According to the American College of Sports Medicine, the recommendations toincrease your cardiorespiratory fitness are:
* 3-5 times per week (but preferably daily)
* 20-60 minutes per session (or more)
* aerobic type of exercise (for example running, walking, biking, swimming, skiing)
* enjoyable activities
* with an intensity of 60-90 % of your maximal heart rate*
* Maximal heart rate = 220 - your age. For example, a 30-year-old person's maximal heart rate would be 220 - 30 = 190 beats per minute.
When exercising, you can measure your heart rate either with a heart rate monitor, or from an artery on your wrist or neck with two fingers. Take a pulse count for 15 seconds and multiply it by 4. This is how you determine your heart rate as beats per minute.
You have to remember, however, that these are only recommendations. When you are sick, it is important to listen to your own body. Individuals with lower fitness levels may get considerable training effects even at intensities of 60% of the maximal heart rate; which means that even very light exercise is better than no exercise at all.
You can also split the exercise up into shorter periods. If it is too strenuous to go for a 30-minute walk, go for three 10-minute walks instead.
For further reading:
Fogelholm, M. & Vuori, I. (2005). Terveysliikunta. Jyväskylä: Duodecim.
McArdle, W. D., Katch, F. I. & Katch, V. L. (2001). Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition, and Human Performance. USA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Roitman, J. L. (1998). ACSM's Resource Manual for Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription Third Edition. USA: Williams & Wilkins.
Vuori, I. & Taimela, S. (1999). Liikuntalääketiede. Helsinki: Duodecim.
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