Is exercising 6 days a work really necessary?

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patriciahutchinson89
patriciahutchinson89 Posts: 89 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I go 5 days out of the week and I swear sometimes that seems to much. I have a half marathon training app and even that is set for 3 days out of the week (each week the length of the jog increases) A friend was telling me about weight training and switching each day. Abs on the first day, arms on the 2nd, abs again and so on and rest on Sunday but that's 6 days. I was also told by someone else abs is one of those things you can do every day and don't need to rest. When the before mention friend said the abdominal machine (has weighs on it) does indeed count as weigh training and I need to rest.

Really 6? I think for us past couch potatoes just starting out that seems a bit much. I should also mention I work 10 hour days 4 days out of the week, barely have enough time for anything as is.
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Replies

  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
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    3-5 days of physical activity is recommended.. you can do 6 days if you really want (or if you are doing a plan that calls for it).. it really is all about your deficit and your goals.

    Doing abs for a full workout is a complete waste of a day.. you don't even need to work your abs to get abs.. you just need to lose body fat... and if you do abs.. yes you need to rest them.. they are a muscle.
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
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    I was working out hours a day, but lately I've been doing about 30 minutes. I got burnt out and thought if I put more intensity into a shorter amount of time, I won't dread it as much. So 5 times a week can be enough
  • lrmall01
    lrmall01 Posts: 377 Member
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    IMHO no, you don't need to exercise 6 times a day unless you are a professional athlete.

    If you are just an average person trying to juggle a job, family, and health then it is really not necessary.
  • patriciahutchinson89
    patriciahutchinson89 Posts: 89 Member
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    Doing abs for a full workout is a complete waste of a day.. you don't even need to work your abs to get abs..

    -No that's not why I'm doing it. I'm doing it so my stomach will be tight when I lose the weight. I seen the pics of people losing the weight but not toning. I don't want abs because (I know I'm going to get flak for this) just don't think it's a cute look for girls but neither is flabby skin after you lost several pounds of weight.
  • OlyTriNoob
    OlyTriNoob Posts: 42
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    IMHO no, you don't need to exercise 6 times a day unless you are a professional athlete.

    If you are just an average person trying to juggle a job, family, and health then it is really not necessary.

    Unless you are an average person training for a Tri and you don't want to do two-a-days.
  • TheGymGypsy
    TheGymGypsy Posts: 1,023 Member
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    Doing abs for a full workout is a complete waste of a day.. you don't even need to work your abs to get abs..

    -No that's not why I'm doing it. I'm doing it so my stomach will be tight when I lose the weight. I seen the pics of people losing the weight but not toning. I don't want abs because (I know I'm going to get flak for this) just don't think it's a cute look for girls but neither is flabby skin after you lost several pounds of weight.

    Having loose skin in largely based on genetics. Working your ab muscles will literally do nothing to prevent it. And you can strengthen your core doing useful lifts like squats and deadlifts. I would argue that an ab day is indeed a waste.
  • gelendestrasse
    gelendestrasse Posts: 204
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    No, but you'll be in great shape if you keep it up. Three days is the minimum.
  • Always_Smiling_D
    Always_Smiling_D Posts: 118 Member
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    you have to find a plan that works for you... push yourself to performance but don't burn out with overperformance -- sounds as if you are already getting a bit discouraged... find something convenient but that will get you the results...

    Perhaps following an already established result while you get in the groove of things... Jamie Eason has a Fat Loss on www.bodybuilding.com which helped me lose 20 lbs when I first started very nice combo of weights and cardio
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    Abs workout can be a decent rest day activity. Unless you get really sore.
  • patriciahutchinson89
    patriciahutchinson89 Posts: 89 Member
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    . I would argue that an ab day is indeed a waste-

    I do it at then end of my set, not a full day. I have no idea how many reps I'm doing, just lifting 30 lbs of weights for 5 minutes. It's the abdominal machine at planet fitness if anyone want to get an idea of what it looks like
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
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    It sounds like you're just messing around in the gym, and you don't have a plan set for whatever your goals are.

    Lets start here: what are you goals?
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    Necessary for what?

    If you're doing decent workouts and eating at a deficit to lose weight, it's quite likely you'll actually reduce you'll reduce your 'results'.
    I did the first reasonable length run I've done in ages yesterday (8 miles). Today doing weights my squats were down by 10%; couldn't even do one rep of the weight I was doing 5 of on Monday.
  • patriciahutchinson89
    patriciahutchinson89 Posts: 89 Member
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    It sounds like you're just messing around in the gym, and you don't have a plan set for whatever your goals are.

    Lets start here: what are you goals?

