You may have heard trainers and peddlers of fitness programmes promise to make you ripped or shredded without doing any cardio. This is true. You don’t need cardio to get your ‘beach body’. But you do need it to keep your heart healthy. And, in case you didn’t know this already, a healthy heart is pretty important.
There is nothing wrong with people wanting to be ripped but I urge them to make longevity their primary training goal. And this means doing a bit of cardio, and a bit of strength training and a bit of mobility work too.
You may be thinking, ‘Jeez, Brad. That sounds like a lot! I have kids to look after, an ageing parent to care for, a job to do, food to cook, chores to complete, etc, etc.’ I know life is busy and that it is important to meet your obligations. But you also need to prioritise your health so you can keep meeting all those obligations to look after the people who rely on you.
Searching for this extra time for health in a busy schedule is tough, but isn’t it worth it for a potentially longer life and better health and physical autonomy during your years on earth?
So what’s the bare minimum you need to do?
The World Health Organization recommends that adults aged 18-64 do the following each week:
150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity;
Or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity;
Or a combination of moderate and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week;
And muscle-strengthening activities (resistance training) involving all major muscle groups twice a week or more.
In some ways it is a lot of time to dedicate to your health, but it can be incorporated into your daily life and even involve family and friends. And happily, walking is a moderate-intensity activity and one of the most accessible forms of exercise for those who are able to use their legs. You can even pop on your favourite playlist, audiobook, guided walking meditation or podcast and turn your walk into a multipurpose period of your day.
Possible weekly programme
Monday – get out of bed, do your business, brush your teeth, boil the kettle and do 10-15 bodyweight squats, followed by 10 push-ups. Take a break and repeat 2-3 times. You’ve just done day one of your WHO-recommended muscle-strengthening exercises and you’ve not even been awake for an hour.
On Monday during your lunch break or in the evening before or after dinner, go for a 30 minute walk.
Congratulations, in the first day of the week you have done half your strength training and 1/5th of your cardio or aerobic activity.
Tuesday – grab a skipping/jump rope and set the time for 10-15 minutes. Depending on your speed you could likely tick this off as vigorous activity.
Wednesday – call the dog, put the baby in the pram, get the kids’ bikes or scooters out, grab your partner or friend and go for a 30-45 minute walk.
Thursday – get out of bed, do your business, brush your teeth, boil the kettle and do 10-15 bodyweight lunges, followed by 5-10 pull-ups or rows (you will need equipment here but a doorway pull-up bar is affordable for most and takes up very little space). Take a break and repeat 2-3 times. You’ve just met your WHO-minimum-recommended muscle-strengthening exercises for the week and there are three days of the week to go.
At lunch or in the evening, get outside for another 30 minute walk.
Friday – mix it up and go for walk/jog or open up your computer or phone and find a follow-along dance or aerobic routine on YouTube. It’s free. It’s fast. And you’ve just added another 15-30 (or more) minutes to your cumulative aerobic activity. Get it done in the morning and your Friday night is wide open.
Saturday – go for a walk, dance, skip, swim just get moving for 10-15 minutes.
Sunday – visit somewhere pleasant, take it slow and stretch out that walk to 60 minutes.
What about mobility training? You could do it in 4 minutes.
Still sounds like a lot?
It may still sound like a lot, and again, it is a lot if you’re currently not exercising. So start small. Half of this will be better for you than nothing. A third even. A little movement is better than no movement at all.
At the very least, start walking. It can be sociable, solitary, combined with work calls, phone catch-ups with friends or educational sessions with podcasts and audiobooks. Really hate walking or your area is not safe or it sounds boring? Try something else instead.
Other ideas might be to join a hiking club (walking but in nature), a martial arts school, a dance studio, a golf club (just don’t use the golf carts), a tennis club, a gym, hire a personal trainer, sign up for volleyball. Just do something before you are bed-ridden or crumpled over wondering where the hell your life went. Scare tactics aren’t my favourite but sometimes we need to hear the truth. Healthy hearts, mobile joints and strong muscles are essential to living a quality life as we age. Let’s get Strong2Move.
Completely agree with this Brandon! I wish more people would realize this sooner that they don't need to beat themselves to the ground to be healthy