WHETHER YOU WANT to put on size, cut down and get lean, add strength, or just maintain, the amount of times per week that you train can be a direct correlate to your results. As a general baseline, if you’re looking for any sort of results, I’d strongly recommend that you don’t spend any less than three days per week in the weight room. You won’t be accomplishing anything by training less than this, and your weekly training volume will simply be too low, which won’t have lasting effects on strength, muscle volume, or caloric burn. But let’s get more specific.

When training for fat loss and cutting, focus on doing 3 to 4 workouts per week. Fat loss workout programs often involve total body training, large movements, and a lot of energy expenditure to kick start the metabolism. That’s a lot of effort, and can run your energy stores thin if you don’t give yourself adequate recovery time. Put a day of complete rest or light cardio in between each weight training workout, and you’ll make good gains.