Major health authorities, including the U.S. CDC and the World Health Organization, recommend adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week; the CDC also recommends muscle-strengthening work on two or more days. For beginners, guidance from the CDC and the Mayo Clinic points to starting slowly, warming up before and cooling down after each session, and increasing activity by roughly 10% a week rather than all at once.
How much exercise do adults need?
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week, which can also be met with 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, or an equivalent combination of both. The CDC notes this can be broken up, for example into 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week, according to its physical activity fact sheet. The CDC additionally recommends muscle-strengthening activity on at least two days a week, covering major muscle groups such as the legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms.
Weekly activity targets for adults (CDC and WHO)
Activity type
Weekly target
Example activities (CDC)
Moderate-intensity aerobic
At least 150 min (CDC and WHO)
Brisk walking
Vigorous-intensity aerobic
At least 75 min (CDC)
Jogging or running
Muscle-strengthening
At least 2 days/week (CDC)
Legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, arms
Step-by-step: how to start as a beginner
The Mayo Clinic's sports medicine program outlines a five-step process for beginning a fitness routine, which can be combined with the CDC's and WHO's activity targets.
If you have an injury or a medical condition, talk to a health care professional or fitness professional before starting, the Mayo Clinic advises.
Record a baseline: Mayo Clinic suggests noting your resting pulse rate, how far or long you can walk or run, how many pushups you can do, your flexibility, waist circumference and body mass index (BMI) so you can track progress later.
Set a weekly target using the CDC's guidance: at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity (or 75 minutes vigorous) plus strength training at least twice a week.
Start small. The Mayo Clinic advises starting slowly and building up activity gradually rather than meeting the full target immediately.
Increase activity gradually. The Mayo Clinic recommends raising activity level by no more than about 10% a week.
Warm up before and cool down after each session with easy walking or gentle stretching, as recommended by the Mayo Clinic.
Reassess your fitness roughly six weeks after starting, then periodically afterward, and adjust your goals or try new activities, according to the Mayo Clinic.
If you feel pain, shortness of breath, dizziness or nausea, take a break.
— Mayo Clinic sports medicine program
Why movement matters
The WHO states that 31% of adults worldwide, roughly 1.8 billion people, do not meet the recommended activity levels, and that people who are insufficiently active face a 20% to 30% higher risk of death compared with those who are sufficiently active. The WHO also estimates physical inactivity costs health systems worldwide about $27 billion a year and projects that adult inactivity could rise to 35% by 2030 if current trends continue.
The CDC frames its guidance around a simple principle: any amount of moderate or vigorous activity has health benefits, even for people who are not yet meeting the full 150-minute weekly target, making partial progress a reasonable starting point rather than an all-or-nothing goal.
Questions
How many minutes of exercise do adults need per week?
The CDC recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week (or 75 minutes vigorous), plus muscle-strengthening activity on at least two days. The WHO's physical activity fact sheet also cites at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week as a target.
Do I need to do all 150 minutes in one session?
No. The CDC says the weekly total can be broken up, for example into 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
How fast should beginners increase how much they exercise?
The Mayo Clinic recommends starting slowly and then increasing activity level by no more than about 10% a week.
Should I see a doctor before starting an exercise program?
The Mayo Clinic advises talking to a health care or fitness professional before starting if you have an injury or a medical condition.
What counts as muscle-strengthening activity?
Per the CDC, it means exercises that work all major muscle groups — legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms — done on at least two days a week.
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