How Many Days a Week Should You Train?

How Many Days a Week Should You Train? (And What Should You Expect From Each Option)

How often should you actually be training—and what kind of results does that frequency realistically support?

In this episode of Physical Education, I break down one of the most common sources of frustration I see in the gym: the mismatch between people’s goals and how often they train. Drawing from exercise science, behavioral research, and nearly 15 years of coaching experience, I explain what you can (and can’t) expect from training 1, 2, 3, or 4+ days per week—and why none of those options are “wrong” when they’re aligned with the right goal.

We’ll talk about why one day a week is great for skill work but limited for progress, why two days a week is a powerful foundation for feeling good and staying consistent, why three days a week is where “real” training adaptations start to stack up, and why four or more days a week is where athletic performance lives. Along the way, we’ll also look at habit formation, exercise identity, and why people tend to overestimate how consistently they actually train.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, frustrated, or unsure whether your training schedule matches what you want out of fitness, this episode is for you.

Topics covered:

Training frequency vs. training goals

Why consistency ≠ intensity

What research says about 1x, 2x, 3x, and 4x/week training

Habit formation, identity, and adherence

How to align your expectations with your schedule

If this sparks questions or ideas, I’d love to hear them—drop a comment and let’s keep the conversation going.

Like, subscribe, and I’ll see you in the next one.