How much is enough?

How long should you work out in order to reap the most reward? Exercise duration and intensity are inversely proportionate. Intensity should stress the body but not overtax it. Duration and intensity will be dependent on the client's current health status, their initial fitness level, and their fitness goals. "ACSM recommends that adults participate in at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity physical activity to prevent significant weight gain and reduce associated chronic disease risk factors.." (http://www.acsm.org/about-acsm/media-room/acsm-in-the-news/2011/08/01/acsm-position-stand-on-physical-activity-and-weight-loss-now-available) This equates to 30 mins, 5 times per week, and can be achieved all at once, or split up into shorter sessions throughout the day (think 10 mins here and there throughout the day). Once you begin to adapt and can easily complete 30 mins of training, try gradually increasing the intensity of each session or the time of each session (10% rule of thumb), up to a maximum of 60 mins daily. It is important to vary the type of activity to decrease the risk of overuse injuries, exercise burnout and to just alleviate the chance of routine boredom!