How often do you work out?

I'm 40 and I had a bad experience trying to do too much too fast a few years ago and had to deal with bursitis (sp?). It took weeks of nothing but ibuprofen and loafing to get over it. I don't want to do that again, so how much is too much? I did quite a bit the last couple weeks and feel fine, but noticed there is a twinge of something in my right hip deep in by the bone. I guess that means slow down? But the rest of me feels fine.
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Replies

  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    This is going to be different for everyone so I am reluctant to give you an amount of time it is acceptable to work out and say "Do that and you will be fine"

    Question I'd have for you though is in exercising did you take the time to do a warmup of light cardio followed by some stretching before launching in to whatever more intensive workout you had planned?

    Working on flexibility and taking the time to warm up and stretch can do a lot to reduce, not eliminate, the chance of injury.

    As a teenager I'd just fling myself at any workout or sport and didn't really care to stretch or anything before or after. At 35 I take about 8 minutes before and after a workout to warm-up, stretch, cooldown and stretch.
  • donnabullen
    donnabullen Posts: 47 Member
    Everyone is different so i would say go at your own pace, I am currently running 4 times a week and working out at the Gym 3 times a week.
  • spirit095
    spirit095 Posts: 1,017 Member
    I would say to start slowly and go at your own pace. Listen to your body.

    I work out 5 days a week (3 days lifting, and 2 days cardio-ish).
  • bandlfox
    bandlfox Posts: 33
    At the time, I was doing the Bill Phillips program so you build up the intensity over time, but it does move pretty quickly.

    This time, I am mostly doing cardio. Elliptical, a couple Spin Classes, some yoga, have walked a couple 5k's and a 10k. Mostly trying to just do 30 minutes or more of something 6 - 7 days a week.
  • claudie08
    claudie08 Posts: 154 Member
    I made the decision to workout in the morning, at least 3x a week. With arthritis in my knees and ankles, I cannot over do it, so I do modified versions of certain exercises, and at my own pace.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I have a sedentary desk job 5 days a week, so I mkae an effort to get activity in every day, but with varying degrees of intensity. I do more formal "workouts" in the winter than when the weather is warmer, because I do a lot of outside work in when the weather is nice (gardening, mowing, weed eating, digging, raking, etc. - we have a big place). And we hike a lot in the warmer months.

    Rest is an important part of fitness, but I don't believe I really need any totally sedentary days.
  • sheilaq14
    sheilaq14 Posts: 35 Member
    I had hip bursitis and got rid of it through physical therapy, where I did stretching and strengthening on my hip and building my core. The trainer told me the key for me to not get again is building a strong core. Had really let mine go following c-section.
  • FR204
    FR204 Posts: 1
    I work out a couple times a week. Every day though I make more of an effort to take the stairs, take the 'long way' when walking somewhere and just doing little things to burn calories :)

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  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    Not as much as I should. but...

    I am using an activity tracker, and with that make sure to get at least 10-12k steps per day. And try to get at least 30+ "Very Active Minutes" which takes running on the trampoline, or fast paced walk, etc. SO I do get cardio in. Still working to get more regular about strength training exercises.
  • dym123
    dym123 Posts: 1,670 Member
    I workout 6 days for about an hour, combination of cardio (T25, Turbo Fire, Hiit) and lifting, ending with a 10 minute stretch. On Sundays, I do 45 - 60 min Yoga (rest day). Since I've been doing this routine, I've had no muscle soreness, nor injuries.

    ETA: I'm 47 with severe arthritis in both knees and can do deep squats
  • AlliSteff
    AlliSteff Posts: 211 Member
    Typically 5-6 days a week. I started slower (3-4 days per week) and had to ice an old hip injury after every session. As I have gotten stronger, I have found that I do not reall yhave the hip pain that I once did...which allowed me to add more days and exercise at a higher intensity.
  • sabrina19782014
    sabrina19782014 Posts: 50 Member
    I try to work out 5 days a week but at my own pace as I have had a lot of mobility issues in the past (resulting in two major pelvic ops),,

    I alternate cardio with strength
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    1 - set some fitness goals for yourself...these should go beyond calories/weight loss, etc. these should be fitness goals that you would like to accomplish.

