HOW MUCH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IS ENOUGH?

NASM WEEKLY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY REQUIREMENTS FOR HEALTH

The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) bases its physical activity requirements for health on the official Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. For general health and to reduce the risk of chronic diseases, adults must maintain a balanced routine of cardiorespiratory and resistance training. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Cardiorespiratory Requirements

• Weekly Goal: At least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week.

• Frequency: Spread throughout the week (e.g., 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week).

• Examples: Walking, cycling, swimming, or jogging. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Resistance Training Requirements

• Weekly Goal: At least 2 days per week.

• Focus: Full-body sessions targeting all major muscle groups (chest, back, arms, shoulders, legs, and core).

• Examples: Bodyweight movements (push-ups, squats, planks), free weights (dumbbells, barbells), or resistance bands. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

For children and adolescents, NASM and public health guidelines recommend significantly more movement—specifically, 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily, which must include muscle and bone-strengthening exercises. [1, 2]

NASM WEEKLY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY REQUIREMENTS FOR FITNESS

To meet NASM physical activity requirements, adults must complete at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week. Additionally, you should complete at least two full-body resistance training sessions per week, along with daily unstructured movement and flexibility or neuromotor exercises. [1, 2, 3]

Detailed Requirements Breakdown

NASM guidelines align directly with national and global physical activity standards for optimal health and fitness: [1]

• Cardiorespiratory Training: Aim for 150 minutes (spread across 5 days) of moderate-intensity cardio, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardio spread across 3 days. [1]

• Resistance Training: Perform muscle-strengthening exercises targeting all major muscle groups at least 2 days a week. For hypertrophy or muscular development, training volume typically increases to 3 to 5 days a week using higher sets and moderate loads. [1, 2, 3, 4]

• Flexibility & Neuromotor Exercises: Incorporate flexibility training (such as static stretching or foam rolling) and neuromotor movements (balance, agility, and coordination drills) at least twice per week. [1, 2]

• Unstructured NEAT: Make sure to include Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) daily. This includes everyday physical motions like standing, walking, taking the stairs, and chores. [1]

I often hear of people concerned and frustrated about not seeing results either working with a trainer or on their own. A couple of reasons why that might be:

• The lack of progressive overload. This means you are not gradually increasing the difficulty of your workout as your body is adapting to the current stress / demand of the exercises.

• Lack of adherence. This means you are not actually sticking to your plan CONSISTENTLY. You must match your behaviors to your goals.

• Poor / inconsistent nutrition habits. Diet / nutrition accounts for at least 70 percent of the health-and-weight loss equation. Movement and regular exercise are important for many reasons, but they don't mean much if the foundation of your nutrition is full of holes. "Cardio" has modest effects on body composition without concomitant dietary modifications. You absolutely must create a calorie deficit if you want to burn body fat. Again, you cannot "out-exercise" a poor diet.

LINKS + RESOURCES

Moxie Studio Online

• Workouts on Demand

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• Moxie 12-Week Cardio Program