Exercise and the Heart
Exercise recommendations for cardiovascular health
How much: Moderate intensity exercise
How often: Five days of the week
How long:
Cumulative: 30 minutes daily (10 min at a time is OK)
Common Physical Activities by Intensity
*Source: Circulation 2007;116 (9): 1081-1105
Light
• Walking slowly around
home or office
• Sitting: using
computer at desk, using
light hand tools
• Standing performing
light work such as
making bed, washing
dishes, ironing,
preparing food or store
clerk
• Arts & crafts, playing
cards
• Billiards
• Boating, power
• Croquet
• Darts
• Fishing, sitting
• Playing most musical
instruments
Moderate
• Walking briskly (3-4
mph)
• Cleaning, heavy:
washing window, car or
cleaning garage
• Sweeping floors or
carpet, vacuuming,
mopping
• Carpentry, general
• Carrying & stacking
wood
• Mowing lawn, walk
power mower
• Badminton,
recreational
• Basketball, shooting
around
• Bicycling on flat
ground
• Dancing: ballroom
slow or fast
• Fishing from river
bank & walking
• Golf: walking, pulling
clubs
• Sailing boat, wind
surfing
• Swimming leisurely
• Table tennis
• Tennis doubles
• Volleyball, non-
competitive
Hard/Vigorous
• Walking, jogging and
running
• Walking at a very brisk
pace
• Walking/hiking at a
moderate pace and
grade with no or light
pack
• Hiking at steep grades
and with pack
• Shoveling sand, coal,
etc.
• Carrying heavy loads
such as bricks
• Heavy farming such
as bailing hay
• Shoveling, digging
ditches
• Basketball game
• Bicycling: moderate
effort & fast
• Skiing cross country:
slow or fast
• Soccer, casual
• Swimming:
moderate/hard
• Tennis singles
• Volleyball: competitive
at gym or beach