What Intensity Exercise Should I Do?

Exercise is defined as an organized, structured, and repetitive physical activity with the goal of conditioning the body.

Exercises come in a wide range of forms and provide numerous health benefits, including weight loss, disease prevention, improved strength and flexibility, increased endurance, improved bone health, improved mood, and the ability to live longer.

However, if exercise is overdone or performed too quickly, it might result in harm.

The Different Intensity of Exercise

The amount of effort your body puts in during physical activity is referred to as exercise intensity. Your appropriate workout intensity is determined by your health and fitness goals, as well as your present level of fitness.

Exercise intensity is usually classified as low, moderate, or vigorous.

Low Intensity

Low-intensity exercise is especially good for persons who are just starting an exercise program or who have a chronic health condition like obesity or heart disease.

Low-intensity exercise is especially beneficial to pregnant women who did not exercise previous to getting pregnant or those who have just given birth. Low-intensity activities are a great place to start if you want to reduce weight but have never exercised before.

A casual walk, a stretch session, a beginners' yoga class, and easy bike riding are all examples of it. The low-intensity activity also includes incidental exercise, such as walking upstairs or doing housekeeping, which burns a surprising number of calories. 

Grab a mat and just get up and move!

Moderate Intensity

Moderate exercise increases heart rate, makes you breathe faster and makes you feel warmer. If you can still talk but not sing while doing physical activity, you're working at a moderate intensity level.

Most of us consider a moderate-intensity workout to be appropriate exercise. But, by increasing your pace, many of the low-intensity workouts can quickly become moderate-intensity exercises.

Weight training and endurance exercises, such as jogging, cycling, or lap swimming, are examples of moderate-intensity exercise. Carrying older (and hence heavier) children around comes under the moderate-intensity category as well.

Vigorous Intensity

When you engage in high-intensity exercise, you will find yourself breathing quickly and deeply. You won't be able to say more than a few words without stopping for breath if you're working at this level.

If you put in more effort, most moderate activities can become vigorous. The main benefit of high-intensity exercise is that you gain a lot of health advantages in less time – even if you have to exert more effort, it's faster.

The greatest amount of oxygen consumption is required to finish vigorous tasks.  Running, swimming, shoveling, soccer, jumping rope, and carrying large items like bricks are all examples of high-intensity physical activity.

How to Find the Appropriate Intensity Level for Your Body

To find an appropriate intensity of exercise for your body, begin cautiously and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workout. Exercise should be more difficult for your body and more intense than your typical level of everyday exercise.

The goal should be to progressively raise your level of activity over time. Your routine will grow simpler as your body adapts to the new demands you set for it. When things become simpler, it's time to raise the intensity of the workout.