Can You Exercise Three Times a Day?

Busy people sometimes have a hard time finding the time to exercise. A long walk or scheduled soccer game may not fit into your schedule. Sneaking in exercise a few minutes at a time, three times a day can be a solution to those who want to be physically active but lead over-scheduled, full lives.

Physical Activity Guidelines

• Government agencies recommend that adults get between 75 and 150 minutes of aerobic activity weekly. The wide time range is due to the varying intensity of different types of exercises. Vigorous exercise such as swimming laps or running basically counts twice as much as lower-intensity activities such as riding a bike on flat terrain or taking a brisk walk. Adults are encouraged to do muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week too. Muscle-strengthening activities can include lifting weights and doing exercises that use your own body weight, such as pushups or pullups.

Benefits

• Aerobic exercise raises your heart rate, makes you breathe faster and harder and delivers more oxygen to your muscles. All of these physical responses benefit cardiovascular health. The general recommendation is to exercise for 30 minutes at a time, most days of the week to reach your goals. However, the American Heart Association states that if you split up your activity into three 10-minute exercise sessions spread throughout the day, your heart will still benefit from the activity. You just need to make sure each mini-session is of at least moderate intensity to do your body good.

Scheduling Workouts

• Most people can exercise at any time of day, which is beneficial to those who squeeze three or more short workouts into the day. People who have asthma or seasonal allergies might need to work out in the evening when the air is warmer and less polluted with pollen, or exercise indoors. Schedule your exercise sessions early enough in the day that they do not interfere with your sleep. When you exercise, your body and mind both rev up, making it difficult to calm down enough for a good night's rest. Plan to exercise no later than three hours before you go to bed, leaving you enough downtime to unwind.

Considerations and Warnings

• Exercising three times a day is fine as long as you don't overdo it. Overuse injuries such as strains, sprains and tendinitis can result from exercising too much or too quickly in a short period of time. You can also experience overuse injuries from working a specific muscle group too much. Vary your daily workouts to include aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercises as well as stretching for flexibility. If you limit yourself to three workouts of one kind every day, you risk overtaxing your muscles and hurting yourself. Pay attention to potential warning signs associated with exercising multiple times in the same day. People who exercise excessively while neglecting their other interests and responsibilities could form an unhealthy addiction to exercise or an eating disorder. Talk to your doctor if your need to exercise three or more times daily is more than a healthy desire to stay fit.