The question of how much exercise per week is answered here!
How much exercise per week is a question often on the minds of not only those starting an exercise program but also those who are experienced exercisers. So how much exercise per week is really needed to gain the proven benefits of exercise? How hard should you workout? How often?
This article is written with the intention of answering these questions from a research-based perspective. With all the information readily available on exercise, I think it is important to re-visit what the research really shows.
First off, I want to review the proven benefits of a regular exercise program. This is information that comes from research conducted all over the world and documented in the most recent edition (ninth edition) of the Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription which is published by the American College of Sports Medicine. These guidelines are the gold standard for exercise prescription and are updated frequently.
Additionally, this information is represented in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. I emphasize this point because it is not information from a random internet search!
Proven Health Benefits of Regular Exercise
Lower risk of early death
Lower risk of coronary heart disease
Lower risk of stroke
Lower risk of high blood pressure
Lower risk of adverse blood lipid profile
Lower risk of type 2 diabetes
Lower risk of metabolic syndrome
Lower risk of colon cancer
Lower risk of breast cancer
Lower risk of lung cancer
Lower risk of endometrial cancer
Prevention of weight gain and obesity
Lower risk of Osteoporosis with increase bone density
Reduce depression
Functional health (the ability to engage in activities of daily living)
Prevention of Falls
Lower risk of hip fracture
Improved Cognitive function and improved sleep quality
So it sounds to me that…EXERCISE IS MEDICINE!
So how much exercise? The ACSM recommends 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) each week of
moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity such as brisk walking at 3.0 mph or tennis. Or an intensity
ranking of 5-6 on a scale of 0-10. This is the minimal level of activity needed to receive benefit.
Another option is 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) each week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical
activity such as jogging or swimming laps. To be vigorous your intensity ranking should be 7-8 on a scale of
0-10.
An equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity is also recommended.
Individuals who maintain a regular program of physical exercise that is longer in duration and/or is more
vigorous in intensity are likely to derive greater benefit than those that do lesser amounts. But be careful not
to over-train. Overtraining can easily lead to injury. Spread your episodes of exercise throughout the week.
You can also split up the amount of time per day as long as you hit the minimum of 150 minutes total.
For even greater health benefits, as well as weight loss, do one of the following:
Increase your moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity to 300 minutes (5 hours) each week
Increase your vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity to 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) each week
Regarding the 150 minutes, a good way to think about it is that you have 7 days to get that 2 ½ hrs of
cardiovascular exercise completed. Seven days…very doable I think! And you can divide it up any way you
like based on how busy you are for the week. For example, you could do ½ hr. of cardio followed by ½ hr of
strength training (more on that below) on one day and then change it the next. All this requires is a little
weekly planning and you will definitely reap the benefits from regular exercise.
Also, remember the intensity of your cardiovascular exercise needs to be at a moderate level as described
above. It drives me crazy as I walk through the club and see someone sitting on a recumbent bike reading the
paper and pedaling really slow. You will not get much benefit if that is how hard you are working. Now, if
you have a knee issue and are just working on range of motion that’s fine but in most cases that is not what I
see.
Some General Weight Loss Tips
To lose 1 pound, you need to have a caloric deficit of 3500 calories. It is recommended that women consume
2000 calories per day on average & for men it is 2500
To lose 1 pound per week, you need to decrease calorie consumption by 3500 calories, or 500 calories per
Day. To lose 2 pounds per week, you need to decrease calories consumption by 7000 calories, or 1000
calories per day.
“You can spend a little time now taking care of your health OR
a lot of time later taking care of your illnesses!”
Now, what about strength/resistance training?
The American College of Sports medicine also released guidelines for resistance training based on the current research and is explained below. Resistance or strength training should be implemented on a regular basis (2-3 days/week) in addition to the cardiovascular exercise described above.
Resistance training should include all major muscle groups with the use of functional movement patterns or what is sometimes called multi-joint exercises. You must first ask yourself what are your goals. Here are some guidelines based on your strength goals.
Muscular Endurance Training: long-duration muscle use. Lower weight, higher reps, and shorter rest.
Sets: 2-3
Reps: 12-15+
Rest: 30 seconds or less
Muscular Hypertrophy: strength and muscular growth
Sets: 3-4
Reps: 6-12 (you should feel like the last few reps are difficult)
Rest: 30-90 Seconds
Muscular Power: strength and speed. Explosive movements
Sets: 1-4
Reps: 1-3
Rest: 2-3 or more minutes
When we use the word “exercise’ it means something different to everyone. I covered both cardiovascular and strength exercise above but we also need to include other forms or categories of “exercise”.
For example, many individuals may need flexibility or mobility exercise. And yes, they are 2 different entities. Others may need corrective exercise specifically focusing on any physical issues they may have. While others would benefit from balance/fall prevention programming and neuromotor training. These topics can be discussed in a future post. I hope this information will answer some general questions about exercise and show that there is real science behind exercise.