How long should a workout be to be considered a “good” workout?

No one workout is perfectly suited for everyone. But the time you spend on working out, can be determined. Here  are some tips you should keep in mind while working out.

1. Fitness Level

This is a key factor. If you’re new to working out and spend an hour in the gym, you might end up burned out or injured, especially if you push your body to its limits. Start with short workouts of 30 mins a day. As you feel your strength building over the weeks, you can gradually increase the duration week-on-week.

2. Type of workout

What time of workout will largely depend on your fitness levels as well as the type of workout you are doing? Walking on the treadmill for 40 mins at moderate speed is completely fine. But a high intensity run on a treadmill for 40 mins is avoidable (also rather impossible)!

You can combine many different workouts in the 60 mins you plan to spend at the gym. It could be a mix of high and low intensity workouts.  Some advanced gym-goers, schedule high-intensity short workouts during the weekdays due to lack of time and hit the gyms on weekends for longer durations.

3. Amount of rest time

If your workout sessions at the gym involve multiple strength-training (or weightlifting) exercises, and various other gym equipment, make sure you add enough rest between sets, and a warm-up and cool-down before & after. 

4. Other commitments

Ultimately, making time for exercise is what matters. I get it, family, friends, and careers are important – understandably so!  So, if on some days, you’re cutting some time from your workouts, it’s fine. But skipping it for too long, citing these excuses, make for poor excuses.

Even carving out 10 minutes a day works better than sitting on the couch wallowing in self-pity.  Being active will ensure you build healthy habits, that’ll result in a healthy lifestyle, you always wanted.

Remember to go #AtYourOwnPace – you’ll get results that actually last longer instead of pushing yourself physically or going on strict diets, that do more harm than good.

Fitness #AtYourOwnPace is the mantra!