To think 3 or 4 exercise classes a week is enough

[Academiahell]

I’ve been trying to improve my fitness for a while after not exercising at all during the first half of my 20s. I currently do around 3 classes a week (one weights, one cardio, one Pilates) and feel pretty happy with that.

I’ve noticed that +++ people at my gym do multiple classes per day and are there most days so do around 7-10 per week. For me this seems excessive but maybe I am just lazy?

AIBU to think that 3 classes a week are enough!

I do 2 classes a visit 4 times a week - just feels more efficient timewise

adding 10k steps a day to your weekly 3 classes should offer enough. 10k steps is only about 4 miles.

According to NHS guidelines you do too little unless you exercise elsewhere.
Personally I think it’s too little as well, for health I think you should do something every day, especially if you have a desk job. It doesn’t have to be a class but a short home workout or a jog. Humans are not meant to sit around as much as we do now. I appreciate it’s difficult to fit in with a busy life but I prioritise it and I exercise everyday plus dog walks. I’m up now at 5am to go to the gym. I have a busy life; two young children, work, study on top of work, but for me my health is very important and exercise is a huge part of it (together with a healthy diet) so I make sure I fit it in.

NHS guidelines:

Adults should aim to:

• do strengthening activities that work all the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) on at least 2 days a week
• do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week
• spread exercise evenly over 4 to 5 days a week, or every day.

I am a bodybuilder and dabble in powerlifting so my exercise schedule can be intense and I can absolutely tell you that your body needs recovery above anything else. If people go to 5 classes per day, they are not putting any energy into those classes as if they did, their body wouldn't be able to handle the workload. It is better to go to the gym for 30 minutes and give it 100%, than spend 5h there with 10% effort.

100%

I do 3 classes a week, it's fine for me. I vary the class type so not all 3 are the same, then I get a good mix of cardio, strength & flexibility.
I want to maintain my fitness & mobility, plus it helps my mental health to get out as I WFH fulltime. This week I did a swim as well, as I had some bonus free time..

I have a friend who will generally do 10+ classes a week. She lives alone and has no family nearby, so once she leaves work if she goes home she sits watching tv.
Her whole social life revolves around the gym, and she'll do 2 or 3 in a row after work before going home. She will be having a nice evening and also maintaining her fitness, but even doing so many classes she won't necessarily get any fitter. It's what she enjoys so that's the main thing.

As @Catza says, people who do multiple classes aren't putting the effort in, it's just not manageable. I've seen folks who do 3 in a row, and during the classes we share I don't see the effort (or the technique, sometimes) to say the time spent is worth it.

3 cardio classes a week improved mine, it was a power zone programme for spin and I doubled my FTP so a measurable big improvement

I did a mix of 30/45/60 min classes, some endurance and some focusing on higher zones

You’re doing a sensible amount.

I expect the people doing lots more classes use this as their social life, not just for the exercise. My daughter was at the gym daily when she’d finished university as she was using it as a way to make friends in the area

So how much should OP be doing, then, in your view?

Depends entirely on personal preference, goals, and limits really. If you love keeping fit, have the time to go, and want to make the most of your membership then do several classes. I used to do 2 classes a day but only a few times a week on my days off but classes were unlimited, I’d have done more if I could get more time off work, obviously with a limit before getting injured/overdoing it.

I do 3a week and think I'm amazing for that

This.

I do a minimum of 7 classes a week (usually over 6 days) and do a ridiculous amount of walking, but I don’t judge those who do less exercise.

We all have different goals.

The NHS guidelines have already been shared above.

OP isn't doing 3 cardio sessions a week though...

I think if you want to see actual body composition changes, it would be a good idea to up the strength work. You can often get a really good cardio workout via a strength and conditioning class, so if you can only go three times a week, I’d switch out the cardio class for a metabolic conditioning class that combined strength and cardio, such as a circuits class. It will be better than pure cardio health and fitness wise too, even if you’re not looking for body changes. Some people love cardio, like running for example, so that’s why they do it. But if you’re not doing a type of cardio because you love it, you’ll always get more bang for your buck by doing a class that incorporates strength training.

They have different fitness goals to you and that’s fine.

in NZ our MoH guidelines recommend a minimum of 30mins activity (that increases your heart rate) five times a week. I’m sure NHS guidelines would be similar. If your goal is minimum fitness to keep you healthy, you’re doing more than 2.5hrs exercise a week, you’re doing ok.

remember 3 times a week is much more than a lot of people do, so you’re doing great

I think it depends on the time you have spare and the goals you want to acheive. Once, i got really fit by doing twk classes a day for three months, i had weight to lose and a goal. If I had time on my hands I would do that and a specific goal. But to generally keep fit then it is not necessary to do that much.

Yes I felt inferior the other day when I was in a gym class and chatting to someone who told me she'd done two classes that morning, then the class we were in and she was staying for circuits next. I was glad to have made it to one class! I normally do two classes and one swim at my gym each week. I also go for longish walks with the family at the weekends and when I'm in the office i feel like the 20 minute walk either end of the train is enough those days. I work nearly full time and have kids and I just can't fit in more! My DH also does 3-4 gym classes a week and we support each other to fit in exercise time, but it can be a struggle.

Dépends what it is. I do four a week but according to my cardiologist a few months ago, I don’t do enough cardio. So I have upped my steps to 10 000 a day, which I find a right chore with everything else going on. Hopefully the light evenings will simplify things.

As others are saying, people do what works for them. There are many reasons people work out and it's not always all about fitness

On a separate note, if yo want to increase strength you'll need more than one weights session a week. Ideally 3. Split into chest and shoulders/back/lower body

I always wonder if it's worth doing one strength class a week.

Common sense tells me it is because it presumably at least maintains current strength levels and helps to stop bone density loss. My view is also it's better doing something rather than nothing, and if you set too high a goal number of visits it's difficult to maintain.

But maybe it's just a waste of time ?

I certainly prioritise strength over pure cardio as it’s so important as one ages.

It wouldn't be enough for me but everyone's different, exercise really helps my mental health so I like to gym three times and soon around 5 times.

Spin not soon!

I have a full time job though so would struggle to do more.