Whether you are joining a gym to lose weight or to build muscle mass, it is important to get yourself on a proper workout routine. If you are beginner, you may be asking yourself, “how many times a week should I go to the gym to see results“.
The answer to that question depends on the reason that you are going to the gym in the first place.
If you are going to the gym to lose weight or get toned, your exercise frequency and your workouts are different than they would be if you were going to the gym to build muscle mass and bulk up.
Exercise Frequency for Weight Loss
If you are going to the gym to lose weight, you should try to workout at least 5 times a week. Some people will push themselves, and workout 7 days a week. This is a bad idea. Your body needs a couple days to rest and a chance for your muscles to repair themselves.
The best workout that you can do is cardio exercises, which will get your heart pumping, allowing you to burn calories. Some of the most common forms of cardio exercise that can be done outside of the gym are running, jogging, power walking, and bike riding.
If you are going to the gym, you can use the treadmill, elliptical, cross trainer, or take a spinning class. You can also find a gym who offers an aerobics.
If you are looking for an exercise that is more outside the box, jumping rope is an excellent form of cardio. Whatever form of cardio you choose, it is best to work out for at least an hour.
Before working out, it is a good idea to stretch. You do not want to pull or strain a muscle while working out. This will only set you back in your workouts.
The best way to burn the most calories during your cardio sessions is high intensity interval training. High intensity exercise burns more calories and keeps your metabolism elevated for a longer period of time after the workout than lower intensity exercise does.
After you have warmed up for at least 5 minutes, you should speed up your workout for 30 seconds, followed by 60 seconds of lower paced exercise. Repeat this process 10 times before cooling down.
While cardio is important, you also need to add strength training into your workout regimen. The cardio will help burn calories so that you can lose weight, and the strength training will tone your muscles.
When you are strength training, you should not work all areas on the body in one day. It is best to work out specific zones. When you work your lower body one day and your upper body the next, the area that you are not working will have a day of rest to repair itself.
If you are trying to lose weight quickly, you should do a full body workout during each strength training session.
Exercise Schedule for 6 Week Fat Blast
Week 1
Sunday: Rest
Monday: 15 minute cardio warm up. Barbell front squats, 5 reps for 6 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 6 minutes
Tuesday: 60 minute cardio workout
Wednesday: 15 minute cardio warm up, Romanian deadlift, 5 reps for 6 minutes. Single arm dumbbell bench press 5 reps each arm for 6 minutes.
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 15 minute cardio warm up. Barbell front squat, 5 reps for 6 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 6 minutes
Saturday: 60 minute cardio workout
Week 2
Sunday: Rest
Monday: 15 minute cardio warm up. Barbell front squat, 5 reps for 8 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 8 minutes.
Tuesday: 60 minutes of cardio
Wednesday: 15 minute cardio warm up. Romanian deadlift, 5 reps for 8 minutes. Single arm dumbbell bench press, 5 reps, each arm, 8 minutes
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 15 minute cardio warm up. Romanian deadlift, 5 reps 8 minutes. Single arm dumbbell bench press, 5 reps, both arms, for 8 minutes.
Saturday: 60 minutes of cardio
Week 3
Sunday: Rest
Monday: 15 minute cardio warm up. Barbell front squat, 5 reps for 10 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 10 minutes.
Tuesday: 60 minutes of cardio
Wednesday: 15 minutes of cardio warm up. Romanian deadlift, 5 reps for 10 minutes. Single arm dumbbell bench press, 5 reps, both arms for 10 minutes
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 15 minutes of cardio warm up. Barbell front squat, 5 reps for 10 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 12 minutes.
Saturday: 60 minutes of cardio
Week 4
Sunday: Rest
Monday: 15 minutes of cardio warm up. Barbell front squats, 5 reps for 12 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 14 minutes.
Tuesday: 60 minutes of cardio workout
Wednesday: 15 minutes of cardio warm up. Romanian deadlift, 5 reps for 12 minutes. Single arm dumbbell bench press, 5 reps each arm, for 12 minutes
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 15 minutes of cardio warm up. Barbell front squat, 5 reps for 12 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 12 minutes.
Week 5
Sunday: Rest
Monday: 15 minutes of cardio warm up. Barbell front squat, 5 reps for 15 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 12 minutes.
Tuesday: 60 minutes of cardio
Wednesday: 15 minutes of cardio warm up. Roman deadlift, 5 reps for 14 minutes. Single arm dumbbell bench press, 5 reps each arm for 14 minutes.
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 15 minutes of cardio warm up. Barbell front squat, 5 reps for 14 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 14 minutes.
Saturday: 60 minutes of cardio
Week 6
Sunday: Rest
Monday: 15 minute cardio warm up. Romanian deadlift, 5 reps for 15 minutes. Single arm dumbbell bench press, 5 reps for 15 minutes.
Tuesday: 60 minutes of cardio
Wednesday: 15 minutes of cardio warm up. Barbell front squat, 5 reps for 15 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 15 minutes.
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 15 minutes of cardio warm up. Barbell front squat, 5 reps for 15 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 15 minutes.
Saturday: 60 minutes of cardio
Exercise Frequency for Building Muscle
If you are working out to build muscle your workout schedule would be much different than if you were working out to lose weight. It also takes a lot more dedication and the schedule is more complex.
