# A question about working out **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 1, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-working-out/594875 "2011-09-01T19:10:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-working-out/594875/1 "2011-09-01T19:10:25Z")
So now that I am officially back on campus again I have full use of our beautiful workout facilities. The problem is between grad work, being a grad assistant, and working two other jobs on top of all that I have no time to actually get to the gym, much less to make a regiment out of it. My question is this: if I can only get to the gym and run around the track for an hour let’s say…2 times in a 7 day week, is that short amount of running even helping me at all? Keep in mind too that these days wouldn’t really be consistent either. The gym also has a rock wall so pretending I do that once or so as well. I just feel that unless I’m actually going three times a week for an hour or two and actually doing something consistently that it wouldn’t even make a difference to my body. Any excersize fans out there to help me? ---
**Author:** ![DaveBfd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DaveBfd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveBfd)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-working-out/594875/2 "2011-09-01T19:38:09Z")
Basically the way i understand it is that if you push your body to the point that you are sore/very tired your body will try and compensate by gaining muscles in those areas so that it becomes less work next time. Going from nothing to jogging for an hour two times a week is going to initially build up muscle very fast, but you will shortly plateau unless you begin adding more effort and time. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-working-out/594875/3 "2011-09-01T19:43:42Z")
Any exercise is better for you than no exercise. So yes, it will be good for your body. OTOH, I don’t if you’ll have any _visible_ effects, if that’s what you’re asking. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-working-out/594875/4 "2011-09-01T19:44:07Z")
Of course it is worth it, even if you can only go once a week. Will you be ready for a marathon? No, but when the day comes that you DO have time to exercise you will be more fit than you would have otherwise been. ---
**Author:** ![Brandus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@Brandus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brandus)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-working-out/594875/5 "2011-09-01T20:01:15Z")
Yes, it is worth it. You’ll be burning off fat, releasing endorphins, and keeping your muscles in shape. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-working-out/594875/6 "2011-09-01T23:00:25Z")
Two times is better than none but 3-4 would be ideal. If you just go twice a week the conditioning will often backslide before your next time. It all depends on what shape you’re in to start with and what your fitness goals are. Can you really run for an hour at a time? What kind of distance are you covering in that time? And if you’re in a gym you must be running on like a 1/10 mile track. If the only thing you’re using the gym for is running, maybe save some money and run outside. The scenery’s better 🙂 OTOH running is good for endurance and aerobic conditioning but it would be good to do something else at the gym in addition to running. Maybe run 30 minutes, weight training 30 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-working-out/594875/7 "2011-09-02T00:57:20Z")
And btw, you can get in some meaningful exercise _without going to the gym_! Seriously, just doing a few sets of burpee intervals at home for ten to fifteen minutes, maybe followed by some sit-ups, added in once or twice a week on top of what your are planning, will do a fair amount. Walk briskly to and fro on campus, even jog it sometimes a little. Take the stairs … You get the point. Lots of little exercise adds up. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-working-out/594875/8 "2011-09-02T03:54:30Z")
[Official advice from the American College of Sports Medicine](http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home_Page&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=7788). > [@](#): > > all healthy adults aged 18 to 65 yr need moderate-intensity aerobic (endurance) physical activity for a minimum of 30 min on five days each week or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity for a minimum of 20 min on three days each week. [I (A)] Combinations of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity can be performed to meet this recommendation. [IIa (B)] For example, a person can meet the recommendation by walking briskly for 30 min twice during the week and then jogging for 20 min on two other days. Moderate-intensity aerobic activity, which is generally equivalent to a brisk walk and noticeably accelerates the heart rate, can be accumulated toward the 30-min minimum by performing bouts each lasting 10 or more minutes. [I (B)] Vigorous-intensity activity is exemplified by jogging, and causes rapid breathing and a substantial increase in heart rate. In addition, every adult should perform activities that maintain or increase muscular strength and endurance a minimum of two days each week. [IIa (A)] Because of the dose-response relation between physical activity and health, persons who wish to further improve their personal fitness, reduce their risk for chronic diseases and disabilities or prevent unhealthy weight gain may benefit by exceeding the minimum recommended amounts of physical activity. [I (A)] The complete article is not a bad read. Concise but covering the actual data pretty well. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-working-out/594875/9 "2011-09-02T13:31:09Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Lots of little exercise adds up. Yep… It’s easy to drop and do 20 pushups between putting the burgers on the grill and taking that first sip of beer. Definitely easier than after the 45th sip of beer which is about when the burgers are done.