How do you know when you have done enough in a gym session?

[NineToTheSky]

When I started going to the gym, I just did as much as I could. As time has gone by, I have increased both the intensity and the length of my workout. I set myself an (increasing) time limit and stop when my time is up. I usually feel like I could do more. So today, as an experiment, I just kept going. And I honestly don't know what my limit is. I suppose I could keep going until I collapsed, but I won't because that would be just silly.

How do you know when you have done enough?

[betpchem]

I would say that you have done enough when you have hit the goal you have set for yourself. If your goal seems too easy, then change the goal. But I would avoid working until you drop - you don't want to grow to hate the gym.

[WendyB]

I agree overdoing will make you quit going at some point.

I don't think there is a set limit. I do 30-45 minutes cardio and 3 days a week I add on weights for another 30 minutes.

[hockeyguynick]

I don't set myself for any certain amount of time, considering the gym might be busy or something. I use an app on my phone called jefit, it has tons of lifting routines preloaded or you can make your own. I start it up, and go through each lift, when I'm done, I'm done. If you feel like you could keep going, you might need to increase the intensity.

[Tave]

You already appear to have a good strategy: slowing increasing the intensity and length of your workouts.  Since your body grows more efficient with each workout, you give it just that extra push to challenge it.  Keep it up, as like others said, you want to enjoy the workouts you do.

[SunsetRunner]

This is a very interesting question.  If you want to quantify a workout, use the SAID principle. This is specific adaption to imposed demands.  So, to make a workout effective you want to set a benchmark.

There are many benchmarks available such as heartrate, bench press, pushups accomplished and on and on.  Also, you want to pre-plan your workouts to accomplish these goals.  There are also standards as to time whereby workouts become ineffective depending on the goal.  For general exercisers that limit is 60 minutes.  For more advanced exercisers it is performance.  Working with a trainer if feasible with a smart, measuarble, attainable, relevant and timely goal is my recommendation.

[Heybales]

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@NineToTheSky wrote:
When I started going to the gym, I just did as much as I could. As time has gone by, I have increased both the intensity and the length of my workout. I set myself an (increasing) time limit and stop when my time is up. I usually feel like I could do more. So today, as an experiment, I just kept going. And I honestly don't know what my limit is. I suppose I could keep going until I collapsed, but I won't because that would be just silly.

How do you know when you have done enough?

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What's the purpose of the workout?

Merely to burn more calories so you can eat more but still at a deficit to lose fat?

Then as intense/long as you can do it but still allows you to do the same workout tomorrow.

You'll soon discover that if you go too hard today - tomorrow suffers. Therefore that level was too high to allow enough time for recovery.

To improve endurance cardio ability like for long runs/rides?

Then actually long and not so intense to train the fat burning system better to endure longer.

At some point the longer time will require an easier 2nd day or rest day to allow recovery.

To improve body shape with strength training?

Then intense and short allows putting more of a load on the body that it must recover from by becoming stronger.

But you must allow time for those muscles to build stronger - kill that process and you wasted that workout - 36-48 hrs. That's why you don't lift same muscles day after day.

Something inbetween with intense and strength?

Then just like intervals is hard and easy - the days should be setup the same way, hard days followed by easy days. The easy days allows the hard day to be harder then if you did hard everyday.

And recovery for the body in a diet is longer than not in a diet - and until you have something to compare to by actually changing your routine - very few actually realize the difference proper recovery allows for a good workout and good results from a workout.

As hard as you can every day is actually counter productive if it involves the same muscles and fueling system of carbs.

[Maxit]

I go in with a plan now (yay little spiral notebook).   Most of it involves lifting and intervals and warm up/cool down.  The warm up includes 18 min walking on the treadmill, stretches and such.  I got into the habit of pre-planning when I was following New Rules of Lifting for Women and it has stuck with me.

[SunsetRunner]

To Maxit:

I prefer your method however if you joined a gym use the mechanisms the gym offfers.  Having said that, one of the more overlooked aspects is flexibility which you mention as part of your routine. Flexibility when the muscle is warm is somewhat optimal but you may consider (in addition to your perplanning) active recovery which is simply doing your stretching between any muscoskeletal activity. This allows you to maximum your time and use the equipment the gym offers in a constructive way.

[NineToTheSky]

@Heybales

My purpose is to lose weight, which I am doing successfully. You are quite right: after having (experimentally) overworked, the next was rubbish. So, I am working to a time limit, but trying to work better.

[SunsetRunner]

to: nine to the sky

The daily log is the integral part of the completion of your workout.  You do not have to look back 8 years ago like I have but for short term and intermediate term goals a log cannot be understated.  If you want to understand the personal journal or log let me know. Sounds like you have learned from experience.

