Buzz
You're probably aware that not exercising at all is insufficient and that taking a daily walk is generally a healthy choice. If you're training for a marathon, you'll be putting in a couple of hours of intense training each week. But what exactly is the standard for someone simply aiming to fit some beneficial exercise into their routine? Let’s break it down.
The fundamentals: aim for 150 minutes of aerobic activity and two strength training sessions each week
Thankfully, major public health institutions are all aligned. The World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Heart Association all support the following aerobic exercise recommendations:
Engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise each week, such as walking or gentle jogging, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, such as running, or a blend of both. (If you can easily meet that target, feel free to do more.)
Include at least two days per week of muscle-strengthening activities, such as weightlifting or other strength-building exercises like pushups, resistance band exercises, or even physically demanding tasks like shoveling.
Earlier guidelines suggested that cardio had to be done for at least 10 minutes at a time for it to count, but now the recommendation is to get it in however works for you, even if it means shorter intervals here and there.
If that feels too easy, you can up the intensity to 300 minutes
If you’re an athlete, the previous targets might seem modest. The WHO has a secondary goal for people like you: simply double the above recommendations. So you can aim for 300 minutes of moderate cardio, or 150 minutes of vigorous activity each week. Here are a few examples of what that might look like:
An intense, one-hour martial arts class three times per week (60 x 3 = 180, but since this is vigorous cardio, the minutes count double)
Going for a 45-minute walk after dinner every day (45 x 7 = 315 minutes of moderate cardio)
Commuting by bike to work, 20 minutes each way (40 minutes per day x 5 days per week = 200 minutes of moderate cardio) and playing in a recreational soccer league twice per week (50 minutes per game, with a mix of moderate and vigorous cardio, pushing us past 300 minutes).
What do "moderate" and "vigorous" exercise mean?
Walking briskly qualifies as "moderate" cardio, while jogging is considered "vigorous." I've provided a detailed guide here of which exercises are moderate versus vigorous. The distinction isn't based on heart rate or perceived effort, but rather on a scientific measure called METs, which indicates the amount of energy and oxygen required for the activity. Moderate exercises score between 3 and 6 METs, while vigorous exercises are 6+ METs.
However, you can gauge intensity by how much effort you put in. During moderate exercise, you'll be slightly sweatier or breathing a bit more heavily than when at rest, but you can maintain the activity without feeling exhausted. It might not even feel like much of a workout. Here are some examples of moderate cardio:
A brisk walk
Riding your bike for errands or commuting on relatively flat terrain
Using a spin bike or similar cardio machines like an elliptical, at a steady, low-intensity pace
Light household chores or yard work, such as washing windows or mowing the lawn with a powered mower
On the other hand, vigorous exercise refers to activities where you're exerting yourself and breathing heavily. You may still be able to talk, but it likely won't feel easy. Vigorous exercise also includes the more strenuous activities where you might not be able to keep going for long. This includes:
Running at a fast pace
Cycling uphill
Pushing yourself to complete a Crossfit WOD with a strong time
Swimming laps
Playing soccer or basketball
Intense housework or yard work, like chopping wood or using a push mower
Can I combine moderate and vigorous cardio?
You can certainly combine both moderate and vigorous cardio. The calculation is straightforward if you consider 150 minutes as your goal, and treat every minute of vigorous activity as double. Here are some examples:
A 20-minute brisk walk every weekday morning (20 minutes x 5 days = 100 minutes moderate cardio) paired with a 30-minute spin class that pushes you pretty hard (30 minutes counted double is 60; add that to the 100 and you have 160 minutes total).
An hour-long hike, three days a week (60 minutes x 3 sessions = 180 minutes moderate cardio)
Three 30-minute jogs (30 minutes x 3 = 90 minutes moderate cardio) plus a session with 10 minutes of easy jogging for a warm-up and 20 minutes of intense running, followed by a 10-minute cooldown of easy jogging. (20 minutes vigorous x 2 equals 40 minutes moderate cardio, plus the warm-up and cooldown add another 20 minutes of moderate exercise). This totals 150 minutes.
Take a 30-minute easy bike ride on Monday, try a 45-minute water aerobics class on Wednesday, go for a short hike on Saturday, and mow the lawn for an hour on Saturday. (30 + 45 + 30 + 60 = 165 minutes of moderate cardio)
How much strength training do you need?
Up until now, we’ve been discussing aerobic exercise, which involves continuous movement (or possibly alternating between work and rest intervals) and gets your heart rate up. But there are other important exercise types as well. The WHO and other health organizations recommend two days each week of "high-intensity muscle strengthening activities," which includes exercises that involve sets and reps. (A good starting structure is three sets of 8-10 reps.)
Such activities can be anything that challenges your muscles, where the last rep feels much harder than the first. This could involve weightlifting, resistance band exercises, or bodyweight exercises like push-ups. So if you’re running three times a week and have room for more, don’t just add extra runs—try incorporating two weight training days instead.
The strength training guidelines suggest two days per week, per muscle group. If you like focusing on upper and lower body separately, this means two days for the upper body and two for the lower body. If you prefer full-body workouts, then two full-body sessions each week will meet the minimum requirement.
Can you overdo exercise?
Is there a limit to how much exercise is beneficial? From a public health standpoint, no—more exercise is always better. (And even if you aren’t hitting the recommended amounts, anything is better than nothing.) However, it is possible for an individual to push beyond what their body is ready for. Avoid jumping from occasional walking to full marathon training. (And if you are in marathon training and feeling fatigued, take a break already.)
