How many exercise classes a week

[MintyGreenDream]

For it to make a difference to how toned your body is?
I know diet has a lot to do with it too.
I did a "Total Body" aerobics/weights class today but I'm looking at doing a Body Pump one on another day.Would that be too much?

Two classes a week is absolutely fine. If you’re wanting to look toned, I’d say you really need to be doing at least three or four workouts a week.

Would 2 classes and 3 gym sessions be sufficient?

Depends what sessions and how challenging they are for you.

I didn’t realise you were doing three gym sessions as well.

I don’t think there are any hard and fast rules. For me, three of four workouts a week (either class or solo gym session) works for me. It’s finding what fits best with your lifestyle and what you enjoy doing.

It’s not that straightforward unfortunately! It depends what classes you’re doing, what gym work, how hard you work, how old you are, what you’re eating, your current fitness level etc.

I’m about 4st overweight and do two body pump, two pilates and two HIIT sessions a week. I’m also doing slimming world but am menopausal so shifting the extra weight is a great deal harder than when I was 30.

Are you very new to this? Maybe you’re better taking it slow and building up how much exercise you’re doing rather that going from one class to trying to fit in five lots of exercise in a week.

I do 3-4 resistance classes a week plus piper walking most mornings and a couple of cardio sessions such as running or boxing .. I think minimum 3 a week xx

I do four a week and one yoga class. That helped me lose a stone without dieting but I plateaued months ago. Next stone needs all this and reduced calories. I do feel strong and am more toned, though.

Every other day is a good place to start.

It's not really 'how many'. It's what you are doing in the classes & how intense they are.

I do minimum 5 classes & 1 run. A mixture of HIIT, Spin & Strength. The exact composition of the classes changes all the time which is important so I don't get too used to it.

I would recommend a mix of cardio, high intensity & strength to anyone asking. The way you achieve that is individual really.

Yes I'm new to this but I'm enjoying it...so far! It was half an hour of fast paced aerobics then half hour weights and floor work.

@EarringsandLipstick you must be super fit I thought I was going to keel over today

My classes look like this:

Monday: Spin
Tuesday: Spin, dance fitness, body pump
Wednesday: Body pump, spin
Thursday: Spin
Friday: Body conditioning

So that’s 8 a week. Weds is a long evening but I absolutely love all 3 classes so find it’s fine. I don’t do anything weekends as I’m driving DC about to their activities.

I used to go 5 or 6 days a week and nothing happened to my body shape
I’m straight up and down, and tall. different exercises will have visible impacts on different figures.

I go running 5 days a week - increased it gradually over the last few months from 3 times. I’ve seen a noticeable change, in particular my legs are much more toned.

I used to do spin then a body pump class straight after, most people there did actually. Then the rest of the week I would either do a gym session then a class or just a class. Tbis was only before an event tho not all the time

[quote MintyGreenDream]@EarringsandLipstick you must be super fit I thought I was going to keel over today[/quote]
😀
I'm quite fit, yes, but I've been doing it for years. I started in early adulthood, after a childhood / teen years that involved no exercise. Just wasn't a thing.

I loved it, and have exercised like that ever since - but changing it, sometimes gym based, many years in a running club & post-DC focusing on Hiit / strength.

These days, my exercise is as much about my mental well-being as physical. I'm just up now to head to my morning class.

The key is what works for you, gives you the results you want & is enjoyable. Good luck!

The "toned" look comes from a good amount of muscle mass, and a low enough body fat percentage that the muscle shows. How much that percentage needs to be depends on genetics (fat distribution is highly individual and cannot be changed), and how lean you want to look.

Strength training is essential, lift heavy at least twice a week to start seeing some results (ideally more), and add some cardio for overall health. Strength training also improves your bone density and should really be recommended more for women.

Classes like body pump are OK to get started but they're more fitness classes than really strength training. A lot of gyms have started offering ladies strength clubs or similar where you learn how to safely use barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells ; if there is one near you I'd highly recommend you give it a try

That's a great post Antenna

I think im going to start with 2 a week then go from there.Im still aching for a day or so after most exercise as id done zero for 20 yrs.

I run 5 days a week - total of 25-30 miles

I do Pilates once a week and yoga once a week

Plus 3 gym sessions of weights

I take 2 complete rest days.

Pretty much all classes are aerobic exercise if you want a toned looking body you really need to lift weights.

You won't get very toned from the likes of body pump, the weights are too low and the reps too high - up to 800 in one class

You want 3 sets of 6 reps at as heavy as you can manage for the 6 reps for upper body and 4-5 sets of 15/20 reps for legs.

@Indoctro

Pretty much all classes are aerobic exercise if you want a toned looking body you really need to lift weights.

You won't get very toned from the likes of body pump, the weights are too low and the reps too high - up to 800 in one class

You want 3 sets of 6 reps at as heavy as you can manage for the 6 reps for upper body and 4-5 sets of 15/20 reps for legs.

That's very much dependent on the shape you want, your physique & strength capacity.

I don't do that for upper body. I don't lift as heavy as I can & I do more reps. But it's mixed with other core / strength work like push ups, planks, floor work, and the cardio machines I use eg ski erg tone & define as well.

For me, it's the combination that works. I am a small build, and overall toning is what works for me.

@EarringsandLipstick

That's a great post Antenna

Thank you 😊

Years of learning through trial and error, and educating myself, distilled into one post 😁

@AntennaReborn

The "toned" look comes from a good amount of muscle mass, and a low enough body fat percentage that the muscle shows. How much that percentage needs to be depends on genetics (fat distribution is highly individual and cannot be changed), and how lean you want to look.

Strength training is essential, lift heavy at least twice a week to start seeing some results (ideally more), and add some cardio for overall health. Strength training also improves your bone density and should really be recommended more for women.

Classes like body pump are OK to get started but they're more fitness classes than really strength training. A lot of gyms have started offering ladies strength clubs or similar where you learn how to safely use barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells ; if there is one near you I'd highly recommend you give it a try

Great post. I've been exercising for years, but the only time I've looked toned is by eating well and lifting heavy.