Physical Activity Guidelines & Walking Pace
/Hey there! And welcome to a long overdue blog post from the Fuel Physio Team. We'll be honest in saying that most of our efforts in writing have gone towards Wellfie Wednesday Tips. If you haven't seen those or know what they are, check them out!
Lets talk physical activity guidelines and how the aerobic component can be obtained with just simply walking throughout the week. No gym equipment necessary! So the recommended amount for sustained health benefits are as follows, and these can be found in greater detail here.
- 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity
- 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity
- The guidelines also emphasize muscle-strengthening activities of moderate or high intensity, involving all major muscle groups, for 2 or more days a week
Now that we know our recommended time to reap all the amazing benefits of physical activity, how can we achieve the recommended intensity? Well, lets look at moderate-intensity. The guidelines do actually mention "brisk walking" as an example. But exactly is "brisk walking?" There was an article published earlier this year in the British Journal of Sports Medicine that looked at just that. They determined that an absolute threshold of moderate-intensity occurs with a walking pace or cadence of >100 steps/min. However, know that even at a slower cadence, health benefits can still be had.
This link from the CDC provides other examples of obtaining moderate or vigorous intensities. Including mention of the "talk test." Where during an activity if you unable to speak a few words without pausing for a breath, your activity is most likely of vigorous-intensity.
Until next time,
Fuel Physio Team