Member-only story
How much training is enough to get started
Building your initial fitness program
The optimal frequency, intensity, duration and type of exercise will vary between individuals based on their goals, experience and lifestyle.
Generally speaking, less training is required in the early stages of building strength, fitness and mobility, as the body will adapt to a relatively low-level stimulus. As we progress, additional loading is required to ensure continual progression.
While it’s impossible to give personalised recommendations without knowing the circumstances, the Physical Activity and Exercise Guidelines for Australians provide practical recommendations for getting started, especially for people who want to increase physical activity but haven’t selected a training goal.
The recommendations for adults aged 18–64 are:
- 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity such as a brisk walk, golf, mowing the lawn or swimming; or
- 75–150 minutes of vigorous activity such as jogging, aerobics, fast cycling, soccer or netball; or
- An equivalent combination of both; and
- Resistance training should be included as part of physical activity twice per week.