    2 - be realistic...if your goal is to do a sprint triathlon, that's great...but you don't need to go from couch to brick work overnight...you're likely to suffer some over-train issues. I'd also add that training for multiple sports/events can cause issues.

    3 - understand that you don't have to go 0 - 100 MPH overnight...this is where people have issues.

    4 - understand that your exercise is largely for fitness...you need to properly fuel whatever exercise activity you are doing which means that you will have to eat more (to still lose weight) than you otherwise would if you were a sedentary individual. understand that while exercise is very good for you, it also breaks down the body...the body requires energy (calories) and nutrients to rebuild what has been broken down. very often, injuries and issues are a combination of over-training and lack of proper fueling and nutrition. the more vigorous the training activity, the more of an issue this becomes.

    5 - understand that rest is very important to your fitness regimen. i always tell my friends that the two most important days of the week for my fitness are Friday and Sunday because those are my rest days.

    I started out very slow. My initial goal was to run a sprint triathlon as my mom is into that stuff and it seemed like a good fitness goal and I was much more interested in the multi-sport aspect than just running a 1/2 marathon or whatever. So I got off my couch one day and decided to start training...by putting one foot in front of the other and going for a walk.

    Literally, that's all I did for about the first 4-6 weeks of my exercise regimen...I started out walking just a few days per week...then 5...then 7...then I started to walk longer and take more challenging trails. About 4-6 weeks in and I started a C25K training program...so now I was walking 4x weekly for 3-5 miles and doing some running. It didn't take long before I started throwing in some calisthenics after my runs....then several weeks later I found myself back in the weight room again for the first time in about a decade.

    It was a progression from doing pretty much nothing and getting winded on a 10 minute walk around the block with my dog to a solid 5-6 days of exercise per week. About 7 months after I started getting into my fitness groove I started training for that sprint triathlon...finally, I felt like I was at a fitness level to which I could push myself to that level of exertion, multiple workouts per day, etc...and ya know what? I still injured myself...and unfortunately wasn't able to do the sprint.

    It's ok though...along the way I discovered that I really, really, really enjoy being out on my bike...far more than I do running (which I do very little of these days). I don't mind swimming, but it's one of those things that's more of a nice little switch up than it is something I want to get out there and do multiple times weekly. And...I'm still in love with the weight room.

    I've ultimately decided the the triathlon is most likely not in the cards...I can run some, but too much running results in my posterior tibial tendons getting a little flared up and the next thing I know I'm in crutches for a week or so while the inflation calms down...just not worth it. So I stick primarily to my bike and the weight room and am currently training for a metric century in late May...once that's in the books, I'll re-evaluate and go from there.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    At the time, I was doing the Bill Phillips program so you build up the intensity over time, but it does move pretty quickly.

    This time, I am mostly doing cardio. Elliptical, a couple Spin Classes, some yoga, have walked a couple 5k's and a 10k. Mostly trying to just do 30 minutes or more of something 6 - 7 days a week.

    Sounds pretty low impact so I would think that would be pretty safe and injury free but again reluctant to say for sure as everyone's body is different. Just have to listen to yours.
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
    This is a very individual thing. I guess it's best to listen to your body and not push it too far. Rest is just as important as the exercise.

    I, personally, work out 3x a week for an hour. I only weight lift, currently.
  • MaitreyeeMAYHEM
    MaitreyeeMAYHEM Posts: 559 Member
    5-6 times a week. Tuesdays are usually my rest day and I'm gonna try and attend yoga this Friday at 6:15 am. We will see how that goes.
  • taytaylynn3
    taytaylynn3 Posts: 601
    Run 5-10 miles, 5 times a week..Work on arms every other day.
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    4-6x's weekly. Whatever fits into my schedule. Last week 6x's. 3 days run/2 days Fitness Blender DVD's/1 day treadmill walk. Today day #1 for this week walked 3.2 miles.
  • dt3312
    dt3312 Posts: 212 Member
    I go to Yolaties class (Yoga-Pilates) twice a week for 55 minutes each time. I go to the gym 3X/week for 50 minutes each time. At the gym I do cardio, strength and flexibility. I probably could get by going to the gym 2X/week, but I enjoy it and see my friends there or else go with my husband and son. I am also doing it for my mental health.

