It should come as no surprise that one of the questions I field most has to do with how much exercise one should be getting. Truth be told, it’s actually a fairly complicated question to answer. It involves figuring out what the individual’s goal is, how much time they have to devote to working out, where they are starting from… I mean, it is the PERSONAL part of personal training.
But there are minimums each of us should be hitting. These guidelines are put out by different agencies with the idea of suggesting where the threshold is for health benefits and for simplifying matters. There is plenty of research out there suggesting where these thresholds are and if you have been hanging around here for any amount of time, you’ll know I am a huge proponent of exercise for long term health and wellness. What are the minimums you ask? Now it’s time for a break down….
I like to use the American College of Sports Medicine recommendations. I am an ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist so I gotta tow the party line of course, but I like the ACSM model for several reasons. First, it covers every area of exercise. Second, they are updated periodically, about every 5-6 years. Third, and probably most importantly, ACSM is a science and research based organization, meaning it is looking at hard numbers and data when their recommendations are under review.
The current guidelines cover cardiorespiratory exercise, resistance exercise, flexibility, and neuromotor exercise training. Cardiorespiratory exercise is what we know as cardio for short. Any exercise where you are asking the most effort from your heart and lungs. Walking, running, cycling, swimming, and the like all qualify. ACSM lets you have your choice here. If you like the more moderate activities you should be getting at least 30 minutes five days per week for a total of 150 minutes every week. If you love those HIIT workouts, that puts you in the vigorous category. So you’re looking for at least 20 minutes three days per week to put up a weekly total over 75 minutes.
Resistance exercise is commonly called strength training, but resistance just refers to any type of load that you are moving or stabilizing. So, body weight or theraband type exercises count here. Resistance exercise should take place at least two to three days per week and should cover every major muscle group. Intensity (amount of weight lifted), volume (number of sets and reps), and split is up to you, the exerciser.
Flexibility training is anything that allows you to get bendy. Traditional static stretches certainly fit in this category, but newer types of exercise including yoga and even foam rolling might qualify. Flexibility training should be undertaken a minimum of two days per week and stretches should target all major joints. This category of training should take up the least amount of time. It is somehow ironic that this is the first area that most people notice major deterioration and the first area that gets skipped during workouts. Stretch it out, people. Your lower back will thank you.
Neuromotor exercise training is the new kid on the block. This refers to any type of training that targets balance, agility, and coordination. This one will vary a lot depending on who you are and what you want. It should complement your strength training though. In fact, do it at the same time. If you are an athlete or have a specific training goal in mind, this type of exercise might be plyometrics, a series of agility drills, or using one foot instead of two to complete an exercise. If you are older, haven’t exercised in awhile, or have a more moderate training goal (say weight loss) in mind, this could be something as simple as a short series of yoga poses or some t’ai chi.
We all know that cardio is important for our heart and lung health, but there are other areas of our bodies that can break down too. It should come as no surprise that different types of exercise help target those and can lead to long term health. There is a reason that the phrase, “use it or lose it,” is a cliché. Cliches are often true.
