Moderate intensity exercise encompasses activities that are somewhat challenging for you to perform and raise your heart rate. It may help lower your blood pressure and cholesterol, balance your blood sugar, and improve your mental health.
Exercise is generally classified as low, moderate, or vigorous (high) intensity. Most experts recommend regular moderate intensity physical activity for better health.
Talk with a healthcare professional if you’re just starting an exercise routine or have a condition that may affect your ability to perform higher intensity activities. They can help you make an activity plan that works for you..
Moderate intensity exercise encompasses activities, including daily tasks, that may be somewhat challenging for you to perform. During these activities, your heart and breathing rates will increase noticeably.
As a general rule of thumb, you may be able to talk but not sing during moderate intensity exercise.
Formal exercises that may be classified as moderate intensity include:
- a brisk walk or jog
- swimming laps
- a bike ride
- hiking with a backpack
- jumping rope
- weight training with weights that are challenging to lift many times per set
Many different exercise forms — like resistance or strength training, cardio, or flexibility and balance training — can be moderate intensity depending on how much they challenge you.
Everyday tasks, like digging or hoeing in a garden or walking up several flights of stairs, may also be moderate intensity for you.
It’s not the activity itself that makes something moderate intensity; it’s the effort required to do it.
Heart rate
You may also be able to determine whether an activity is challenging enough for you by calculating a percentage of your maximum heart rate (HRmax), which is the number of times your heart beats per minute at its maximum rate. To
If you’re 20 years old, your HRmax would be 200 beats per minute (bpm). If you’re 50 years old, your HRmax would be 170 bpm (220 minus 50).
Moderate intensity exercise is estimated to be 64% to 76% of a person’s HRmax. To calculate 64% of your HRmax, multiply your HRmax by 0.64.
A note about intensity
These are just general guidelines for thinking about how intense exercise can be. “Intensity”
Therefore, it may not be helpful to compare your workout or physical activity to another person.
Talk with a doctor or another healthcare professional if you’re not sure what intensity you should be aiming for or if you’re having any difficulty or concerning symptoms during exercise.
Moderate intensity exercise can offer numerous benefits for your health.
It
- lower blood sugar
- keep cholesterol levels in a healthy range
- reduce blood pressure
- manage weight
- maintain or increase muscle mass
- reduce fat mass
- relieve symptoms associated with anxiety or depression
- improve sleep
- improve cognition
It may also help improve flexibility, balance, and overall functioning in everyday life.
If you’re just beginning a workout routine, consider starting slow and gradually working your way up to moderate intensity exercise. An exercise professional, such as a doctor or personal trainer, can help you make an activity plan that works for you.
The
- at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity
- 75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic activity
- an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous intensity aerobic activity
The guidelines also recommend muscle strengthening activities at least 2 days a week.
The following table outlines some other physical activity recommendations for certain groups.
| Group | Recommendations |
|---|---|
| people who are pregnant or in the postpartum period | – spread at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity throughout the week – engage in vigorous aerobic activities if they were performing them before pregnancy |
| adults with chronic conditions or disabilities | – if possible, follow the recommendations for all adults – be as physically active as their abilities and chronic conditions allow |
| older adults | – incorporate balance training along with aerobic and strength activities – be as physically active as their abilities and chronic conditions allow |
Consult a healthcare professional
It’s best to talk with a healthcare professional to make an activity plan that’s tailored to your specific needs and health situation. You can start with a primary care doctor, or you may want to talk with a specialist if you have a condition that may affect your ability to be physically active.
Workout classes can be great ways to incorporate more movement into your routine. Many types of workout classes may fall into the moderate intensity category for you, including:
Workout classes to avoid
If you’re looking for moderate intensity activities, you may want to avoid certain workout classes. For example, high intensity interval training (HIIT) and Crossfit classes typically incorporate high or vigorous intensity activities that may be more challenging than what you’re looking for.
Beginner’s classes in many types of exercise, such as yoga or Pilates, may also be a lower intensity for you.
It all depends on your current exercise abilities. It may help to talk with the person conducting a class before you sign up for it to understand the class’s level of intensity.
People with certain health conditions or in certain stages of life
Doctors may recommend moderate intensity activities for people who have:
- high blood pressure
- high cholesterol
- heart disease
- diabetes
- obesity
- osteoporosis
- arthritis
- cancer
- anxiety or depression
Moderate intensity exercise can also be beneficial for older adults, people experiencing menopause, people who are pregnant, and others.
This isn’t an exhaustive list. Regular physical activity is an essential part of a healthful lifestyle for everyone in any stage of life — but what that looks like can be different for each person.
Talk with a doctor or other healthcare professional to find the best way to incorporate exercise in the context of your overall health situation. Physical activity isn’t one-size-fits-all.
Moderate intensity exercise encompasses activities that raise your heart rate, make you breathe harder, and are somewhat challenging to perform.
This type of exercise can be very beneficial for almost everyone, but be sure to talk with your doctor or another healthcare professional about tailoring your activities to your specific health situation.