Restarting exercise?: Why 1–3 Workouts a Week is Enough to start with.

Let me say this clearly: if you are restarting exercise, you do NOT need to train four, five, or six days a week.

For most adults that I coach here in Upper Hutt who are restarting exercise, training two to three times a week is the sweet spot.

Of all the people that I have given consultations to, those who start slowly and don’t go all in at the start are those who have not only achieved their goals, but they have exceeded them, and they are still exceeding them!

And before your brain jumps in with “but more is better, right?” – let’s slow that thought down for a second.

I see this pattern all the time here in Upper Hutt, and even more so on social media.

Someone decides it’s time to “get back into it.”

They go all-in.

New shoes, new plan, big promises.

Five gym sessions a week.

Even doing 5 HIIT classes a week at a flash new gym!

Two to three months later?

They’re sore.

They’re exhausted or injured.

Their motivation is gone.

And exercise feels like another thing they’ve failed at.

That’s not because they’re weak.

It’s because the plan didn’t match where their body and brain were actually at.

WHY MORE IS NOT BETTER WHEN YOU’RE RESTARTING

Your body doesn’t understand motivation.

It understands stress.

Exercise is a positive stress, but it is still stress.

When you suddenly go from very little movement to training most days of the week, your body has to recover from every single session. If recovery can’t keep up, things start to go backwards.

This often shows up as:

- constant soreness that never really settles

- poor or broken sleep

- low energy during the day

- irritability or brain fog

- loss of motivation

- aches and niggles

- getting sick more often

For people dealing with anxiety, depression, burnout, or chronic stress, this effect is amplified.

Instead of exercise helping your mental health, it adds to the load.

And that’s where people start thinking, “What’s wrong with me?”

Nothing.

The training volume was just too much.

MY COACHING PHILOSOPHY: LESS, DONE WELL, WORKS

One of the core beliefs behind how I coach is this:

Progress comes from what you can recover from – not what you can survive at the gym.

My coaching philosophy is built around a few simple principles:

1. Consistency beats intensity.

I would much rather you train twice a week for six months than smash yourself five times a week for two months and quit.

2. Recovery is not optional.

Your muscles, joints, nervous system, and brain all need time to adapt. Rest days are not lazy days – they are part of the program.

3. Exercise should support your life, not compete with it.

You already have work, family, stress, responsibilities, and limited energy. Training needs to fit into that reality.

This is why two to three training sessions per week works so well for adults restarting exercise.

REALITY CHECK

Let’s talk real life for a second. You might:

- work full-time (or more)

- have kids, partners, or family responsibilities

- be juggling stress, sleep issues, or mental health challenges

- feel mentally cooked by the end of the week

- deal with cold, dark winter mornings and sideways rain, or suffering through hot and sunny days.

Trying to train most days in that environment is a fast track to nowhere.

Two to three sessions a week?

That’s realistic.

That’s manageable.

That’s something you can stick to even when life isn’t perfect.

And consistency always beats perfection.

I have taken on numerous clients who were training too much. Those that listened and focused on quality and not quantity were people who actually could carry on with training. Every single person that did not listen either got injured, such as stress fractures or muscle tears, or they gave up all training after a few months.

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU TRAIN 1–3 TIMES A WEEK WHEN RESTARTING EXERCISE

Here’s the part that surprises people.

When you train fewer days per week:

- you recover better

- your sessions are higher quality

- your strength and cardio improve faster

- your joints feel happier

- your sleep improves

- your motivation stays steadier

Research backs this up.

Studies show that beginners and people returning after a break can make excellent strength and health gains training as little as two times per week (Schoenfeld et al., 2016).

You don’t need daily workouts.

You need well-timed ones.

WHY THIS MATTERS EVEN MORE FOR MENTAL HEALTH

If you are managing anxiety, depression, burnout, or long-term stress, recovery becomes even more important.

Exercise can:

- improve mood

- reduce anxiety

- improve sleep

- boost confidence

- create routine and structure

But too much exercise too soon can:

- increase fatigue

- worsen stress

- disrupt sleep

- increase feelings of failure

Moderate, consistent exercise performed two to three times per week has been shown to significantly improve mental health outcomes (Carek et al., 2011).

This is why I’m careful about telling people to “just do more.”

More is not always better.

Better is better.

WHAT A GOOD WEEK REALLY LOOKS LIKE

Here is what I often recommend for the first month of training.

1 resistance session per week

1 walk per week (optional)

1 physical activity you enjoy (such as cycling, swimming, kayaking, trail walks etc)

Notice what’s missing.

No punishment workouts.

No “earning” rest, no ‘making up for calories eaten”

No guilt.

Rest is part of the plan.

COMMON FEARS I HEAR (AND WHY THEY’RE WRONG)

“But won’t I fall behind?”

No – you’ll probably progress faster.

“But everyone else trains every day.”

Most people you see online are not beginners, and many are not giving themselves enough time to recover.

“But shouldn’t I be doing more?”

Only if your body has adapted to more training, AND you can recover from it.

FINAL THOUGHTS

If you are restarting exercise after time off, stress, injury, or mental health struggles, remember this:

You are not lazy.

You are not weak.

You are not behind.

Training two to three times per week is smart.

It’s sustainable.

And it often produces better results than doing too much.

Start where you are.

Do less, but do it well.

Let consistency do the heavy lifting.

CITATIONS

Schoenfeld, B. J., et al. (2016). Effects of resistance training frequency on muscular adaptations.

Carek, P. J., et al. (2011). Exercise for the treatment of depression and anxiety.