Most people who start out in the gym to build muscle believe that they should spend the whole time working every muscle in their body. This is not the best way to build muscle. You would also need to add cardio to your gym sessions. If you want to see results quickly, it is a good idea to get to the gym twice a day.
There are 5 phases to the muscle building schedule. If you can get through all 5, you can be sure to see very positive results.
Phase 1 Exercise Schedule
Day 1: Afternoon session, chest. Evening session, 20 minutes of cardio and abs
Day 2: Afternoon session, arms. Morning session, 20 minutes of cardio and abs
Day 3: Afternoon session, back. Evening session, 20 minutes of cardio and abs
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Afternoon session, shoulders. Morning session, 20 minutes of cardio and abs
Day 6: Anytime, chest
Day 7: Anytime, arms
Day 8: Afternoon session, legs. Evening session, 20 minutes of cardio and abs
Day 9: Rest
Day 10: Afternoon session, back. Evening session, 20 minutes of cardio and abs
Day 11: Afternoon session, shoulders. Morning session, 20 minutes of cardio and abs
Day 12: Afternoon session, legs. Evening session, cardio for 20 minutes and abs
Day 13: Afternoon session, chest. Morning session, cardio for 20 minutes and abs
Day 14: Afternoon session, arms. Evening session, cardio for 20 minutes and abs
Day 15: Rest
Day 16: Anytime, back
Day 17: Anytime, shoulders
Phase 2 Exercise Schedule
Day 18: Anytime, legs
Day 19: Afternoon session, chest. Morning session, cardio for 20 minutes and abs
Day 20: Anytime, arms
Day 21: Rest
Day 22: Afternoon session, back. Morning session, cardio for 20 minutes and abs
Day 23: Anytime, shoulders
Day 24: Afternoon session, legs. Morning session, cardio for 20 minutes and abs
Day 25: Anytime, chest
Day 26: Anytime, arms
Day 27: Afternoon session, back. Morning session, cardio for 20 minutes and abs
Day 28: Rest
Day 29: Anytime, shoulders
Day 30: Afternoon session, legs. Morning session, cardio for 20 minutes and abs
Day 31: Anytime, chest
Day 32: Afternoon session, arms. Morning session, cardio for 20 minutes and abs
Day 33: Anytime, back
Day 34: Rest
Phase 3 Exercise Schedule
This is a low intensity phase. During this phase, there is not as much focus on cardio. You do need to add cardio a few times in this phase, however, it can be a fun cardio activity. You are also able to cut your gym sessions down to once a day, at any time that is convenient for you.
Day 35: Shoulders
Day 36: Legs
Day 37: Chest
Day 38: Arms
Day 40: Back
Day 41: Fun cardio and abs
Day 42: Rest
Day 43: Fun cardio and abs
Day 44: Shoulders
Day 45: Legs
Day 46: Chest
Day 47: Arms
Day 48: Back
Day 49: Fun cardio and abs
Day 50: Rest
Phase 4 Exercise Schedule
This is a push phase. You need to be really serious when it comes to your cardio.
Day 51: Anytime, legs
Day 52: Morning session, 20 minutes of cardio. Afternoon session, high intensity interval cardio
Day 53: Anytime, chest
Day 54: Morning session, 20 minutes of cardio. Afternoon session, high intensity interval cardio
Day 55: Anytime, back
Day 56: Rest
Day 57: Morning session, 20 minutes of cardio. Afternoon session, shoulders and high intensity interval cardio
Day 58: Anytime, arms
Phase 5 Exercise Schedule
The 5th phase of your workout schedule includes full body workouts. This can take a great deal of energy and time in the gym. Because of this, rest is very important.
Day 59: Full body workout
Day 60: Active rest
Day 61: Full body workout
Day 62: Active rest
Day 63: Full body workout
Day 64: Active rest
Day 65: Active rest
Day 66: Admire your results
Nutrition
While your exercise schedule is very important, what you eat before you workout is equally as important. For a standard hour long workout, you need a healthy combination of carbohydrates and proteins. If you are unsure which foods are best, below are a few foods that you can combine to create the perfect pre workout meal or snack.
Egg whites: Egg whites are full of protein. You can either remove the yolk from an egg or use egg whites in a carton. Egg whites make for an excellent breakfast before your morning workout.
Trail mix: Trial mix is loaded with granola, dried berries, apricots, and pineapples. Each of these foods are loaded with carbs, which will give you the energy that you need for your workout.
Fruit smoothies: Fruit smoothies are loaded with protein and carbohydrates. It takes just a few minutes to prepare a fruit smoothie, and you can drink it on your way to the gym.
Bananas: Bananas are an excellent source of fast acting carbs, which will give you the energy that you need to workout immediately. They are also full of potassium, which improves muscle and nerve function.
Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt contains twice as much protein as regular yogurt. It is delicious and can be eaten quickly right before your workout.
Whole grain toast: Whole grain toast is loaded with fiber, which provides a slow release of energy. This will give your body the energy that it needs to keep you going through your whole workout. It is also very quick and easy to eat in the car on the way to the gym.
Chicken and brown rice: If you are looking for a meal to eat before your afternoon or evening workout, this is a perfect meal. Brown rice is full of complex carbohydrates and chicken is loaded with protein.
• Click here for more pre and post workout snack ideas.
If you are serious about changing your body for the better, it takes dedication. As long as you can stick to your exercise regimen and eat healthy, you can transform your body within a matter of weeks.
Original Source: How Often Should I Go To The Gym To See Results?
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