How Long Should Your Exercise Workouts Last?

Workout Time Depends on Intensity

Higher intensity activities require less time spent. Lower intensity
activities require more time spent.

Light-Intensity Activities:

• Walking slowly
• Golf, powered cart
• Swimming, slow treading
• Gardening or pruning
• Bicycling, very light effort
• Dusting or vacuuming
• Conditioning exercise, light stretching or warm up

Moderate-Intensity Activities:

• Walking briskly
• Golf, pulling or carrying clubs
• Swimming, recreational
• Mowing lawn, power motor
• Tennis, doubles
• Bicycling 5 to 9 mph, level terrain, or with a few hills
• Scrubbing floors or washing windows
• Weight lifting, Nautilus machines or free weights

Vigorous-Intensity Activities:

• Racewalking, jogging or running
• Swimming laps
• Mowing lawn, hand mower
• Tennis, singles
• Bicycling more than 10 mph, or on steep uphill terrain
• Moving or pushing furniture
• Circuit training

The more intense the workout, the less time you need to spend doing it.