Physical Activity Recommendations - Getting Started - What Intensity Level is Right?


National recommendations for physical activity encourage all Americans to engage in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities to promote health, psychological well-being, and a healthy body weight.

Benefits of regular physical activity can:

  • Reduce risk of premature death
  • Increase functional fitness
  • Reduce risk of coronary heart disease
  • Aid in weight control
  • Reduce risk of diabetes (type 2)
  • Decrease blood pressure
  • Reduce risk of colon cancer
  • Reduce risk of high blood pressure
  • Reduce risk of osteoporosis
  • Reduce effects of stress

Getting Started


Those who are just beginning to be physically active should start out slowly and gradually build to increase levels in order to prevent the risk of injury. It is important to:

  1. Consult with a medical provider before beginning any physical activity program
  2. Seek encouragement from (family, co-workers, faith community, neighbors, etc..) to be physically active.
  3. Find physical activities that you are interested in and fit your level of fitness
  4. Establish realistic goals for activity level and regularity
  5. Gradually build on activities
  6. Make physical activity a part of your life

Click here for a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire.


Physical Activity Intensity Levels


The intensity of physical activity, or how hard your body is working, is typically categorized as light, moderate, or vigorous based on the amount of energy or effort a person expends in performing the activity.

Higher intensity activities require less time spent. Lower intensity activities require more time spent. Some examples of activities and their intensity levels are as follows:

Moderate intensity physical activity refers to a level of effort in which a person should experience some increase in breathing or heart rate. Examples of moderate intensity physical activity include:

  • Walking briskly
  • Golf, pulling or carrying clubs
  • Swimming, recreational
  • Mowing lawn, power motor
  • Tennis, doubles
  • Bicycling 5 to 9 mph, level terrain, or with a few hills
  • Scrubbing floors or washing windows
  • Weight lifting, Nautilus machines or free weights

Vigorous intensity physical activity refers to a level of effort in which a person should experience a large increase in breathing or heart rate. Examples of vigorous intensity physical activity include:

  • Racewalking, jogging or running
  • Swimming laps
  • Mowing lawn, hand mower
  • Tennis, singles
  • Bicycling more than 10 mph, or on steep uphill terrain
  • Moving or pushing furniture
  • Circuit training

Age Appropriate Physical Activity Intensity Levels


For infants and toddlers parents/care givers can promote physical activity by playing with infants and recognizing motor skills that will help the development of the child lead a more physically active life.

2005 recommendations  for adolescents are to engage in at least 60minutes of moderate intensity physical activity. Examples of activity would be helping with yard work, bowling, dancing, etc..

Infants and Toddlers Adolescents Adults

2005 recommendations for adults are to engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most days of the week. Examples of activity would be walking the dog, and parking further away from stores.

Adults who are able should engage in vigorous intensity physical activity 3 or more days of the week for 20 or more minutes per occasion. Examples of activity would be swimming, running, and bicycling.

References:

Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Leon AS, et al. Compendium of physical activities: classification of energy costs of human physical activities. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 1993;25(1):71–80.

Borg G. Perceived exertion and pain scales. Champaign (IL): Human Kinetics, 1998.