How long should I be at the gym?

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

just_Jennie1

I do 30 min. cardio before I lift and depending on what I am doing for my lifting that can take another hour to close to an hour and a half.

sewerchick93

the amount of time at the gym is proportional to the number of buff guys there are to gawk at, the more men...the longer the "rest" between sets should be and the longer it will take you to complete your routine.

wilsoje74

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

2 hrs plus all that cardio is overkill. Why do you exercise so much??? That's 3.5 hrs???

NRBreit

I agree that it depends on the program you're on. My trainer can destroy me in 30-40 mins. If I go to the gym on my own, I'm usually there for about an hour. But I get more volume of exercise in during the shorter sessions with the trainer.

TR0berts

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???

No. He's saying that any arbitrary number that gets spewn out is worthless. It should take however long it takes.

bethanytowell

Create or follow a well balanced routine. Go to the gym, stay until your are finished with your routine. Go home. It doesnt matter if it takes your 35 mintutes or 2 hours. What i dont think is a good idea is to wander aimlesly around the gym for 2 hours with no goal or a routine that makes no sense. Best wishes to you!

TR0berts

It completely depends upon your goals and the level you're at.

With the same program/variation that I'm on now, the workout that I did today would have taken me 45-60 minutes two months ago. Now that the weights are a considerably heavier than they were two months ago, I need more rest time between sets. It took me about 75 minutes this morning.

funforsports

I go until I am done.

Which is usually about an hour for lifting. I do my cardio later in the evenings.

MercenaryNoetic26

Depends on what you're doing. With stronglifts, I end up doing 90-120min. It takes longer when I add other exercises during my warm-up and in-between sets. Takes longer when I also creep MFP between sets.

There are workouts you can do in 20min and others that take much longer. Know what you're doing and have a plan. Follow your plan and however long it takes you, that's how long you should be in the gym. Unless you're a social butterfly in there, then you're prob wasting everyone's time.

stumblinthrulife

I'm doing Stronglifts, three times a week. It takes about 30 minutes with 90 second rest periods. As things get harder, it will probably go up to 45-60 minutes to incorporate 3 minute rest periods. Add some time in for a little warm up, some foam rolling and stretching, and you probably have an 45 to 75 minutes. Add more on if you plan to do accessory work.

As others have said, it all depends what program you are doing. Get a good program, like Stronglifts, Starting Strength, New Rules of Lifting for Women, etc... and spend as long at the gym as it takes to complete the programmed sets.