Does it matter when you exercise?

Sauleeh
Sauleeh Posts: 83 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Working retail at this time of year is hectic. Lately I have been able to exercise 3 times per week which is good, but all those days seem to be in a row as my schedule only allows for that. For example this week I went to the gym Monday, Tues, Wed. I could go tomorrow but 4 days in a row seem excessive, with my work schedule and how the gym opens on weekends I won't be able to go again until Monday. Do the days matter, or as long as I am hitting my 3 days I should be ok? I do two arm days and one leg day in the middle to give the muscles rest but I do 20-30 minute cardio on those days depending on my energy.

Replies

  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,128 Member
    As long as you don't feel like you're over-doing it and you're eating enough to fuel the exercises I don't see why not. If your aim is weight loss (assuming it is as you're posting in diet and weight loss) then as long as you have a calorie deficit you will lose weight, if it at some point it feels like working out 3 days in a row, cutting it down to 2 days isn't going to hurt for one month whilst you get the festive period at work out of the way.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    If your goal is just to burn calories it probably doesn't matter.
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    Unless you’re hitting the same muscles 3 days in a row, it shouldn’t hurt or matter. Hitting legs in between two arm workouts covers that.
    If you have time for a fourth workout so that you’re doing two upper body and two lower body workouts, that wouldn’t hurt either.

  • joelrivard
    joelrivard Posts: 13 Member
    Try hitting each muscle only 1x per week. So you can do like chest-tri one day, back-bi, shoulders one day then legs.
    On a few of the off days come home and jog in place, shadow box, jumping jacks, whatever, in front of the tv for 30 min.
    Muscles don't recover in 2 days the micro-tears are still healing so you can't grow any faster by hitting a muscle 1 or 2 days later.
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    Exercise timing is the same as timing eating: it is what works for you. In the end the math works out the same.

    That being said there are probably times that work best. Running immediately after a big dinner is a bad idea. You may love working out at 5 am or maybe not at all. Your favorite yoga teacher may have only evening classes.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It doesn't matter, but if you're hitting the gym 3x per week you would be far better off with a basic full body program rather than just legs and arms. Right now I'm doing a very basic full body program that takes me between 30 and 40 minutes and then I spend 20-30 on the stationary bike since it's winter and I don't get my rides in like I do in spring, summer, and fall.
  • batorkin
    batorkin Posts: 281 Member
    Exercising every day is OK (cardio, stationary bike, etc) as long as you don't feel fatigued. HEAVY lifting on the other hand really shouldn't be done more than 1-3 times a week. I usually do a 3 day break between my lifting.

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