This is a common question in the world of fitness as most people want to know how often they need to work their hearts in order to receive positive benefits. After all, if you work out less than you should, you’re not doing your body many favors. And if you work out more than is necessary, at worst, you could be hurting your body. At best, this means that you could be using your time elsewhere doing other things that you enjoy, such as spending time with family and friends or engaging in a hobby that makes you smile.
So, how often do you need to exercise to improve your cardio fitness? According to guidelines issued by National Health Service (NHS), you should do some type of moderate intensity cardiovascular exercise daily for a total of 150 minutes per week, which equates to just over 20 minutes a day. If you engage in more vigorous cardio activities, the recommended weekly total drops to 75 minutes, or 11 minutes daily as a minimum.
While longer bouts of exercise are often more beneficial to your heart, research has shown that even 10-minute cardio sessions offer some advantages. Therefore, if you put in just two 10-minute sessions of moderate intensity cardio daily, you will have achieved the NHS’s minimal recommendations AND improve your fitness levels.
This could be accomplished by working out for a brief time before and after work, by taking two breaks during your work day and going for a walk or climbing the stairs in the building, or any other time that you can easily fit exercise into your schedule. The more open spaces you fill with cardio exercise, the more fitness you will enjoy as a result!
What are some ways that you fit more fitness into your schedule?
