Exercise (19-64 years of age)
Physical activity is good for you.
Adults between 19-64 years of age should:
Aim to be physically active every day.
Perform strengthening exercises that work big muscles of the legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, arms at least two days a week.
Perform 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise per week.
Decrease the amount of time sitting or lying down. Move around throughout the day as much as possible.
You can also get your weekly activity target with:
Multiple small sections of very vigorous intensity exercises.
A mix of moderate, vigorous and very vigorous intensity exercises.
You can do your weekly target of physical activity on a single day or over 2 or more days. Spreading the physical activity over multiple days will prevent exercise related injuries.
Make sure the type and intensity of your activity is appropriate for your level of fitness. Vigorous activity is not recommended for previously inactive patients.
You can start with light intensity exercises, and increase to moderate intensity exercises.
What is moderate aerobic exercises?
Moderate activity will raise your heart rate, and make you breathe faster and feel warmer. One way to tell if you're working at a moderate intensity level is if you can still talk in short sentences, but not sing.
Examples of moderate intensity activities:
Brisk walking
Water aerobics
Riding a bike.
Dancing
Playing doubles tennis.
Pushing a lawnmower.
Hiking
Rollerblading
What is vigorous exercise?
Vigorous intensity activity makes you breathe hard and fast. If you're working at this level, you will not be able to say more than a few words without pausing for breath.
Most moderate activities can become vigorous if you increase your effort.
Examples of vigorous exercises are
Jogging or running.
Swimming fast.
Riding a bike uphill
Walking up the stairs.
Sports like football, hockey
Jumping rope
Gymnastics
Martial arts
Aerobics
What counts as very Rigorous exercise?
Very vigorous activities are exercises performed in short bursts of maximum effort broken up with rest.
This type of exercise is also known as High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).
Examples of very vigorous activities are
Lifting heavy weights.
Circuit training
Sprinting uphill
Interval running.
Running upstairs
Spinning classes
Which activities strengthen muscles?
To get health benefits from strength exercises, you should do them to the point where you need a short rest before repeating the activity.
Examples of muscles strengthening exercises are
Yoga
Pilates
Tai chi
Lifting weights
Working with resistance bands.
Using your body weight for exercise like push-ups, situps
Heavy gardening like digging, shoveling
Wheeling a wheelchair.
Lifting and carrying objects, children without injuring yourself
Muscle strengthening exercises are not always an aerobic activity, so you'll need them in addition to 150 minutes of aerobic activity.