Exercise Guidelines for healthy living

Have you ever wondered how much exercise one should get in a week?

These days there is a never ending amount of information at the tips of our fingers. It can be confusing and difficult to research out how much exercise is really needed to live a healthy life. Additionally, choosing a specific kind of exercise to participate in is highly personal and varies among individuals. Luckily, The American College of Sports Medicine has developed some general recommendations about exercise for people between the ages of 18 and 65.

Keep in mind people have different preferences and opinions on what constitutes physical exercise. Whether that be powerlifting, olympic weightlifting, Orange Theory, Crossfit, distance running, or yoga. All of these are great ways to stay active!

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that people get 75 minutes of vigorous exercise or 150 minutes of moderate intensity cardiovascular exercise each week. Exercise intensity is classified by ACSM at different percentages of your maximal heart rate (HRmax). Low intensity is 50-63% of HRmax, Moderate intensity is 64-76% of HRmax, and Vigorous is 77-93% of HRmax. Additionally, it is recommended that people perform strength training to all major muscle groups at least 2 times per week.

Remember, these are general guidelines, once you get into a good exercise routine, find what works best for you to stay active.

It is always important to consider your personal past medical history. If you have things in your past medical history that may affect your response to exercise please consult with your medical provider and performance physical therapist prior to starting a new exercise regime.

Fibromyalgia treatment: The role of exercise and physical activity - Scientific Figure on ResearchGate. Available from:https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Classification-of-Physical-Activity-Intensity-ACSM-Guidelines-8th-edition-2009_tbl3_244934589 [accessed 5 Jun, 2023]

https://www.acsm.org/education-resources/trending-topics-resources/physical-activity-guidelines