How Long Should You Workout At The Gym?

How Long Should a Good Workout At The Gym Last?

Heading to the gym? You’re not alone. Every day, thousands of people head out to hit up the weights or run out some cardio. But, are you optimizing your workout routine to get the best results?

When it comes to figuring out how long you should work out at the gym, the question really comes down to two things.

How Much Time To Workout At The Gym?

The two things that matter when it comes to how long you should workout at the gym are your current fitness level and your goals. If you’re already in good health and you want to push things even farther, you’ll be able to commit more time at the gym than someone in poor shape who is trying to shed some extra pounds before setting more challenging goals for themselves.

Free Report: 15-Minute Fitness Workouts
 
Once you have figured out how good your health  is and just how long you can go at a comfortable pace before you feel yourself getting winded, the next step is to figure out whether you want to up the difficulty level (i.e., moving faster, lifting more) and/or the length of time you’ll be doing the activity (your endurance and stamina).

Which of these things you choose to increase will depend on your health goals.

Your Health Goals

For instance, if you can run at a 4.8 mph pace on the treadmill for 30 minutes before you start to get tired, you can choose to either increase your speed for a more difficult workout or increase how long you’re running for.

If you want to build endurance for a marathon, the latter would be the better choice. But, if you’re trying to build speed to win a race, the former would be the ideal way to optimize your workout.

In reality, there is no set number that you should be trying to aim for when determining how long you should workout at the gym. However, there is some scientific input that can help you when making your final decision.

Your Workout Session

Many studies seem to support the notion that, after 30 minutes, your workout session may begin to have a negative impact on muscle growth. While 30 minutes is considered ideal for building new muscle, going for longer may actually deplete your muscles.

This all has to do with your body and where it gets its energy from to fuel your workout. The right routine of pre and post workout meals can help offset the effects of a long workout in the event you need to go for longer.

Staying Motivated At The  Gym

Regardless of whether you spend an hour in the gym or just 15 minutes, if you’re not motivated, your workout will suffer. Most gyms will offer you a free or discounted personal trainer session as part of your gym membership. Take advantage of this offer. Usually, the trainer will start by giving you a guided tour of all the different equipment in the gym. This alone is worth the time it’ll take. This tour will allow you to get the most out of your gym experience. Then your personal trainer will ask what your goals are and discuss different workout options and dietary tips to help get you there.

Try to Find the Most Fun Thing in the Gym

If going to the gym feels like a chore to you, chances are you won’t keep up the habit in the long run. Instead of forcing yourself to do exercises you don’t like or to use unfamiliar equipment, try to find the thing that you enjoy the most in the gym.

Once you’ve found something you enjoy and you’ve gotten in the habit of going to the gym regularly, then you might consider doing something a little more challenging. But in the beginning, focus on finding something that you really enjoy.

Find a Buddy

Talk to the other people in the lockers, in the cafeteria or after group classes. Make friends who are also passionate about fitness. Having friends to compare notes with, to learn from and to share experiences can really help keep you motivated. And it’s more fun. You’ll also have a spotter for exercises like the bench press.

Free Report: Not Enough Time To Workout At The Gym?

Short workouts are a great fat-burning system that can fit in with your lifestyle.  For many of us, finding time to exercise when you’re busy is something we know we should do, but exercise is often the first thing to get dropped. However, it is possible to significantly improve your health and fitness with short workout sessions. Download this free report to see how you can start and maintain a 15-minute fitness plan.