Finding Your Fitness Sweet Spot: The Minimum, Maximum, and Optimal Dose
When it comes to fitness, many people assume the more you work out, the better your results will be. However, that's not exactly true. Just like tanning in the sun or developing calluses, too much stimulus can be damaging. Too much sun and you’ll burn, too much friction and you’ll blister. Fitness follows a similar principle—it's not about doing all the work but identifying the right dose for you.
Whether you're a beginner, a seasoned gym-goer, or somewhere in between, understanding the minimum, maximum, and optimal dose of exercise is key to achieving real, sustainable results.
The Minimum Dose of Working Out
Many people don’t realize just how little you need to start improving your fitness. The truth is, especially for beginners, the body adapts to even small amounts of activity if it’s something new or unfamiliar. If you’re starting your fitness journey, one of the most valuable things you can do is simply start.
How Little Can You Do and See Results?
The minimum dose is about creating a stimulus for adaptation—something new that challenges your body, but not to the point of overexertion. For example:
Just 2–3 sessions a week of resistance or mobility exercises can yield meaningful improvements in strength and flexibility.
Even as little as 10–20 minutes of focused activity—such as bodyweight exercises—can bring noticeable changes if done consistently.
When I work with brand-new clients, oftentimes their first session is as basic as mobility drills or light bodyweight movements. I once had a client so deconditioned that he could only manage 4 bodyweight squats before being completely out of breath. That was his starting point. And guess what? He still felt soreness the next day—not because we went too hard, but because his body was starting to adapt.
Your body craves movement, but it doesn’t need much to begin rewiring. That’s why even a small, consistent effort is far better than none at all.
Maintenance for Those Already Active
Even for experienced fitness enthusiasts, you'd be surprised by how little is needed to maintain your fitness levels. Studies show that maintaining strength and endurance might only require working out once or twice a week at moderate intensity. When your goal is simply to stay fit and not necessarily improve, you don’t need excessive training sessions to hold onto your progress.
The Maximum Dose of Working Out
On the other end of the spectrum is the maximum dose—the point where exercise becomes too much. While it might be tempting to push yourself as hard as possible every time you hit the gym, this approach can backfire. The maximum dose is how much your body can tolerate before negative consequences arise.
Pushing past your limits repeatedly can lead to:
Overtraining
Increased risk of injury
Exhaustion and burnout
Stalled progress due to lack of proper recovery
Just because you can grind through two-hour gym sessions five to six days a week doesn’t mean you should. Your body needs time to recover and adapt. Think of fitness as a dimmer switch—gradually increasing and evolving the stimulus over time—rather than flipping a light switch to max intensity all at once.
The Optimal Dose of Working Out
The sweet spot lies somewhere between the minimum and maximum dose, and that’s what we call the optimal dose. This is where you’re challenging your body enough to see progress but still allowing for proper recovery so you don’t burn out.
Finding Your Sweet Spot
To find your optimal workout dose, keep these principles in mind:
Start Small and Build Gradually
Fitness works like the old fable of Milo and the bull. Milo began by lifting a small calf daily, and as the animal grew, so did Milo’s strength. This is the essence of progressive overload, where you gradually increase the challenge over time. I used this principle with a client of mine who progressed from 4 bodyweight squats to doing 15 reps with 50 lbs for 3 sets. The key? Consistent, incremental progress.
Listen to Your Body
Soreness can be a sign of new stress on the muscles, but it’s not a requirement for progress. Instead of chasing soreness, aim for consistency and gradual improvement week by week.
Prioritize Recovery
Your body doesn’t get stronger during the workout; it gets stronger during the recovery afterward. Make sure your workout schedule includes rest days and sleep.
Mix It Up
Avoid plateaus by changing the type of stimulus while still following a structured routine. Stick with your plan and progress for 2-6 weeks to build consistency, then mix things up by switching rep ranges, adding new exercises, or focusing on different muscle groups.
A Sample Optimal Routine
Here’s what an optimal weekly workout schedule might look like for a beginner or intermediate:
2–3 days of strength training (e.g., bodyweight exercises, weightlifting, or resistance bands)
1–2 days of low-impact cardio (e.g., walking, cycling, or swimming)
1 day of active recovery or mobility work (e.g., yoga, stretching, or a light hike)
Consistency at this level can produce excellent results without overloading your body or schedule.
Why More Isn’t Always Better
The belief that "more is better" is common in fitness, but doing too much can actually hinder your progress. If your goal is to adapt and improve, quality trumps quantity every time. Think of it this way:
Just enough sunlight gives you a tan; too much gives you a burn.
A manageable amount of friction creates calluses; too much creates blisters.
Fitness follows the same principle.
By training smart—not just hard—you set yourself up for long-term success.
Closing Thoughts
Finding your fitness sweet spot is all about balance. Whether you’re starting with the bare minimum or fine-tuning your optimal routine, remember that fitness isn’t just about how much you can tolerate; it’s about creating a sustainable lifestyle that allows you to grow stronger over time.
If you’re unsure where to begin, think small. Imagine the calf, not the full-grown bull. Start with movements that challenge your current capacity, stay consistent, and build from there.
If you’re looking for personalized guidance, feel free to get in touch. I’d love to help you find your perfect minimum, maximum, and optimal workout dose. After all, fitness is a lifelong adaptation, not a rush to the finish line.