Stonyfield Yogurt - Exercise Guidelines

Exercise Guidelines

woman stretching

Hey, you need exercise to keep well! Based on recommendations of the American College of Sports Medicine, the chart below will help you exercise safely and effectively. But first, here’s some basic info to help you understand the chart.

Cardiovascular Training
There are lots of different types of cardiovascular exercise: brisk walking, running, cycling, hiking, swimming, rowing, stair climbing… the list is endless! Learn more.

Muscular Strength and Endurance Training
Different types of muscular strength and endurance training include weight lifting, using weight machines, and doing pushups, sit-ups, pull-ups, etc. Learn more.

Flexibility Training
Flexibility training can help you decrease pain and soreness after exercise, improve your circulation, improve your range of motion, improve your posture, and more. The most common flexibility training is a simple stretching routine, but you can improve flexibility through other activities, like yoga or Pilates. Learn more.

Exercise Intensity
To monitor the intensity at which you exercise, first calculate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. For example, if you’re 30 years old, your maximum heart rate is 190 beats per minute.

Next, figure out your low-intensity (55%) and high-intensity (90%) thresholds. For a 30-year old, low-intensity would be 55% of 190, or 105 beats per minute. High intensity would be 90% of 190, or 171 beats per minute. So, during cardiovascular training, a 30 year old should maintain a heart rate within the range of 105-to-171 beats per minute (see chart below). An exercise beginner should stay at the lower end of the range, an intermediate at the middle, and an advanced exerciser at the upper end of the range.

The simplest way to measure your heart rate is to use two fingertips to feel the pulse in the opposite wrist, and to use your wristwatch to time your pulse. Of course, you’ll need to stop exercising to do this safely. There are also heart rate monitors that you can wear while exercising.

Some heart rate monitors – such as those you’ll find on treadmills, exercise bikes, and other machines at the gym – may not be 100% accurate. And some medications may alter your pulse. For these reasons, it’s always a good idea to judge your exercise intensity by feel, too, to keep from overworking yourself.

American College of Sports Medicine Exercise Guidelines

	CARDIOVASCULAR TRAINING	MUSCULAR STRENGTH & ENDURANCE TRAINING	FLEXIBILITY TRAINING
FREQUENCY	3-5 days per week	2-3 days per week per major muscle group (Never strengthen the same muscle two days in a row)	2-3 days per week
INTENSITY	55-90% of your maximum heart rate	To the point of muscular fatigue within 8-12 repetitions. May do 1-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions	To the point of slight tension but no pain
TIME	20-60 minutes	20-60 minutes	20 seconds or longer per stretch

It’s always a good idea to consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program.