How long should any given gym session last? I’m usually doing 30 minutes of intense circuit training.

Hey, anything over 5 minutes of heart rate-raising exercise will have lasting metabolism increasing affects that last all day. What are your goals? Weight loss?- don’t lift, focus on endurance cardio, fast bursts, and low weight/high reps. Muscle gain? Pull back on the cardio and increase the lifting- lift more and more weight with each set and push past your limit. I usually do a 30 minute workout every morning and tons of Intense cardio Scattered throughout the week. In 5’10” and 160lbs. I believe in you!

That's a great start! I usually do about 3 hours at the gym. 30 minutes is usually my cardio, running. Then strength training for all over body burn, circuit training, and lastly yoga and stretches to help the muscles recover faster and easier. I do all this because at home I have 4 kids and no time for myself. I say if you have the time… Use it.

It depends on your goal. 30-45 minutes should be enough for both cardio and strenght and conditioning. 5- 10 minutes of stretching. 30 minutes of a workout and 5 minutes to change weights etc. Less is more. Be more efficient and don't waste time in the gym.

I’ve heard that longer intense workouts are not as effective as shorter intense workouts, so 30 minutes is probably sufficient. I never work out longer than an hour doing less intense workouts (like yoga for example), and 30-45 minutes doing more intense workouts (cycling, for example).

It should be 30 minutes, as you said. It's not good to stay long at the gym because it works more if the workout is intense and short.