The general consensus from health guidelines and research indicates the following for exercise frequency:
- Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week, spread over several days. This can be approximately 30 minutes over 5 days a week for moderate activity.
- Include muscle-strengthening activities for all major muscle groups at least 2 days per week.
- For strength training, exercising 3 to 5 days a week is optimal to see strength gains, with 3 days being the minimum effective frequency.
- Cardiovascular training can be done in either longer sessions or shorter bursts, as long as total weekly recommended minutes are met.
- Daily physical activity is encouraged, but at minimum exercise once or twice a week can reduce health risks.
- For general fitness, three full-body workouts per week with rest in between are a good baseline.
- Taking at least one rest day per week is recommended to allow recovery, especially after intense workouts.
In summary, a balance of aerobic and strength training exercises throughout the week, totaling around 150 to 300 minutes weekly, with muscle-strengthening twice a week, is optimal. Beginners may start with 2-3 days of exercise per week and gradually increase frequency. Listening to your body and adjusting for recovery is important for avoiding overtraining.
