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Parents frequently hear that their children need 60 minutes of physical activity every day. It’s the globally-accepted standard according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and child health and exercise physiology experts. The question for many parents: What qualifies as suitable physical activity? Does walking to school count? How about raking leaves? Or loading the dryer with laundry? Understanding MVPAThe first thing to understand about the 60-minute guideline: It refers to 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, commonly abbreviated as MVPA. Moderate activity requires a moderate amount of effort and raises your heart rate to a degree that you notice it, but your breathing stays more or less steady. Vigorous activity demands a large amount of effort that raises your heart rate considerably and forces you to breathe intensely. By that definition, a lot of things may qualify as physical activity—everything from free play and sports participation to household chores and active transportation. Depending on a child’s level of fitness, walking to school may be moderate activity, but for most kids it’s light activity. Riding a bike to school, especially if there are hills to climb, probably represents moderate activity. But again, it depends on the level of fitness of the child and how fast and hard they decide to pedal. Ways to fill 60 minutesAs a parent, you know your child best. Keeping in mind their relative fitness and their interests, here are some simple examples of physical activities that would help kids to meet the daily 60-minute recommendation:
You may also buy your kids some exercise equipment like a rebounder that they can enjoy using for up to an hour. Vigorous activity, and activities for muscle and bonesThere are a couple of extra nuances to consider in the 60-minute recommendation. According to the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth, your child should be engaged in vigorous physical activities at least three days per week. Same goes for muscle and bone strengthening activities. In other words, it’s fine to be moderately active for 60 minutes on most days, but occasionally your child needs to work their heart, lungs, and muscles in a vigorous way. An intense hockey or soccer game may qualify as vigorous activity. Alternatively, a 60-minute mountain bike ride over tough hills and trails may do the trick. To strengthen bone and muscle, most of the same activities will meet that purpose. With pre-pubertal children, pediatricians and sports physiologists will generally tell you that own-bodyweight exercises are sufficient to build strong bones and muscles. The classics are pushups, squats, chin-ups, and crunches, but even these may be more than your child requires. Your child can often get a similar muscle workout by climbing trees or pedaling a bike. And these activities are likely a lot more fun for your child. Keep track with an activity logDon’t be intimidated by the 60-minute physical activity guidelines. If you ensure that your child plays actively every day or participates in well-designed sport programs, it’s not difficult to meet the recommendations. However, if you want to be extra sure, print off a copy of the Active for Life Activity Log for your fridge or family bulletin board, and keep track through the week!
Exercise intensity refers to how hard your body is working during physical activity. Your health and fitness goals, as well as your current level of fitness, will determine your ideal exercise intensity. Typically, exercise intensity is described as low, moderate, or vigorous. For maximum health benefits, the goal is to work hard, but not too hard – described as moderate intensity by Australia's Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines. These guidelines recommend that for good health, you should aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most days, in addition to a general message of moving more and sitting less. This is the same for women and men. Pre-exercise screening is used to identify people with medical conditions that may put them at a higher risk of experiencing a health problem during physical activity. It is a filter or ‘safety net’ to help decide if the potential benefits of exercise outweigh the risks for you. Ensure you read through the pre-exercise self-screening before you embark on a physical activity or exercise program. Measuring exercise intensityThere are various ways to measure your exercise intensity to make sure your body is getting the most out of every workout. You may need to experiment to find out which method of measuring exercise intensity suits you best. Three different measurement methods include:
Measuring exercise intensity using your target heart rateThe human body has an in-built system to measure its exercise intensity – the heart. Your heart rate will increase in proportion to the intensity of your exercise. You can track and guide your exercise intensity by calculating your Target Heart Rate (THR) range.For moderate-intensity physical activity, a person's THR should be 50 to 70 per cent of their maximum heart rate. The maximum rate is based on a person's age. An estimate of a person's maximum heart rate can be calculated as 220 beats per minute (bpm) minus your age. Because it is an estimate, use it with caution.Keep your heart rate at the lower end of your recommended range if you are just starting regular exercise. Gradually increase the intensity of your workouts as your fitness improves. Also, your heart rate should stay in the lower ranges during warm-up and cool-down periods.Using a heart rate monitor is an easy way to keep track of your heart rate while you’re exercising, or you can take your pulse (see below).Seeking medical advice about your target heart rateIf you have a medical condition, are overweight, are aged over 40 years or haven’t exercised in a long time, see your doctor for a medical check-up before starting any new exercise program. Your heart rate target range may need to be professionally recalculated to take your health and general fitness into account.Some medications can alter your heart rate response to exercise, so make sure you discuss the medications you are taking and how they could affect your exercise plans with your doctor. It may be necessary to use another option for monitoring exercise intensity if you are taking certain medications.Target heart rate chart
Measuring your heart rate by taking your pulseTaking your pulse at regular intervals lets you know whether you are exercising within your target heart rate range. Some tips include:
Factors known to influence heart rateIt’s not just exercise that affects your heart rate. Your beats per minute could be raised by a number of internal and external factors including:
Measuring exercise intensity using the talk testThe talk test is a simple and reliable way to measure intensity. As a rule of thumb:
Measuring exercise intensity using the exertion rating scaleThis method is based on observing your body’s physical signs during physical activity, including increased heart rate, increased respiration or breathing rate, increased sweating, and muscle fatigue. To keep within a moderate intensity, aim to experience the exercise signs 3–7 in the chart below.You can keep a diary of your exertion ratings to monitor your fitness progressions. As you become fitter, the same activity will become easier and your exertion rating will decrease. Then you’ll know it’s time to increase your effort.
Your body’s response to moderate intensity exercise normally includes:
Exercise intensity warning signsIf you experience any of the following symptoms, stop exercising and seek medical help:
Where to get help
Things to remember
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This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:
This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:
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