    Are you warming upy before you do your other exercises and especially before you stretch? As I get older, I am noticing that is more important.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    I work out every day but one day is something like cardio recovery, something you do for stretch or body weight strength.

    I started out every other day, running 3 miles on the treadmill. then slowly became a fitness junkie and have to do something every day or feel unsettled. LOL
  • ottermotorcycle
    ottermotorcycle Posts: 654 Member
    I work out 3 times a week. There is always a rest day between my workouts, because I'm doing full-body lifting workouts courtesy of NROL. If it's a new and particularly challenging session, sometimes I'll take an extra day between them, or if I'm not feeling well or something.

    I always stretch at the beginning and the end of my workouts, and I find that I am almost never sore the next day if immediately after my workout I have a protein shake and a banana. I think the potassium helps keep your muscles from being sore and swollen? But I'm not sure if that's science or just anecdotal.
  • FatOldManMN
    FatOldManMN Posts: 1,116 Member
    5 days a week....1 to 2 hours per day.
    Low impact cardio every day and racquetball 3x per week.
    Do some machine workouts every once in a while too.
    I'm 64 and no unusual aches or pains.
  • mistiblake08
    mistiblake08 Posts: 80 Member
    I workout hard throughout the week and only run on Sundays. Saturdays are my rest days.
  • AdventureFreak
    AdventureFreak Posts: 236 Member
    6x per week. 3x moderate level for 30-60 minutes and 3x intense level for 30-60 minutes. One day of active rest like cleaning the house on top of that.
  • itsfatum
    itsfatum Posts: 113 Member
    As vague as it sounds, listen to your body. Do not think about how much is too much or too little, just feel and let go of those thoughts. You will be surprised how well you do and how little you injure yourself, even when giving your all every workout.

    As for frequency, you can sustain up to 5d/w of hard exercise (exercise 3, rest 1, exercise 2, rest 1, repeat) or even 6d/w if that sixth day is an active rest day (between 60-70% HRM, really important to not go above that) for 4-6 months without taking two full rest days in a row and avoid overtraining.

    But again, you ought to listen to your body or else you will get injured again. It really is that important.
  • OkamiLavande
    OkamiLavande Posts: 336 Member
    How much you workout all depends on what your body wants. From your original post I would say you need to stretch more and make sure every part of your body is ready for whatever work out you want to do. I workout 5 times a week for an hour each time when I can, but I try not to get disheartened when I can. Do what your body can do.
  • 4aces61
    4aces61 Posts: 292 Member
    at least days a week. cardio every day, weights sometimes back to back days or every other. Depends on how I feel from the last workout or what body parts I'm working.
  • bandlfox
    bandlfox Posts: 33
    After reading all this I'm feeling like a wuss, going to have to add some time to my gym schedule! I know I need to work my arms and core just nervous to do that around the folks that go to my gym right now, most everyone is already fit and training for some kind of something.
  • summertime_girl
    summertime_girl Posts: 3,945 Member
    90 minutes, six days a week. Sometimes more.
  • I'm 58, 5'11" hoovering at 200 lbs and I go to the gym 5-6 times a week. I do 30 mins. or 6 miles on the stationary bike, 30 mins. on the treadmill at 3.7 incline 2, and do the strength training circuit which includes: bicep curls, triceps curls, lat pull downs, chest press, ab sit ups etc. 2 yrs. ago I smoked, was 337 lbs. and walked with a cane. I still sleep with oxygen due to COPD which does not go away.