How Many Days a Week Should You Do CrossFit?

Start with two or three CrossFit classes a week, with a rest day between them. After two or three months, once the movements feel familiar and the soreness is manageable, three to five classes a week is a common range. Three classes a week already meets the U.S. guideline to do muscle-strengthening work at least two days a week, and it covers a good share of the recommended hard aerobic exercise (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

How many days a week should a beginner do CrossFit?

Two or three days a week for the first month or two. You're learning new movements, your muscles and joints are adjusting to new work, and you'll be sore in ways you're not used to. A day off between classes gives the soreness time to fade so you can move well in the next one.

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday is the simplest pattern, but any schedule with a day off between classes works.

How many days a week should I do CrossFit after the first few months?

Three to five, depending on your goals, how well you recover, and your schedule:

Classes a week	Good for
2	Keeping a base when life is busy. Better than zero, but progress is slower.
3	Solid general fitness, strength, and conditioning. Where most people should settle first.
4	Faster progress if you're sleeping well and recovering between classes.
5	Experienced members who recover well and want to push their fitness.

More isn't automatically better. The benefit comes from training consistently for months, and the schedule you can keep up for a year beats the one you can keep up for three weeks.

Does three days a week meet exercise guidelines?

For most people, yes, with a little walking on top. The U.S. guidelines recommend 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity, plus muscle-strengthening work for all major muscle groups at least two days a week. Adults 65 and older should also include balance training (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

Every CrossFit class includes strength or skill work, which covers the muscle-strengthening part. The conditioning piece is usually vigorous, but it's often only 8 to 20 minutes, so three classes alone may not reach 75 vigorous minutes. A couple of brisk walks or easy runs during the week closes the gap. For how much a hard minute counts, see what a 73,000-person study found.

How do I know if I'm doing too much?

Cut back a day if you notice any of these for more than a week or so:

Soreness hasn't faded by the time of your next class.
Your weights or times are getting worse, not better.
You're sleeping badly or feel wiped out during the day.
A joint aches before class even starts.
You've started dreading class.

Tell your coach too. They can lighten the load on days you're beat up without you skipping class entirely.

What should I do on rest days?

Easy movement is best: a walk, an easy bike ride, stretching, or some light mobility work. The goal is to move enough to loosen up, not to add another hard workout.

Does it cost more to come more often?

No. Every membership at CrossFit Aggieland includes unlimited classes, so the rate is the same whether you come twice a week or five times. At three classes a week, a 12-month general membership works out to about $9.92 a class. See all rates.

How do I start?

If you live in Bryan–College Station, start your free week. It's five coached classes to use within nine days, which fits a three-then-two pattern: three classes the first week, two early the next. For what those first classes are like, read what to expect your first week.

Sources

Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2018