Men’S Health Best Bodyweight Exercises
Examples of Different Aerobic Activities and Their Intensities
MODERATE-INTENSITY ACTIVITIES VIGOROUS-INTENSITY ACTIVITIES
• Walking briskly (3 miles per hour or faster, but not race-walking) • Race-walking, jogging, or running
• Water aerobics • Swimming laps
• Bicycling slower than 10 miles per hour • Singles tennis
• Doubles tennis • Aerobic dancing
• Ballroom dancing • Bicycling 10 miles per hour or faster
• General gardening • Jumping rope
• Heavy gardening (continuous digging or hoeing)
• Hiking uphill or with a heavy backpack source: Adapted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014, “http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/pdf/PAIntensitytable21.pdf.
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You can put those plans together into a single program. It’s usually best to include exercises to develop each of the health-related components of fitness. The components (with abbreviations used in Figure 7.1, section B) are as follows:
• Cardiorespiratory endurance (CRE) is developed by activities that use continuous rhythmic movements of large-muscle groups, like those in the legs (see Chapter 3).
• Muscular strength and endurance (MS and ME) are developed by strength training against resistance (see Chapter 4).
• Flexibility (F) is developed by stretching the major muscle groups (see Chapter 5).
• Healthy body composition (BC) can be developed by combining a sensible diet and a program of regular exercise, including cardiorespiratory endurance exercise to burn calories and resistance training to build muscle mass (see Chapter 6).
Table 7.1 shows the intensity levels of several popular activities that promote health. Check the intensity levels of the activities you’re considering to make sure the program you put together will help you achieve your goals.
If you select activities you enjoy and that support your commitment rather than activities that turn exercise into a chore, your program will provide plenty of incentive for
