Is exercise 4x a week excessive?

[Passitontheleft]

I have been through some personal things recently which caused me to stop all my exercise and sport hobbies back in April. I’m coming out of the other side now and in the last few weeks started picking things back up. Before my break, I did badminton, yoga, and pole once a week.

Now I do those three still and I’ll be doing pole twice a week now and starting Reformer Pilates this week.

A friend has expressed concern and thinks I’m “overcompensating” for the break I had and feels it’s excessive because I’m “already fit and healthy.” She thinks that doing pole twice weekly now will make my toned arms muscly in combination with the other active things and that I’ll develop broad shoulders.

Does anyone else do exercise 4-5x weekly? Is this excessive? I wouldn’t say I’m making up for lost time as such, but I stopped everything for 4 months and was depressed tbh and getting back into pole, for example, is harder after such a break. I also don’t want to neglect my exercise and fitness again despite being “fit and healthy” currently.

Exercising 4x week including one session of yoga wouldn’t be anywhere near enough exercise to slow recovery in an otherwise healthy person.

It's not excessive, but there is a line where it does become extreme. It won't be about the number of times you go, but how you feel when you don't, and what you do about it.

Extreme = cancelling other plans to go to exercise classes, refusing to adjust plans, becoming depressed/anxious when you can't/don't go, overcompensating for missed classes etc. x

Not excessive unless you’re finding it too much, and you’re the kind of person who will give up altogether rather than scale back.

Extreme = cancelling other plans to go to exercise classes, refusing to adjust plans

I don’t think that’s extreme, that’s just prioritising what’s important to you rather than being a people pleaser. My exercise routine is what works for me, and it’s important to me. Not my problem if it’s inconvenient for others that I won’t compromise on it.

I pole 3-5 times a week for between 1 and 2 hours and do strength training on top of that twice a week for about 40 mins and flexibility training about 3 times. Making sure I have atleast one rest day but often two full rest days where I don't do any exercise a week.

If you want to get good at pole you have to be consistent and show up regularly. I don't cancel class unless I am sick and I do not cancel it to go do other things. I prioritise it and other things fit round it. It's important to me. Your friend is talking nonsense

I exercise every day. Tell her to mind her own business. What is it to her if you get muscly arms? What a strange thing to say!

I thought we were supposed to exercise every day. I don't, but I feel guilty about it!

I work out 5 or 6 times a week. It sounds like your 'friend' doesn't want you to work on your wellbeing. Also, it's bloody hard to get broad, muscly shoulder but so what if you do!

I don't think it's excessive. I run most days and do weights 3 days a week. The only people who have ever said anything negative is a couple of very unfit people who have something to say about anything positive anyone does. 🙄 If you feel good, carry on.

You do you and tell her to mind her own

I do about 4-5 sessions a week. Try to aim for three of those as a run and the others as weights/strength.

I'm currently in cancer remission and would like to keep it that way. So many cancers have a heightened risk due to inactivity. Mine was genetic but being at my healthiest is only a good thing if the sod returns. I'm a firm believer in the more effort we put in during our younger years the easier our old age will be. So many adults with chronic conditions that could have been easily avoided by more exercise and better diet in their 20's, 30's and 40's. Unfortunately though I don't think the current COL will have helped recently.

Sounds perfectly reasonable and healthy to me.

As for your friend — Urgh, spare me. She needs a reality check. You won’t suddenly become Arnold fucking Schwarzenegger by doing an extra pole session a week. Does she have any idea how hard people have to work to build serious muscle? I’m a former competitive powerlifter — trust me, I know! I was lifting HEAVY in the gym 5-6 times a week and eating like crazy, and I still wasn’t Mr Muscles! Plus, you can’t be “toned” without having a bit of muscle, and being “broad shouldered” is completely down to genetics and your own conformation. Ignore her nonsense, she sounds jealous and ignorant.

No it's not excessive, just make sure to listen to your body though.

It’s something I’ve been doing 4-6 times a week for 15yrs+…

4 sessions isn't excessive. That's a nix mix of classes.
It'll do you the world of good.

It’s much much much harder for women to build muscle then it is for blokes. She’s probably just a little jealous of you doing this or can’t be arsed and would prefer it if you can’t be arsed.

I exercise almost every day, often I dog walk in addition to gym, tennis, Pilates, running. It makes me feel strong and capable, lifts my mood.

No, I work out for 1-2 hours 6 days a week and have no issues. I box, HIIT and weights (each twice a week). It’s helped my mental health and fitness beyond all recognition!

I am interested to know how much exercise the concerned friend does 😏

Not at all, I do some form of training at least 6 times a week. Just don’t overdo it and if you need to slow down listen to your body.

Your ‘friend’ sounds like a twat.

You clearly love exercise and fitness and you do exercises that you find fun. Four or five exercise sessions a week isn’t excessive, for a start. And she can fuck right off with her ‘muscly arms’ comment. She’s talking bollocks because sculpted arms and shoulders are fabulous, obviously. But even if she wasn’t, it’s absolutely none of her bloody business.

I suspect your friend, either consciously or subconsciously, has an agenda of her own here. She’s definitely got issues - she’s either jealous, or competitive, or just one of those awful people who takes it upon themselves to ‘manage’ everyone.

let me guess

this friend does…. bugger all exercise

Well so what if it did anyway

OP what concern of hers is it what type of arms you have?

I try to exercise every day. I am allergic to exercise and I try to walk for an hour each evening. Even though I do no where near the activity levels probably recommended for most people.

That's absolutely not excessive - and muscly broad shoulders are great!!

As long as you aren't overtraining any one area, eating well and getting rest days, I can't see any problem with that schedule -

Badminton - aerobic, weightbearing, cardio, element of core strength, social
Yoga - core strength, flexibility, cardio
Pilates - core strength, flexibility, cardio
Pole - functional, strength, core strength, upper body strength, bodyweight, cardio, social

The only difference I'd choose if I were still physically able to do all of that is chuck in swimming as a recovery and non weightbearing exercise in preference to yoga if I were already doing Pilates - but that's personal choice.

I don’t think MNs is the best place to ask tbh!

How long is each session? Do you have time to do other stuff? Would you miss out on things and never miss a session? O