there.

Same here. I like volume.

I'm with you guys. I'd rather be at the gym than anywhere else - it's my "happy place" where nothing else matters. I'll go 2x a day if I can fit it into my schedule, even if the second trip is just for some light work (grip, wrists, etc) and a steam in the sauna or steam room.

wilsoje74

I was told by a gym instructor that 45 minutes was the best amont of time!

that is not accurate at all ...

I would suggest a new gym instructor...

Are you saying you can't get a good workout done in 45 min???

iheartmy1dog

Thanks for all the input!!

I started out going for an hour but then I bumped it up to 1 & 1/2hrs and now I've been going 2hrs but I was told that was too much(I do at least 90mins of cardio everyday at home on top of this). I kinda wing it when I'm there, I'm not on any program. I usually only give myself 30secs between sets and I just go straight from one exercise to the next. Since someone told me 2hrs was too much, I was just wondering what a good amount was