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Wednesday and Thursday I ran. Friday I biked and yesterday was a
resistance day. Today I have a restless urge to head out again, but my
ankle feels like a beat-up rag doll and my hamstrings are as tight as a
tuned piano wire. If I push it, I might regret it, but if I don’t I’m
afraid I’ll lose ground.
If that describes you, then you are probably wondering how much exercise
is enough and when do you say when.
The answer is that it depends on what your fitness goals are and how you
feel. Do you need to kill yourself and exercise seven days a week at a
breakneck pace to achieve fitness? Probably not.
Just Maintaining
Working out three times each week for 30 minutes at 70% intensity is sufficient to
maintain aerobic fitness but not necessarily improve. If your goal is to
build endurance and strength, then you’ll need to increase intensity and
duration.
For those interested in living a healthy lifestyle, but not necessarily
training to better their athletic performance at a competitive level,
there is a health standard, created by the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, aimed at sedentary and casually active people. According
to an expert, the CDC suggests 30 minutes to an hour of aerobic exercise
most days of the week. This doesn’t have to be an intense workout
though, and is defined as cumulative, medium intensity activity of
almost any kind. So, mixed in with your workouts and active play,
shoveling your driveway, digging in your garden, and other vigorous
activity all count.
Tailor Your Training
The bottom line is that exercise limits are
different for every person depending on your age, level of fitness,
level of commitment, and level of stress in your life. Men over the age
of 45 and women older than 55, as well as people who are not regularly
physically active, are at a higher risk of heart disease and should
visit a physician before starting to train. Being health savvy and
recognizing your body’s warning signs is a good way to avoid
overtraining injuries. If you’re not familiar with things like your own
blood pressure, go get a physical evaluation from your doctor.
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