9
FREQUENCY
How often should you exercise? The number of times per week that you engage in strength or aerobic exercise
depends largely on what your goals are and your current fitness level. People new to an active lifestyle are more likely
to keep with it if they start gradually. Beginners might consider a weekly schedule that includes days off. Work towards
a goal of including exercise at least 3 to 5 days per week.
INTENSITY
How hard should you exercise? The intensity of your workout will reflect your goals and your current fitness level. If
you are unsure of your current fitness level, start at a low intensity and gradually increase it over time.
DURATION
How long should you exercise? You should aim to complete 15 to 60 minutes of activity per day. Keep in mind that this
does not include warm-up or cool-down. But you can with the do several short(5 - 10 minutes) sessions and
gain the value of the total.
COOL-DOWN
Just as the warm-up is essential for preparing your muscles for vigorous exercise, the cool-down is equally important.
Over 5 to 10 minutes, gradually lower your heart rate by slowly decreasing your exercise intensity.
Taking the time to warm-up and cool-down properly will decrease the level of discomfort you will experience when you
tackle your next workout. More importantly, though, proper warm-up and cool- down segments will greatly decrease
your risk of injury.
Most importantly: Stick with your program! You already accomplished the hard part. You made the commitment and
you researched, chose, and bought the equipment to make your goals become reality.
Now it's up to you. Remember that all of the guidelines you just read are just that- guidelines. If a 30 minute workout is
too much for your current fitness level, choose a duration that you can complete and gradually increase your time. Any
increase in the amount of physical activity over what you are currently doing, is a step forward.
Remember that even the most conditioned and dedicated athletes have days in which they slip from their training
plans, make poor nutritional choices, or quit in the middle of a workout. If you find yourself in such a situation, think
about the progress you had made previously, reevaluate your training plan, and recommit to your goals.
