Guidelines for Aerobic Exercise/Cardiovascular Training
F.I.T.T. (Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type)
Frequency. How often to exercise. Recommended: 3-5 times per week.
Intensity. How hard to exercise. Recommended: 65-85% of your maximum heartrate (MHR) a.k.a.: Target Heartrate (THR)*. To find HR: Find pulse on wrist or neck, count pulse for 10 seconds and multiply by 6.
Time. Duration. How long to exercise. Recommended: 20-60 minutes of continuous cardiovascular work.
Type. What activity to engage in. Recommended: any large muscle activity, rhythmic; biking/cycling, walking/hiking, jogging/running, aerobics or step class, swimming, rowing, stair-climbing, etc.
*THR = (MHR X percent intensity desired) X 1.15 MHR = 220 – Your age.
Example:
To determine the Target Heartrate of a 45 year old wishing to work at 80% of their MHR:
220 – 45 =175 MHR = 175 THR = (175 X .80) X 1.15 THR = 161
Beginners may want to start out at 3 times a week at a THR of 65% for 20 minutes. Once you feel comfortable with the intensity and duration, gradually start increasing the F.I.T.T. variables.
