How Many Minutes of Exercise Per Week?
You’ve probably heard a million times that regular exercise is a key part of living a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle. But how many minutes of exercise per week counts as “regular”?
Medical experts recommend that you get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity every week.
Consistently hitting that target can unlock a whole host of benefits and provide a major boost to your quality of life.
In this article, we’ll break down the benefits of exercise, explain the different intensity levels, and give you some tips to structure a weekly fitness routine that gets you your minutes and fits your lifestyle.
The Benefits of Regular Exercise
Health organizations love to tout the benefits of staying active—and for good reason. Putting your body through its paces keeps all systems running smoothly, builds endurance, and releases endorphins that can lift your mood and relieve stress.
In fact, regular exercise has been shown to:
- Reduce your risk of heart attack
- Lower blood pressure
- Strengthen bones, muscles, and joints
- Help with weight management
- Boost mood and relieve depression
- Improve overall mental health
Getting exercise can also be an excellent opportunity for social interactions (think taking a group class or working with lifting buddies). What’s more, studies show that strong social bonds are
hugely beneficial for overall health and well-being. So, combining exercise with socializing can really put you in a solid place healthwise. Just remember to always check with your doctor before starting a fitness regimen, as some health conditions can limit the activities you should perform.
That being said, let’s talk about how you can get in your minutes with various exercises.
How Many Minutes and How Intense
The number of minutes you should exercise per week depends on how strenuous an activity you choose.
Moderate aerobic activities include things like:
- Walking
- Water aerobics
- Hiking
- Cycling
- Dancing
Basically, they’re activities that get your heart rate up but are still mild. As a reference, you should be able to talk while doing them. If you choose this type of exercise, at least 150 minutes per week is your goal (although you can always do more).
Vigorous aerobic activities are practices like:
- Running
- Jumping rope
- Swimming laps
- Playing sports, like basketball or singles tennis
- Cycling on hills
You’ll know you’re at a vigorous level when your breathing gets too fast to hold a conversation while performing the activity. About 75 minutes (or more) per week of this type of heart-pumping movement can help put you on the path to top-notch health.
How to Schedule Your Exercise
If you have a busy schedule, there’s good news: You don’t need to squeeze all of your exercise minutes into one session. Spreading them out across the week works just as well. In fact, steady doses are often better than going all out once a week.
Because life can get hectic, it’s helpful to plan your workout schedule ahead of time (on Sunday evening, for example). This way, you can set it and let it become part of your routine.
When planning your exercise program, consider mixing and matching several types, like:
- Cardio (running, cycling, HIIT)
- Strength training (weightlifting, resistance bands, calisthenics)
- Flexibility and balance (yoga, stretching, Tai Chi)
Incorporating a variety of activities into your routine can help keep your workouts fresh and ensure you’re challenging your whole body.
Different exercise types also work together. For example, improving your flexibility can help strengthen your joints. This, in turn, can help prevent injury during high-impact cardio sessions.
Example Exercise Schedule
There’s no right or wrong way to set up your fitness regimen, but here’s an example of how you might break down your weekly activities:
- Monday – 15 to 30 minutes of cardio (stationary bike, running on a treadmill)
- Tuesday – Full body strength training (weights, resistance bands, etc.)
- Wednesday – Active recovery (yoga, stretching, walking)
- Thursday – 15 to 30 minutes of cardio (you can repeat Monday’s workout)
- Friday – Full body strength training (you can repeat Tuesday’s workout)
- Saturday – Rest
- Sunday – Moderate activity (like hiking with friends)
You can adjust the minutes spent on each activity depending on how you feel and what you have on your plate that day. If you’re totally new to exercise, be sure to listen to your body and ease into it. Too much too fast can lead to injury.
Make Every Minute Count at Chuze Fitness
Everyone has different goals, lifestyles, and schedules. The right fitness routine is the one that works for you. Experiment with different times and activities until you find a flow that serves your life.
At Chuze Fitness, we’re all about helping you find that flow. That’s why we offer the works: cardio, weight training, group classes—you name it. Our friendly staff are also ready to offer advice and coaching anytime you need it. Plus, once you’re done with your workout, you can relax with our roster of premium amenities, such as hydromassage and infrared saunas.
Reach out to learn more about how Chuze Fitness can kickstart your fitness journey today!
Sources:
Better Health Channel. Physical activity – it’s important. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/physical-activity-its-important
News In Health. Building Social Bonds. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2018/04/building-social-bonds
Reviewed By:
Ani is the Vice President of Fitness at Chuze Fitness and oversees the group fitness and team training departments. She’s had a 25+ year career in club management, personal training, group exercise and instructor training. Ani lives with her husband and son in San Diego, CA and loves hot yoga, snowboarding and all things wellness.
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