How Often Should You Be Exercising? A Practical Guide to Finding the Right Frequency

Introduction

One of the most common questions we hear is: “How many times a week should I be training?”

The answer? It depends.

👉 If you’re doing 1 session per week, that’s better than 0.
👉 If you’re doing 2, that’s better than 1.
👉 Once you reach 3+ sessions per week, your training needs to align with your goals and recovery.

In this guide, we’ll break down how often you should exercise based on your fitness level, goals, and recovery capacity.

1-2 Sessions Per Week: A Great Place to Start

If you’re just starting out or have a busy schedule, training once or twice per week is still progress.

💡 Who is this best for?
✅ Beginners getting into fitness
✅ Busy professionals who struggle with time
✅ Anyone wanting to build consistency without overwhelm

💪 What can you expect?

• 1x per week: Maintains fitness, helps you stay active, and keeps you moving.

• 2x per week: A great balance for beginners to see progress in strength, endurance, and movement quality.

🔥 Training Tip: Focus on full-body workouts to make the most of your sessions.

3-4 Sessions Per Week: Ideal for Consistent Progress

Once you’re comfortable training, 3-4 sessions per week is where real changes happen.

💡 Who is this best for?
✅ Those looking to build muscle or lose fat
✅ Anyone wanting to see noticeable progress in strength and endurance
✅ People who can recover well between sessions

💪 What can you expect?

• 3x per week: Balanced progress in strength, muscle growth, and fitness.

• 4x per week: More structured progression with room for split training (e.g., upper/lower body splits).

🔥 Training Tip: If training 3-4x per week, structure your workouts to include a mix of strength, conditioning, and recovery work for best results.

5+ Sessions Per Week: Goal-Specific Training

If you’re training 5 or more times per week, you need to ensure your workouts align with your specific goal and allow for proper recovery.

💡 Who is this best for?
✅ Athletes or competitive lifters
✅ Those training for a specific event (e.g., marathon, competition)
✅ People with advanced training experience who recover well

💪 What can you expect?

• 5x per week: Suitable for hybrid training goals (e.g., strength + endurance).

• 6x+ per week: Only sustainable if recovery is prioritised (sleep, nutrition, stress management).

🔥 Training Tip: More isn’t always better—focus on recovery just as much as your workouts!

How to Choose Your Ideal Training Frequency

💡 Ask yourself these 3 questions:

1️⃣ What’s my goal?

• Fat loss? Muscle gain? General health? Your training frequency should align with it.

2️⃣ How much time can I realistically commit to?

• If you can only train 2x per week, make those quality full-body sessions.

• If you can train 4-5x per week, balance intensity and recovery.

3️⃣ Am I recovering properly?

• If you’re sore, fatigued, or not progressing, you may be overtraining.

• Recovery is just as important as workouts!

Conclusion: Find the Right Balance for You

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to training frequency. But the most important thing is consistency—doing something is always better than nothing.

🏆 Key Takeaways:
✅ 1-2x per week: Great for starting out & staying active.
✅ 3-4x per week: Ideal for progress in strength & fat loss.
✅ 5+ per week: Goal-specific & requires smart recovery planning.

💬 Still not sure how often you should be training? Book a free intro session at Riverside Fitness House, and we’ll help you find the right plan for your goals!