How many days a week should I go to the gym?

For most people, 3 to 4 days a week is the right answer. It's enough to train every major muscle group at least twice a week, which is what the research on muscle growth keeps pointing to, and it leaves enough rest days that you don't burn out in month two.

If you're starting from zero, 2 days is completely fine. Two good sessions a week beats five sessions you stop doing after three weeks.

Why 3 to 4 works

Most of the progress comes from two things: training each muscle often enough, and showing up for long enough. Three or four days covers the first one and makes the second one realistic.

Here's roughly how I'd set it up depending on how many days you actually have:

• 2 days: two full body sessions. You'll still get stronger, especially early on.
• 3 days: full body on Monday, Wednesday, Friday (or any days with a rest day in between).
• 4 days: upper body and lower body, twice each.
• 5 to 6 days: a push, pull, legs split or something similar. This only makes sense if you like being in the gym and can recover from it.

Does going more often get better results?

A bit, but less than people think. Going from 2 days to 4 makes a real difference. Going from 4 to 6 mostly gives you more volume to recover from, and the extra gains are small unless you're already pretty advanced.

My take is that the number of days matters less than how many weeks in a row you keep it up. Someone doing 3 days a week for a year will be in much better shape than someone who does 6 days for a month and quits.

What about cardio?

The general public health guideline is about 150 minutes of moderate activity a week plus two days of strength training. So if you lift 3 days and add a couple of runs, rides or long walks, you're covering both. Those don't all have to be gym days.

How to pick your number

Pick the number of days you could keep doing on your worst realistic week, not your best one. If work gets busy every few weeks, plan around that week. You can always add a day when things are calm, but a plan that falls apart every time life gets in the way isn't a plan you'll keep.

A daily match in League of Fitness can help you hold that number in a bad week. A lifting session synced from Apple Health counts, and so does a short walk or ride, so a low-energy day can still count toward your day.

If you're unsure, start with 3 days for the first two months and see how you feel. If you're recovering well and want more, add a fourth.