He does a lot of workout. / He works out a lot. / He does workout a lot

[englishhobby]

1) He does a lot of workout.
2) He works out a lot.
3) He does workout a lot.

Which of the senternces above is (are) correct? The meaning of the whole sentence should be 'he trains a lot'.

 

[MikeNewYork]

#2.

 

[Roman55]

I am not a teacher.

I agree that #2 is the immediate answer, but #3 works too.

Either when contradicting someone who's saying that he doesn't, or as a commentary on someone's behaviour.

 

[BobK]

I am not a teacher.

I agree that #2 is the immediate answer, but #3 works too.

Either when contradicting someone who's saying that he doesn't, or as a commentary on someone's behaviour.

:down: In 'He does work out a lot' the single word workout does not occur. The single word does exist - in 'He had a good workout', for example - but not in this context. In the noun workout the stress is on the first syllable: 'to do workout', while sense can be made of it, is wrong.

MNY is right. Of the 3 options, only #2 is acceptable.

b

 

[Roman55]

I am not a teacher.

I have just noticed the problem with my answer, which is that #3 says "workout" and not "work out".

I misread that, but I stand by what I wrote if applied to "work out"

 

[Roman55]

:down: In 'He does work out a lot' the single word workout does not occur. The single word does exist - in 'He had a good workout', for example - but not in this context. In the noun workout the stress is on the first syllable: 'to do workout', while sense can be made of it, is wrong.

MNY is right. Of the 3 options, only #2 is acceptable.

b

I am not a teacher.

Thanks for the information Bob but I know all that. It was just a mistake.

If your comment wasn't for my edification there was no need to quote me since your post follows mine directly.

 

[Barb_D]

Generally, our comments are for the learners, who may not know that "work out" and "workout" act differently.

 

[tzfujimino]

May I ask a question here?

I'm not really sure why #1 is wrong. Is it because the noun 'workout' means "a period of physical exercise' and it can't be used with 'a lot of'?
Or is it that 'do' doesn't collocate well with 'workout'?

 

[Roman55]

I am not a teacher.

@tzfujimino. If I dare say anything more on this subject I would venture to say that #1 would work (albeit somewhat unnaturally) if it were, "He does a lot of working out."

 

[Barb_D]

I agree with Roman's correction.

You can say "do a workout" (especially if you modify it - I did a really tough workout - I'm going to be sore tomorrow) but there are other more natural ways of saying it.

The problem with the first one was "a lot of" = more than one and "workout" = singular. Even plural "He does a lot of workouts" sounds odd. What does that mean? He has many types? He has a workout focused on cardio, a workout focused on core strength, a workout that focuses on lower body, etc? He does a lot of different workouts so he doesn't get bored at the gym?

 

[emsr2d2]

In BrE, I don't have much of a problem with "He does a lot of workouts". I have a couple of exercise videos and the one-hour program on each video is "a workout". Sometimes I do both videos once through in a day, sometimes I only do one of them. Over the course of a week, I probably complete a total of eleven or twelve workouts. I think it would be fair if I said "Some weeks, I do a lot of workouts".

Maybe it's my 1970s/1980s upbringing but, for me, a "workout" conjures up something like aerobics - leotard-clad girls jumping around to music but "to work out" has a more modern connotation for me, probably going to the gym and using the machines and the free weights.

 

[5jj]

Could somebody close this thread, please? All this harping on about 'workout' (I prefer the unhyphenated version, because it requires less effort) is giving me palpitations, causing a tremble which makes the ash on my cigarette fall prematurely, and the ripples in my gin to upset my tranquillity.

 

[emsr2d2]

Would it make you feel better to learn that the contents of my workout claim were entirely fabricated? And that I have just polished off a huge plate of dinner, a handmade chocolate and am considering a shot of Triple Sec!

 

[Barb_D]

Anyone observing my current condition would be shocked to hear that I was an aerobics instructor (in the 80s, so yes, I had brightly colored spandex and leg warmers) and when my shift partner had a bad back, I would sometimes do four classes in one day. I was very fit. Then.

 

[5jj]

I always knew there was something weird about you, Barb.

 

[Barb_D]

And you never even saw the leg warmers.

 

[englishhobby]

Thanks to everyone who contributed.
As far as I understand now, the noun 'workout' should be used with the verb 'have', not 'do': He had his workout in the gym today.
If this sentence works, I won't feel offended if we stop this thread.

 

[emsr2d2]

I don't agree with that conclusion. In BrE, you "do" a workout. You don't "have" one.

 

[englishhobby]

I don't agree with that conclusion. In BrE, you "do" a workout. You don't "have" one.

OK, but you can't do a lot of it, right?
You can do a lot of (physical) exercise, right? Can't nouns of this kind be used to show the 'amount' of exercise?

 

[Tdol]

You could use an adjective- a strenuous/rigorous workout.