How Much Exercise Do You Need? Weekly Guidelines for Adults, Children and Over-65s

Adults need at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate exercise a week, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous exercise, plus muscle-strengthening activity on at least two days. That is the recommendation of both the US Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans and the World Health Organization (WHO). In practical terms, 30 minutes of brisk walking on five days and two short strength sessions will meet the minimum. Yet only about a quarter of American adults meet both targets. This guide explains what counts, how hard you need to work, how the advice changes with age, and how to fit it into a busy week.

How Much Exercise Do Adults Need Each Week?

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition, published by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), recommend that adults aged 18 to 64:

• Do 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week, such as brisk walking, or
• 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, such as running, or an equivalent mix of the two
• Do muscle-strengthening activities involving all major muscle groups on two or more days a week
• Move more and sit less throughout the day

Going beyond 300 minutes of moderate activity brings additional health benefits. The WHO’s 2020 guidelines give the same figures for adults, and the UK’s chief medical officers recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week, plus strength work on two days.

What Counts as Moderate and Vigorous Exercise?

Intensity depends on how hard your body is working, and the simplest measure is the talk test:

• Moderate intensity: you can talk but not sing. Examples include brisk walking at about 2.5 to 4 miles an hour, cycling on flat ground, doubles tennis, water aerobics, active gardening and dancing.
• Vigorous intensity: you cannot say more than a few words without pausing for breath. Examples include running, swimming laps, cycling uphill or above 10 miles an hour, singles tennis, football and basketball games, hiking uphill and skipping with a rope.

As a rule, one minute of vigorous activity counts as two minutes of moderate activity. So 20 minutes of running on two days plus 70 minutes of brisk walking would meet the minimum.

Do Short Bouts of Exercise Count?

Yes. Earlier guidance said activity had to last at least 10 minutes to count, but the 2018 guidelines dropped that requirement because the evidence showed that any amount of moderate-to-vigorous activity is beneficial. Taking the stairs, walking to the shops or a 5-minute walk after lunch all add up. Step counts are another useful way to track daily movement, as our guide on how many steps a day you really need explains.

What Counts as Muscle-Strengthening Activity?

Strength training means making your muscles work harder than usual against resistance. It does not require a gym:

• Lifting weights or using resistance bands
• Body-weight exercises such as squats, lunges, press-ups and planks
• Heavy gardening, such as digging and shovelling
• Yoga and Pilates styles that build strength
• Carrying heavy shopping or climbing stairs with a load

Aim for 8 to 12 repetitions of each exercise until it is hard to do another, working your legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms. Strength training helps maintain muscle and bone as you age, improves blood sugar control and reduces the risk of falls.

How Much Exercise Do Children and Older Adults Need?

• Children aged 3 to 5: should be physically active throughout the day to support growth and development.
• Children and teenagers aged 6 to 17: at least 60 minutes a day of moderate-to-vigorous activity, including vigorous activity on at least three days a week, and muscle- and bone-strengthening activities, such as climbing and jumping, on at least three days a week.
• Adults aged 65 and over: the same aerobic and strength targets as younger adults, plus balance training, such as tai chi or standing on one leg, as part of multicomponent activity. Those with chronic conditions should be as active as their abilities allow.
• Pregnant and postpartum women: at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, after discussing it with a healthcare provider.

How Many People Meet the Exercise Guidelines?

Not many. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that only about one in four American adults meet both the aerobic and the muscle-strengthening guidelines. Globally, the WHO estimated in 2024 that 31% of adults, about 1.8 billion people, did not get enough physical activity in 2022, a figure that has been rising, and it warned that the share could reach 35% by 2030 without action.

What Are the Benefits of Regular Exercise?

According to HHS and the WHO, regular physical activity:

• Lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes
• Reduces the risk of several cancers, including bladder, breast, colon, endometrial, oesophageal, kidney, lung and stomach cancers
• Improves sleep, mood and anxiety, and reduces the risk of depression and dementia
• Strengthens bones and muscles and reduces falls in older adults
• Helps with weight management alongside diet

The WHO says people who are insufficiently active have a 20% to 30% higher risk of death than those who are sufficiently active. Better sleep is one of the quickest benefits; our guide on how much sleep you need covers why that matters.

How Can You Fit 150 Minutes Into a Busy Week?

Break the target into manageable chunks and build it into routines you already have:

• 30 minutes on five days, such as a brisk walk at lunch or after dinner
• Three 10-minute walks a day if a longer session is hard to fit in
• Active commuting: cycle, walk or get off the bus a stop early
• Weekend sessions: one long walk, bike ride or game of tennis can cover a big share of the week
• Two 20-minute strength sessions at home using body weight or resistance bands
• Make it social: walking groups, running clubs and team sports make it easier to stick with

If you are new to exercise, start small and build up gradually. Walking is the easiest place to begin and is gentle on the joints; our guides on whether walking helps lower back pain and whether running is bad for your knees address common worries.

Should You See a Doctor Before Starting?

Most healthy adults can safely start moderate activity such as walking without a medical check-up. Talk to a doctor first if you have heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease or another chronic condition, are pregnant, or experience chest pain, dizziness or unusual breathlessness when active. Stop and seek medical help if these symptoms occur during exercise.

Exercise Guidelines at a Glance

• Adults: 150 to 300 minutes of moderate or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity a week, plus strength work on 2 or more days
• Children 6 to 17: 60 minutes a day, with vigorous and strengthening activity on 3 days
• Over-65s: the adult targets plus balance training
• Any activity counts, even short bouts
• Sit less: break up long periods of sitting

This article is for general information and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice.

Featured image: Two women jogging in Skinner Butte Park, by Rick Obst / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Cropped, colour-graded and combined with MediaPavilion branding.

Sources

• US Department of Health and Human Services — Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition (2018).
• World Health Organization — WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour (2020).
• World Health Organization — Physical activity fact sheet (26 June 2024).
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Adult Activity: An Overview (accessed 1 November 2026).
• GOV.UK (Department of Health and Social Care) — UK Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity guidelines (2019).
• NHS — Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64 (accessed 1 November 2026).