The number of exercises needed for the ideal workout: trainers

Experts revealed the ideal amount of exercises to complete for the most effective workout and the number suggested for the average person may surprise you.

Fitness experts recommend completing between three to eight exercises per workout session, depending on your athletic abilities.

Each movement should be repeated three to four times — known as doing reps — for five to 12 sets. 

More experienced athletes will be able to finish more exercises more times, but beginners are encouraged to start to slow to avoid injury.

Those who are just starting to build muscle should aim for two to three moves per workout.

Beginners should start small to “learn or master and really feel and own the motions,” Ebenezer Samuel, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, explained to Men’s Health.

Fitness fanatics can add more movements to their routine, but experts warn athletes against overdoing it.

Fitness experts recommend completing between three to eight exercises per workout session, depending on your athletic abilities.

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Athletes who are already committed to practice and competition schedules should spend no more than 45 minutes doing additional training.

Your fitness goal also impacts how you should work out.

To build up muscle, trainers recommend more sets of exercises, longer rests in between, heavier weights, and lower reps.

Each movement should be repeated three to four times – known as doing reps – for five to 12 sets.

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Those aiming to burn fat should stick to a greater number of exercises, shorter rest periods, lighter weights, and more reps.

Trainers also recommend creating workouts to focus on specific muscle groups or regions.

People who want to build their upper body strength, really only need to focus on three types of movements to get going: pushes, pulls and isometric holds.

“Push” workouts include exercises like chest presses, lateral raises and overhead shoulder presses while “pull” workouts include bicep curls, rows and chin-ups.

More experienced athletes will be able to finish more exercises more times, but beginners are encouraged to start to slow to avoid injury.

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Meanwhile, when you need to slow down, isometric holds work as you keep your body steady in a position for a set amount of time — planks and overhead holds will do the trick.

The low-impact exercises work to build muscular strength and endurance as the muscles tighten or contract certain muscle groups while being held in a static position.

And while most of these exercises can be done with weights, they can also be effective without them, too.

For lower-body workouts, experts suggest focusing on hitting all the main parts of your leg: quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.

Adults are advised to move their bodies for about 150 minutes of moderate physical activity and 2 days of muscle-strengthening a week, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.

But fitness experts admit that just getting your body moving and your blood pumping in whatever ways you can will help you to start your fitness journey.

“Anything is better than just sitting on the couch,” Eric Sung, a private trainer in New York City, told Men’s Health.

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