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How much exercise is good for you?

fitness_freak1234
fitness_freak1234 Posts: 4
edited February 11 in Fitness and Exercise
How many hours of exercise is good for you? I am going to a gym 4 times a week, decided to increase that to 6 but I heard you could burn yourself really quickly.... Thoughts?

Replies

  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    It kinda depends on what you're doing. I could walk slowly 7 days a week, but not do heavy lifting or run 10 miles that often.

    Plus everyone has a different capacity for exercise, depending on their fitness level, health level, etc. The bottom line is listen to your body and find what works for you. Be on the lookout for overtraining sympoms, which are explained here:
    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/overtraining/

    It's probably wise to increase to 5 days first, not go straight from 4 to 6.
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    It depends on your own fitness level. Push yourself.

    That said, there does seem to be an upper limit, at least according to a few studies, but most of us are well within it. When you start running ultramarathons, you should revisit this issue.
  • katielshelby
    katielshelby Posts: 137 Member
    I usually go 3 - 4 times a week for 50 minutes cardio and then muscle sessions....I burn myself out if I do too much! If you are losing weight, the most important thing is keeping up with your diet!
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    The human body is able to adapt to incredible amounts of exercise, as evidenced by Ironman triathletes. How much is good for you, is debatable, but I would advocate doing what feels good and right for YOU.
  • pain_is_weakness
    pain_is_weakness Posts: 798 Member
    It just depends on your fitness level, drive, and goals.

    People can and do go to the gym 7 days a week, I have a friend who goes 3 times a day 6 days a week.

    Personally I started out doing 5 days a week for only an hour of cardio on 3 different machines. Then gradually built in weight training as well. As I did this I dropped down to 3 days a week and then just rode my bike the other days.

    Now that I have been off this for a while would probably go back to the 5 days a week for an hour of cardio thing or 5 days a week of riding my bike. Pay attention to your body, sore is good, if you are so sore that your regular activities are effected and painful then slow it down.
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