How often should I train?

It’s rude to answer a question, with a question but in this case it’s the right thing to do. How long is a piece of string? There are several factors that determine the answer to this age old question. Never the less, it is a very valid question.

Ultimately, our bodies react differently to exercise, nutrition and rest. Some people have a very fast metabolism. Others only need 5h of sleep per day. Then there are the ones who never or only need to train once a week and can eat whatever they want and still look trim. Luckily, that last bunch are in a very small group.

We’re different and some things may work better for you but not for others. The key thing to remember, as with everything in life, the correct balance goes a long way. I can confidently say, if you train for 2h every day of the week you will not see significant results. You will be over training and your body will most likely go into shock. You’d never give yourself enough time to mend and repair those muscles. This means you will not get stronger and will not see the desired results. Additionally, the stress this puts on your joints and tendons means you will most likely get injured. Finally, the lack of a personal life means you will give in eventually. Think balance!

It doesn’t have to be that hard. And when it comes down to it, it’s reasonably easy to determine how much exercise a person needs. Now, you will need to adjust your lifestyle a bit to see results (my next blog post will focus on that) but lets start off with 1h high intensity every other day. During each session, we will train different muscle groups to ensure we’re giving that group enough time to recuperate. Once we’ve built a muscular base we will up the intensity of the workouts. We’re aiming for 7 workouts per fortnight (future posts will include different muscle group training sessions). 

Related to how much exercise is required I also want to cover ‘discipline’. One of the most important attributes anyone needs in order to succeed is an open mind towards the various disciplines that can assist them in their development.  One of the central areas of discipline is diet and nutrition.  I will soon be posting an outline of a broad but strict diet plan. If adhered to, my recommended amount of exercise will be sufficient.