The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that the average adult spend 75 minutes a week engaging in vigorous exercise or 150 minutes doing moderate-level exercise. In addition, adults should practice strength training at least twice a week. If you want to lose weight, you'll probably need to exceed this amount of exercise to ensure that you burn more calories than you consume. If you're pressed for time, a couple of two-hour hard-core workouts may satisfy your workout needs.
Designing a Vigorous Workout
If you're designing your own two-hour routine, look for a range of activities that burn many calories in little time. For example, intense aerobic activities such as running or martial arts can burn well over 700 calories per hour. Besides the popular standbys, some of the most vigorous activities may surprise you; for example, jumping rope burns 861 calories per hour for a person weighing 160 pounds.
Using the Whole Body
To work all of your major muscle groups and improve your cardiovascular health, it's advisable to practice at least one activity that uses your entire body. Skiing, swimming, rowing, gymnastics and some calisthenics require athletes to engage the upper and lower body and the core. While it's also possible to get a complete workout piecemeal, practicing different exercises for each body part, you'll end up spending more time for the same workout.
Picking a Workout Program
Given the demand for fast and effective forms of exercise, many workout programs are designed to provide a full workout in two hours or less. If you opt for a program that lasts even less than two hours, you can always supplement it with an extended cool down or warm-up period or work on a particular area that you feel needs extra work. Some workout programs are modeled in the spirit of boot camp, last just an hour per week and focus on boxing and martial arts techniques. Other programs combine strength training, aerobic exercise and flexibility training.
One Major Workout or Several Spurts
Scheduling your exercise is largely a matter of personal preference and convenience, whether you'd rather hit the gym once a week for a two-hour session or do half an hour four times a week. In the long run, the schedule that's easiest for you to maintain will be the most beneficial to your health. If your goal is to burn the most calories or build the most muscle in a set amount of time, you may prefer to divide your training into multiple short spurts. You'll have an easier time maintaining a high intensity for each session. Two hours over the course of a week is just under 20 minutes per day. If you spread things throughout the week, avoid working the same muscle groups two days in a row. You'll also have to count on more dedicated time for exercise overall once you factor in the extra warm-ups and cooldowns, not to mention changing clothes and showering.
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