    I indeed do have a plan. One of them is to be able to run for more than just one minute without feeling like I'm going into cardiac arrest. So I have my 1/2 mile training app. First week was jogging for 1 minute then walking for 1:30 seconds. The 2nd weeks is jog for 1:30 seconds and walk for 2 minutes. It increases each week so that's down.

    My 2nd goal is to not dread stairs and be able to walk up a small flight without once again feel like I'm dying. I use the stair stepper for that and yesterday was the first time I could go longer than 2 minutes and made it to 3, so it must be working.

    My 3rd goal is having a tone stomach, which is what the abdominal machine is for, I was soar the first 2 days so it has to be working something out.

    My ultimate goal is to lose weight which I have. So for someone that is "messing around" I tend to work up a sweat, lose the weight, have built up my endurance , and burn on average between 280-350 calories a night which I don't think is to bad it being my 2nd full week of going back to the gym.
  • missADS1981
    missADS1981 Posts: 364 Member
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    depends on what you are doing in the gym. if i lift heavy i am doing 2 days then rest, 2 days then rest.
  • pattyproulx
    pattyproulx Posts: 603 Member
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    To me, that's too much. I go 3-4 times and that's sufficient for my goals. I wouldn't be able to sustain 6 times a week for more than a month. Your muscles also need time to rest and build.

    As FrnkLft said, it kinda sounds like you're just messing around in the gym. If you want real results, I'd recommend setting a real goal, and talk to a personal trainer, or at least someone who you're comfortable really knows what they're doing to set a program for you.

    You'll get better results working smart 3 days a week than messing around 6 days a week.

    Edit: I just saw your reply to Frnk - I don't necessarily mean you're not working hard, it's more that it doesn't sound like you're doing optimal exercises to reach your goals. It's messing around in that it seems that you're just using random machines and working various body parts.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    6 days a week? Sometimes. 7 would be too much imo, however.
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
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    Exercising 6 days a week is definitely not necessary for weight loss (or any of your other goals). In fact, as you are just starting out I would advise against it. It would be better to start slowly and ease yourself into it so that you don't burn out. Five days is definitely okay.

    As some of the others have stated, make sure you have a well balanced plan.

    In regards to what your friend told you about working a different body part each day, this is not necessary either especially for b beginner. If you want to include strength training then look at doing a good full body program of heavy lifting or circuit style training depending at where you are in your weight loss and what your physique goals are.
  • patriciahutchinson89
    patriciahutchinson89 Posts: 89 Member
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    s FrnkLft said, it sounds like you're just messing around in the gym. -

    I am not messing around, if I was I wouldn't have results which I do. Before it killed me to run for 1 minute, now it doesn't. Before I couldn't Climb stairs for more than 2 minutes, now I can. I use the abdominal as instructed and was soar at first. These things would not be happening if I was just messing around, nor would I be losing weight or at least not the 2 pounds a week the my fitness pal app is set for without the exercise. My jogging length, and stair endurance is just going to increase so I don't believe I'm messing around.
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
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    Sure, it's not a personal thing, it's just that we want you to train smart, not just hard.

    Ok, so goals 1&2 are the same. Just start with some walking and work your way up. It's going to be a little while, but use "Couch to 5K", it's a great program.

    You don't need the stair stepper really, but it's a good piece of equipment, and you're not going to see results that fast. You just had a good day and a bad day... that's all. And we all do. Especially at the beginning you're going to see some quick weight loss and quick improvement, that will taper off over time, which is why it's important to understand these things so you don't get discouraged.

    As for goal 3, that's all about your bodyfat % (read: dieting) and nothing to do with working your abs. You can't spot reduce.

    If you'll listen, I would recommend that you pick up a copy of New Rules of Lifting for Women (you can buy it on Amazon, even as an ebook). It's an easy to read book about fitness and exercise that will give you a foundation for all the time and decisions you're spending in the gym. Even if you don't decide to lift weights it doesn't matter, the info in the book is worth it's weight in gold, and it's fundamental.
  • patriciahutchinson89
    patriciahutchinson89 Posts: 89 Member
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    Edit: I just saw your reply to Frnk - I don't necessarily mean you're not working hard, it's more that it doesn't sound like you're doing optimal exercises to reach your goals. It's messing around in that it seems that you're just using random machines and working various body parts.

    I'm not I had a set plan but keep getting different opinions. My original plan was to work on cardio. Treadmill, elliptical, bike. Since the app was 3 days out of the week, I would do 3 days of the treadmill and the last 2 elliptical and bike. Everyday I would do the stair stepper and the abdominal. That was my plan because I wanted to be able to run, and build up my cardio. Strength I was going to do after I loss 20 pounds so I wouldn't put on to much muscle too soon and misread the scale. That was my plan but no one agreed with it

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