Okay, so we have established that exercise is important and to reap the benefits we have to exercise consistently. But what kind of exercise should I do? Does it matter? Is one exercise better than another? According to the ACSM, you should perform a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity cardiorespiratory exercise. This recommendation can be met by completing 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise on approximately five days per week. As an alternative, you can perform 20 to 60 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise on approximately three days per week. The ACSM stresses that the required daily amount can be broken up throughout the day. That tells us how much exercise to do, but it does not answer the question of what kind of exercise to do. In my opinion, the answer to that question is different for everyone depending on a number of variables.
I think it is important to start with, “is the exercise appropriate and safe for you?” The picture above is of my mother and I. A lifting program that incorporates high level plyometrics and Olympic lifts would be appropriate for me, but would likely be too dangerous for my mother to participate in. Depending on a multitude of factors including age, medical history or current status, and personal preference all factor into choosing an exercise program that is right for you.
In a perfect world, an exercise program would have some level of cardiovascular (cardio) exercise for our heart and lungs, some form of resistance training for muscles and bones, some flexibility/stretching for soft tissue, and some form of meditation for our mind. A combination of these through the week make up an “ideal” exercise regime. This could be a spin class, weight lifting class, and a yoga class (stay for the meditation!). Some people might enjoy this variety, but others might prefer just one program that fills each of those buckets to some varying degree.
Sticking with just one program is totally acceptable, as long as that program does in fact address cardio, strength, and flexibility in some way. What I do not recommend is something I hear a lot and was the motivation behind this article. “I walk my dog a few times a week for exercise.” First of all, this is totally fine and if this is what you enjoy doing as your cardiovascular exercise, in my opinion, that is perfectly acceptable. The problem is that your musculoskeletal system will be susceptible to whatever the rest of your normal day looks like. And for most people that looks like sitting. Sitting behind a desk, or in a car, or maybe hunched over a pottery wheel for hours on end. The construction worker, mechanic, and other manual labor people will argue that they are immune from the sitting disease. This may be true, but there are other problems with these occupations that I will address in another article on another day. On the opposite end of the dog walking spectrum I do not recommend cross-fit type intensity for the older population or even a younger person who is new to exercise.
The key to a lifelong relationship with exercise and fitness, in my ever-so humble opinion is, finding a routine that is 1) enjoyable, if you do not enjoy the exercise, you will eventually find an excuse to stop doing it. Is 2) appropriate and safe, if you become injured consistently you will not be able to make progress in your fitness. Finally 3) comprehensive and fills all of the physical buckets to some degree (cardio, strength, flexibility). If you are able to check these three boxes, I believe you are on the right road towards a lifetime of good health and mobility.