We’re often led to believe that if something is good, a lot more of it will be that much better. Nowhere is this mindset more prevalent than in the world of fitness, especially when you consider the popularity of things like the #NoDaysOff movement.
For proof of the lengths to which we will go to show how hardcore we are, spend 30-60 seconds scrolling through your Instagram feed and see how many posts are touting “epic” workouts lasting hours on end. The problem with that thinking is that the length of a workout is not the sole indication of its effectiveness. In other words, just because a workout lasts two-plus hours doesn’t inherently make it superior to a 30-minute workout.
How Long Should You Work Out?
Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Your ideal workout length, as well as how frequently you should train, will depend on a number of factors, including the following:
- Training experience
- Goals
- Age
- Time available for training
- Training approach; for example, straight sets vs supersets, whole-body vs body-part split, upper/lower vs bro split, and the intensity techniques you use
- Rest time between sets
- Amount of workout time wasted; for example, snapping selfies, checking social media, and texting
- How crowded the gym is
Basically, there are simply too many factors involved to give a blanket recommendation. That goes for training programs in general. Not every program (or even every exercise) is right for every lifter.
Furthermore, the length of time you work out reflects the quality of your training. For example, two lifters take two hours to complete a workout. Lifter A is an elite powerlifter whose training typically involves heavy triples. As such, he requires long rest periods in order to regain his strength ahead of the next working set. If you’ve ever trained with heavy loads on the deadlift near your 1 RM, you know it can take up to 5-10 minutes to recover fully and feel ready to attempt another heavy triple.
On the other side is Lifter B. He’s your average joe who hits the gym 3-4 times per week just to get fit. He also takes 5-10-minute breaks in between sets, talking all the while to his buddies; mindlessly repping out set after set of curls, but not pushing anywhere near his max.
While this is a tremendous exaggeration, it makes a point. Just because you’re in the gym for a long time doesn’t mean you’re training hard or that you’re training effectively, let alone efficiently.
The truth is, you should be less concerned with the length of time your workout takes than you are with using that time to work hard and improve from the last workout. That means adding weight to the bar, increasing the number of repetitions, or decreasing the amount of rest you take between sets, to name a few approaches.
