Physical activity
This week we are going to talk about all things physical activity; How much of it are you doing? How much do you need to be doing? What should that look like? And how do you fit it all in?
Physical activity is anything that gets your body moving and in 2018 the Department of Health and Human Services updated their standards for physical activity for adult American citizens. These standards have been shown to reduce risk of disease and improve health outcomes in those who meet these standards.
To summarize, there are 2 main types of physical activity that adults need to focus on, aerobic activity and muscle strengthening.
Aerobic activity refers to anything that gets you breathing harder and gets your heart beating faster. This can be anything from going for a brisk walk, pushing a lawnmower or going for a bike ride. Recommendations are to accumulate 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity every week. This can be done as 5 30 minute sessions on the bike or 3 50 minute walks, whatever works for you!
If you prefer more vigorous methods of getting your physical activity in, such as running, playing tennis or swimming, shoot for at least 75 minutes a week.
Muscle Strengthening activity includes lifting weights, working with resistance bands or bodyweight exercises. If you are new to resistance training, it is best to keep it simple. If you are not currently doing any strengthening activity, try incorporating this simple bodyweight routine below:
Day 1:
As Many Rounds as Possible in 10 Minutes (Perform in a circuit and rest as needed!)
10 Sit Ups
15 Push Ups
10 Sit Ups
30 Air Squats
Day 2:
5 Rounds For TIme (As Fast as You Can!)
10 Push Ups
20 Alternating Lunges (10 Each Leg)
Give this routine a shot and try to make improvements every time you complete it. This is a simple, effective and efficient way to begin incorporating strength training into your routine. You should be able to make good progress with this routine but you will eventually need to change it up in order for your body to adapt and continue making progress.
There are literally thousands of ways to get both aerobic and strengthening activity in and the benefits of doing so are endless. If you have read this and still have questions about how to make this work for you, reach out or schedule an appointment with one of our Docs at The Method Performance and Physical Therapy. Our team specializes in human movement and functional exercise science; we can work with you one on one in creating a plan that will be safe and effective.
We will listen to your current or prior injury history as well as your current goals. We will complete a thorough evaluation of your strength and range of motion in order to better understand where you are today and what considerations need to be taken in designing a program that will work for you. We will then sit down and discuss a plan for you moving forward as well as offer accountability in order to be sure that you will accomplish what you set out to do.
If you already meet these standards, that’s great! Keep it up; your physical health is one of the most important things that you have and if you ever need a little help along the way, we are here for you!!
