How Long Should My Workouts Be? The Truth About Training Time

You see people at the gym for 2 hours. You see influencers posting about their "quick 20-minute workouts." So what's the answer—how long should you actually be training?

After 13+ years of training clients, here's what I've learned: the answer depends on your goals, but most people are either doing way too much or overthinking it.

The Short Answer

For most people, 45-75 minutes is the sweet spot for a strength training workout.

That includes your warm-up, working sets, and cooldown. Not 3 hours. Not scrolling on your phone between sets. Actual focused training time.

Why Not Longer?

Here's the thing—after about 60-75 minutes of hard training, your performance drops off. Your testosterone levels start declining, cortisol (stress hormone) rises, and you're no longer training effectively. You're just grinding yourself down.

If you're spending 2+ hours in the gym, one of three things is happening:

• You're resting too long between sets
• You're on your phone half the time
• You're doing too many exercises (which means you're not focused on what matters)

I've had clients come to me bragging about their 2-hour gym sessions. Then I watch them work out and realize they're doing 15 exercises, resting 5 minutes between sets, and checking Instagram every other minute.

That's not training. That's hanging out at the gym.

What About Shorter Workouts?

Can you get results in 30 minutes? Absolutely—if you're efficient and know what you're doing.

A well-designed 30-minute workout can be incredibly effective if you:

• Use compound movements (squats, deadlifts, presses, rows)
• Keep rest times short (60-90 seconds)
• Focus on progressive overload
• Skip the fluff exercises

The problem? Most beginners don't have the conditioning or knowledge to make 30 minutes effective. You need to know what you're doing and move with purpose.

Here's What Actually Matters

Instead of obsessing over time, ask yourself these questions:

1. Are you progressively overloading?

If you're not adding weight, reps, or sets over time, the length of your workout doesn't matter. You're spinning your wheels.

2. Are you hitting your target muscles with enough volume?

Most muscle groups need 10-20 sets per week to grow. If you're not hitting that volume, you're not training enough—regardless of how long you're in the gym.

3. Are you recovering between sessions?

If you're so sore you can't train properly, or you're burned out mentally, you're doing too much.

How to Structure Your Time

Here's how I program workouts for clients:

Warm-up: 5-10 minutes

• Light cardio, dynamic stretches, mobility work
• Prepares your body and reduces injury risk

Main workout: 35-60 minutes

• 3-6 exercises
• 3-4 sets per exercise
• 60-120 second rest between sets (depending on intensity)

Cooldown: 5 minutes

• Light stretching, foam rolling

Total time: 45-75 minutes.

The Real Problem

Most people asking "how long should I work out?" are actually asking the wrong question.

The real questions should be:

• "Am I doing the right exercises?"
• "Am I pushing hard enough?"
• "Am I making progress?"

You can spend 2 hours doing the wrong things and get nowhere. Or you can spend 45 minutes doing the right things and make consistent progress.

The Bottom Line

For most people, 45-75 minutes of focused training is ideal. Warm up, hit your compound lifts, add some accessory work, and get out.

If you're in the gym longer than that, you're either a competitive athlete with specific needs, or you're wasting time. Be honest with yourself.

Train hard. Train smart. Then go live your life.

CJ Critney is a personal trainer and owner of FYTS Fitness in Westlake Village, California, with 13+ years of experience transforming clients through science-backed training and faith-driven discipline.