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Maintenance or Improvement?
How much and how often you exercise is directly related to your individual fitness goals. Do you wish to improve your level of fitness or simply maintain your current level? Are you trying to lose weight or maintain your present weight? Do you want to improve strength or increase your endurance? Once you've answered these questions, the following information can help you determine the best way to achieve your personal fitness goals.
Maintenance
Aerobic conditioning; exercises that help you reach and maintain your target heart rate; should be done for at least 20-30 minutes a minimum of 3 times a week to maintain cardiovascular fitness. The same guidelines apply for weight management and muscular conditioning; regular workouts at approximately 24-48 hour intervals.
Improvement
To improve your fitness level and aid weight reduction, you should participate in regular aerobic exercise; walking, swimming, jogging, cross-country skiing, etc.; a minimum of 4-5 times a week. (Note: For weight loss it may be more beneficial to decrease your intensity and increase the duration of your exercise session.) To improve muscular strength, progressively increase the load your muscles must resist. To improve endurance, increase the number of times you repeat a resistance exercise.
Other Considerations
As your fitness level increases, you will probably have to work harder and/or longer to maintain your improved condition. As a beginner, for instance, you may only need to walk briskly for 30 minutes to reach and maintain your target heart rate. As your body becomes accustomed to this demand, however, you may find that you'll need to increase your pace or the length of your walk in order to achieve the same results.
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