[NineToTheSky]

@SunsetRunner

Yes, I find being able to review my workouts essential. I use the Fitbit app, and my gym's website, which go back to when I started. It's fascinating to see how my achievements have changed both from the beginning and day to day.

[Maxit]

@SunsetRunner  Yes, stretches and active cooldown are a part of the plan 🙂

[Raviv]

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@Heybales wrote:

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But you must allow time for those muscles to build stronger - kill that process and you wasted that workout - 36-48 hrs. That's why you don't lift same muscles day after day.

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Yes, and I think people forget this part, then don't see any progress because they don't allow for the "repair" portion of the workout.  And it's really important.  Working harder is not always better.  Rest is a big deal.

[SunsetRunner]

To heybales,

Your statement indicates an hourly rest period of noted proportions (36-48 hours)  Ever heard of long distance running, the ironman, or Pete Kostelnick.  Pete recently ran 163 miles in 24 hours.  Want some fitbit numbers? Try that!  Rest periods are always contingent on the exercise history of the participant and current goals, not an hourly value.

[Raviv]

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@acsmman wrote:

To heybales,

Your statement indicates an hourly rest period of noted proportions (36-48 hours)  Ever heard of long distance running, the ironman, or Pete Kostelnick.  Pete recently ran 163 miles in 24 hours.  Want some fitbit numbers? Try that!  Rest periods are always contingent on the exercise history of the participant and current goals, not an hourly value.

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That's a race.  I would assume reasonable people don't run 163 miles three times a week, or even every other month.  Races are not workouts, and there's even more rest that is considered wise the longer the distance.  But that's not what we're talking about here.

Normal workouts lasting an hour or so?  36-48 hours.

Races or other unusual feats of endurance?  Longer rest.

[SunsetRunner]

to raviv

Oh, I thought you were discussing steps, activity, gyms, exercise endeavors and ways to improve health. Are you suggesting that because plenty of people are excellent examples of what can be done they should be excluded from being an example of what is possible? Since this is forum to discuss devices (fitbit) have you ever heard of sensoria, athos, or coaches eye? We are really just entering the world of the proliferation of sensors that will monitor activity.  For example, Athos measures movement analysis in clothing including muscle activity and respiration.  There is room for both beginners and advanced exercisers in our world!

[Raviv]

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@acsmman wrote:

to raviv

Oh, I thought you were discussing steps, activity, gyms, exercise endeavors and ways to improve health. Are you suggesting that because plenty of people are excellent examples of what can be done they should be excluded from being an example of what is possible? Since this is forum to discuss devices (fitbit) have you ever heard of sensoria, athos, or coaches eye? We are really just entering the world of the proliferation of sensors that will monitor activity.  For example, Athos measures movement analysis in clothing including muscle activity and respiration.  There is room for both beginners and advanced exercisers in our world!

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I'm saying that the average person on this forum does not run 163 miles in a day.  I would venture to say the vast majority of them do not.  

And if one of the posters here does, then I would hope they know better than to get training advice from an internet forum that isn't made up of mostly ultramarathon runners.

As far as the average person training 3-4 days per week at home or their local gym, the 36-48 hour rule is a pretty good guideline.

[Heybales]

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@acsmman wrote:

To heybales,

Your statement indicates an hourly rest period of noted proportions (36-48 hours)  Ever heard of long distance running, the ironman, or Pete Kostelnick.  Pete recently ran 163 miles in 24 hours.  Want some fitbit numbers? Try that!  Rest periods are always contingent on the exercise history of the participant and current goals, not an hourly value.

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My comment was not written out best perhaps.

Weight lifting was the point being discussed. Nothing about how long the workout took.

After a good lifting session, the repair to the damage done (if a good lifting session causing micro-tears) is in the next 24 - 36 hrs.

If you put another heavy load on same muscles trying to repair - you kill the repair process.

And that repair time is on the longer side the bigger your deficit and/or poor sleep - can be on the shorter side if eating in surplus, and great sleep pattern.

But even calm endurance cardio using same muscles will stop that repair process if you go long enough, because after a certain amount of time - that's now a load on the muscles that requires it own repair.

Ever watch Crossing the Saraha on Netflix or someplace else, almost everyday running to accomplish. Even day to day endurance is known to cause issues with muscle recovery - in their case outside the other major issues they had to deal with. But they comment on what they knew they had to be careful with.

[SunsetRunner]

to maxit: Cooldown is not active recovery.  Active Recovery is perhaps a misnomer however active recovery is performing exercise type endeavors such as flexibility between activities such as a bench press.  So, you might do the 10 reps on the bench of x weight and then stretch the achilles tendon for 30 seconds while you are waiting to recover for the next set-wanted to clarify that for you.  Cooldown is the return of heart rate to normal status after cardiovascular work.