Question about exercise schedule?

Is working out 1 hour every other day the same as doing 30 minutes a day? At the end of the week can I just look at the hours I worked out instead of what days. Some days I'm able to work out a couple hours and other days I don't have time for any exercise. Does it really matter?

Fri. Jul 21, 3:30pm

depends on the goal

if your goal is burning calories then they are about the same.

if your goal is to establish a routine, then 30 minutes a day is probably better than squeezing in what you can, where you can, and adding it up at the end. (at least for me anyway).

if your goal is building endurance to train for something, then 60 minutes every other day is better. pushing yourself at a high heart rate for 60 minutes builds endurance and gets your heart in shape better than maintaining a high heart rate for 30 minutes.

if your goal is to get in shape ASAP (notice i said get in shape, not get skinny), then an hour every other day is better - you build up endurance and give your body 48 hrs between workouts for recovery. then you always work out at your maximum potential. competitive athletes will change to this training schedule for a few weeks before a big event for that purpose - it's called tapering.

Friday, July 21, 2006, 4:07 PM

Consistency is nice, but it's not always possible. Some days I swim and run and strength train, some days I just swim and strength train, get the idea? The point is to do it. Make it a priority and squeeze it in where you can.

Personally, I'm a bigger fan of longer workouts, so I'd say aim for the hour every other day rather than 30 min daily. If you can squeeze that half hour in on the "other days" in addition to the hour days, great. If not, so be it. We all want results quick, but you have to find a groove to keep them going.

Friday, July 21, 2006, 4:08 PM

My belief is that the best schedule is the schedule you will actually stick with. I would suggest doing what feels satisfying and enjoyable to you and adapting your routines as you learn about yourself, your motivations, and your body.

Friday, July 21, 2006, 5:53 PM

I think that doing what you can, when you can is okay unless you are trying to get into a harcore training routine. Personally though, I feel like it's an accomplishment when I can fit in an hour every other day with my busy life! So, I say that if you are eating healthy and getting regular cardio workouts then you are doing just fine!

Friday, July 21, 2006, 6:11 PM

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