New federal exercise guidelines include strength training for all
The government raised the bar for physical activity levels today and nobody's exempt, not even kids or older adults — everybody needs to get moving.
The new Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, are the most comprehensive federal recommendations ever and the new gold standard. Among the recommendations:
•Adults should do at least 2.5 hours a week of moderate-intensity physical activity such as brisk walking or 1 hour and 15 minutes weekly of a vigorous-intensity activity such as jogging or swimming laps, or a combination of the two types to get the health benefits of exercise. The aerobic activity should be done in at least 10-minute bouts.
•To get even more health benefits, people should do 5 hours a week of moderate-intensity physical activity or 2.5 hours of vigorous activity.
•Adults should do muscle-strengthening (resistance) activities at a moderate or high-intensity level for all major muscle groups two or more days a week. This should include exercises for the chest, back, shoulders, upper legs, hips, abdomen, lower legs and can be done with free weights or machines, resistance bands, calisthenics that use body weight for resistance (push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups), carrying heavy loads or heavy gardening such as digging or hoeing.
•Kids and adolescents should do an hour or more a day of moderate-intensity to vigorous aerobic physical activity. That should include vigorous activity at least three days a week, and it should include some bone-strengthening activities such as running, jumping rope, skipping, playing hopscotch and some muscle-strengthening activities, including climbing trees, tug of war, modified sit-ups and pushups.
•Older Americans should follow the guidelines for other adults, if they are able. If not, they should be as active as their physical condition allows. If they are at risk of falling, they should also do exercises that help improve their balance.
•Adults with disabilities should also follow the guidelines for other adults if they are able.
•During pregnancy and afterward, healthy women should get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week, preferably spread throughout the week. Pregnant women who are doing vigorous physical activity can continue during pregnancy and afterward, as long as they remain healthy and discuss it with their doctor.
Previous federal recommendations advised adults to do at least 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week for health benefits. They did not include specific muscle-strengthening recommendations.
The new Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, are the most comprehensive federal recommendations ever and the new gold standard. Among the recommendations:
•Adults should do at least 2.5 hours a week of moderate-intensity physical activity such as brisk walking or 1 hour and 15 minutes weekly of a vigorous-intensity activity such as jogging or swimming laps, or a combination of the two types to get the health benefits of exercise. The aerobic activity should be done in at least 10-minute bouts.
•To get even more health benefits, people should do 5 hours a week of moderate-intensity physical activity or 2.5 hours of vigorous activity.
•Adults should do muscle-strengthening (resistance) activities at a moderate or high-intensity level for all major muscle groups two or more days a week. This should include exercises for the chest, back, shoulders, upper legs, hips, abdomen, lower legs and can be done with free weights or machines, resistance bands, calisthenics that use body weight for resistance (push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups), carrying heavy loads or heavy gardening such as digging or hoeing.
•Kids and adolescents should do an hour or more a day of moderate-intensity to vigorous aerobic physical activity. That should include vigorous activity at least three days a week, and it should include some bone-strengthening activities such as running, jumping rope, skipping, playing hopscotch and some muscle-strengthening activities, including climbing trees, tug of war, modified sit-ups and pushups.
•Older Americans should follow the guidelines for other adults, if they are able. If not, they should be as active as their physical condition allows. If they are at risk of falling, they should also do exercises that help improve their balance.
•Adults with disabilities should also follow the guidelines for other adults if they are able.
•During pregnancy and afterward, healthy women should get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week, preferably spread throughout the week. Pregnant women who are doing vigorous physical activity can continue during pregnancy and afterward, as long as they remain healthy and discuss it with their doctor.
Previous federal recommendations advised adults to do at least 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week for health benefits. They did not include specific muscle-strengthening recommendations.
- added October 07, 2008
- flag
Login/Registration is required to add a response
