ACSM Exercise NEW guidelines 2018
Neuromotor Exercise - sometimes called
"functional fitness training" is recommended for two or three days per week.
Each stretch should be held for
10-30 seconds to the point of tightness or slight discomfort.
Adults should wait at least
48 hours between resistance training sessions.
"When it comes to exercise, the benefits far outweigh the risks.
A program of regular exercise - beyond activities of daily living - is essential for most adults."
Cardiorespiratory Exercise
Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.
Gradual progression of exercise time, frequency and intensity is recommended for best adherence and least injury risk; however
People unable to meet these minimums can still benefit from some activity.
Flexibility exercise is most effective when the muscle is warm.
Try light aerobic activity or a hot bath to warm the muscles before stretching
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 each exercise, 8-12 repetitions improve strength and power, 10-15 repetitions improve strength in middle-age and older persons starting exercise,
and 15-20 repetitions improve muscular endurance.
Static, dynamic, ballistic
and PNF stretches are all effective.
Exercises should involve motor skills (balance, agility, coordination and gait), proprioceptive exercise training
and multifaceted activities (tai ji and yoga) to improve physical function and prevent falls in older adults.
One continuous session and multiple shorter sessions (of at least 10 minutes)
are both acceptable to accumulate desired amount of daily exercise.
20-30 minutes per day is appropriate
for neuromotor exercise.
Sedentary behavior - sitting for long periods of time - 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.
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.
Pedometers, step-counting devices used to measure physical activity, are
not an accurate measure of exercise quality and should not be used as the sole measure of physical activity.
Exercise recommendations can be met through 30-60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (five days per week)
or 20-60 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise (three days per week).
Very light or light intensity is best for older persons
or previously sedentary adults starting exercise.
Flexibility Exercise - Adults should do flexibility exercises at least
two or three days each week to improve range of motion.
Resistance Exercise- Adults should train each major muscle group
two or three days each week using a variety of exercises and equipment.
Repeat each stretch
two to four times, accumulating 60 seconds per stretch.
Two to four sets of each exercise
will help adults improve strength and power.