Depending on your goal and fitness level really determines the answer to this question. Let’s focus on resistance training. If you are a beginner you should start off working out every other day at the most. Try not to leave any more than two days between workouts as this can un do all your hard work. If you are focusing on increasing your muscular strength you will need to train two-three days a week where as if you are looking for hypertrophy – building muscle this can take up to six days a week and in some routines training twice in one day.

It is a great idea to mix your training up too. By changing the frequency – the number of gym sessions in a week, will keep your body on its toes and help you adapt and move closer to your goal. Never let your workouts become too routine and predictable. Your body is very clever at remembering your last workout. For great results shocking your body with something new whether it is a new exercise, changing the intensity or frequency helps your training to progress and could be the difference in getting you to where you would like to be.

Rather than making your workouts longer by adding an extra five minutes on the treadmill or adding another set to your leg press. Keeping your workouts short and sharp but adding an extra session in your week can really give you significant gains. Your body does know best so make sure you listen to it!  Over training can cause plateaus. Increasing the frequency is good but you do need to rest and recover between sessions.

Upping the frequency of your workout can be tailored to your goals. If you are training for a race, you will taper your workouts down towards race day. However, increasing the frequency before hand and for the average gym user will still give greater muscle stimulation and practise.

You need to keep your workouts fresh, especially if you are adding the extra gym session. Too much of the same exercise will eventually become boring and monotonous. Group exercise such as spinning, treadmill workouts and circuits add great variety. Not every workout has to be an intense workout too. If you are adding an extra day in, it is a good idea to switch up the volume, load or rest period. Review your workouts every 8-12 weeks adding a new workout in your week is just a factor to help stimulate your body into getting fitter and stronger.

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