ACSM Physical Activity Guidelines:
“Cardiorespiratory Exercise: Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. Exercise recommendations can be met through 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise five days per week or 20 to 60 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise three days per week. One continuous session and multiple shorter sessions of at least 10 minutes are both acceptable to accumulate the desired amount of daily exercise.”
“Resistance Exercise: Adults should train each major muscle group two or three days each week using a variety of exercises and equipment. Very light or light intensity is best for older individuals or previously sedentary adults just starting to exercise. Two to four sets of each exercise, with anywhere between eight and 20 repetitions, will help adults improve strength and power.”
“Flexibility Exercise: Adults should do flexibility exercises at least two or three days each week to improve range of motion. Each stretch should be held for 10 to 30 seconds, to the point of tightness or slight discomfort. Repeat each stretch two to four times, accumulating 60 seconds per stretch.”
“Neuromotor Exercise: Neuromotor exercise, also referred to as ‘functional fitness training,’ is recommended two or three days per week. Exercises should involve motor skills (balance, agility, coordination and gait), proprioceptive exercise training, and multifaceted activities to improve physical function and prevent falls in older adults. Between 20 and 30 minutes per day is appropriate for neuromotor exercise.”
Three additional things the ACSM wants you to know:
“1. Pedometers are not an accurate measure of exercise quality and should not be used as the sole measure of physical activity.
2. Though exercise protects against heart disease, it is still possible for active adults to develop heart problems. All adults must be able to recognize the warning signs of heart disease, and all health care providers should ask patients about these symptoms.
3. Sedentary behavior is distinct from physical activity and has been shown to be a health risk in itself. Meeting the guidelines for physical activity does not make up for a sedentary lifestyle.”
Chair of the writing committee for these guidelines, Professor Carol Garber, also notes that: “It is no longer enough to consider whether an individual engages in adequate amounts of weekly exercise. We also need to determine how much time a person spends in sedentary pursuits, like watching television or working on a computer.”
For those concerned about doing more harm than good regarding exercise, Garber adds, “When it comes to exercise, the benefits far outweigh the risks.”
These activity guidelines are based on the position statement published in the July 2011 issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise®, the official journal of ACSM. You can read the summarized information yourself as well as Garber’s statements regarding the publication here.
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED
All you need to participate in this program is your smartphone, a barbell (not Smith Machine), weight plates, power rack, adjustable bench, dumbbells, and preferably kettlebells. If your gym does not have these fundamental pieces of equipment, I suggest finding a new gym.
DISCLAIMER
Any able-bodied adult can and should do this program. If you are not able to do so, then I suggest you apply for personal training so we can restore full functional capacity to your body.
Participation in this program is voluntary. Always consult with your medical physician before beginning a new physical activity regimen.
HOW IT WORKS
Step 1: Sign up for program at www.dowhatyoucant.com
Step 2: I will send an invitation to join my True Coach training software to the e-mail address used in your order (this may take up to 24 hours)
Step 3: I will assign the Healthy Human Project to begin on the first upcoming Monday to make calendar organization easier. Don’t worry, you can begin the program immediately upon assignment by opening the workout(s) from the “Upcoming” section of your True Coach calendar.
F.Y.I.
You will only be able to see 1 week of workouts at a time. As you progress through the program, the subsequent workouts will appear on your calendar. This program never ends! You can cancel anytime, but there will ALWAYS be new workouts every week. These workouts will be professionally progressed and regressed to match the undulating intensity and recovery needed to keep you a Healthy Human.
Becca –
This the perfect program for beginners or for those who have taken a break from the gym. Ben truly builds this program from the ground up, starting with the fundamentals to give you confidence to tackle harder tasks later in the cycle. For beginners, Ben has taken the time to explain everything in detail – eliminating any possible fear of not feeling competent in the gym. For those that have taken a break from the gym, he takes your fitness from square one, building it slowly yet efficiently. I fell under the latter group, taking a break from fitness after being the most fit I’ve ever been (that was also thanks to Ben’s coaching). Mentally, there was frustration of having lost that fitness level, but this program took me from the couch to consistently working out again. It didn’t make me feel discouraged about where I was fitness level-wise, but gave me the confidence to persist in reaching fitness goals again.
The program is go-at-your-own-pace with up to five workouts per week, pairs well with other fitness activities (I enjoy running and biking when the weather is good and this strength and cardio plan compliment that), and I was always in and out of the gym within an hour, making the time commitment realistic. Additionally, I have already started working out with the next program and they transition seamlessly! The Foundations Cycle prepares you for beyond the twelve weeks.