Are you exercising enough?
Often times, people set a goal of working out two to three days a week. That is an awesome goal when you are beginning your fitness journey. That’ll allow you to form the habit of exercising regularly, while reducing the chance of starting out too fast. However, after a few weeks to a few months, it’ll be time to increase your frequency. Below are a few recommendations put out by the American College of Sports Medicine to help you hit the suggested frequency for your goals. These are general recommendations. Don’t be afraid to push yourselves. But before you ramp things up, make sure you talk to your doctor about the program.
General Fitness
Cardiorespiratory Recommendation:
Frequency: 3-5 days/week
Intensity: Moderate to vigorous (50-80% HRR)
Duration: 20-60 minutes, depending on intensity
Resistance Training Recommendation:
Sets: 2-4
Repetitions: 8-20 at 50-80% 1RM
Frequency: 2-3 days/week for each major muscle group, with at least 48 hours between sessions
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Cardiorespiratory Recommendation:
Frequency: 3-7 days/week, no more than 2 days between bouts
Intensity: Moderate to vigorous (50-80% HRR)
Duration: 20-60 minutes, depending on intensity
Resistance Training Recommendation (include all major muscle groups):
Sets: 2-3
Repetitions: 8-12 at 50-80% 1RM
Frequency: 2-3 days/week, with at least 48 hours between sessions
Hypertension
Cardiorespiratory Recommendation:
Frequency: 3-7 days/week (daily may be best for managing BP)
Intensity: Moderate (40-60% HRR)
Duration: 30-60 minutes, depending on intensity, continuous or intermittent
Resistance Training Recommendation (include all major muscle groups):
Sets: 1
Repetitions: 8-12
Frequency: 2-3 days/week
Cancer Risk (including colon, breast, kidney)
Cardiorespiratory Recommendation:
Frequency: 3-5 days/week
Intensity: Moderate (40-60% HRR)
Duration: 20-60 minutes
Resistance Training Recommendation (include all major muscle groups):
Sets: 1-3
Repetitions: 8-12
Frequency: 2-3 days/week, with at least 48 hours between sessions
Dyslipidemia (High Cholesterol)
Cardiorespiratory Recommendation:
Frequency: At least 5 days/week
Intensity: 40-75% HRR
Duration: 30-60 minutes, depending on intensity
Resistance Training Recommendation (include all major muscle groups):
Sets: 1
Repetitions: 3-20 at 50-80% 1RM
Frequency: 2-3 days/week
Depression
Cardiorespiratory Recommendation:
Frequency: 3-5 days/week or more
Intensity: Moderate to vigorous (50-85% HRR)
Duration: At least 20-30 minutes/day
Resistance Training Recommendation (include all major muscle groups):
Sets: 1
Repetitions: 8-12
Frequency: 2 days/week
