The Importance of Intensity in Physical Activity

Summary

Dr. Mike Evans emphasizes the significance of intensity in physical activity for health benefits, highlighting Canada's guidelines of 150 minutes of weekly MVPA (moderate to vigorous physical activity). He suggests starting with manageable activity levels and gradually increasing them. Intensity, measured in METs, varies by individual fitness levels. Activities that raise heart rate and breathing are beneficial. High-intensity exercises, like interval training, can yield better results in less time. To meet health targets, engage in activities that elevate your heart rate and breathing, such as brisk walking or dancing.

Takeaways

• 🏃‍♂️ To meet Canada's physical activity guidelines, engage in at least 150 minutes per week of MVPA (Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity).
• 💓 Intensity in physical activity is crucial as it helps improve heart health, reduce the risk of diseases like heart disease and cancer, and enhance overall quality of life.
• 🏋️‍♀️ The best exercise is the one you'll do consistently, but higher intensity exercises are more beneficial for health.
• 🔍 Intensity can be subjective and varies from person to person based on their fitness level and previous exercise experience.
• 📈 Measuring intensity is done using METs (Metabolic Equivalents), with higher METs indicating more vigorous activities.
• 🚶‍♂️ Moderate intensity activities, like brisk walking, can range from 3 to 6 METs and noticeably accelerate your heart rate.
• 🏃‍♀️ Vigorous activities, which are over 6 METs, require significant effort and rapid breathing, such as sports or heavy physical work.
• ⏱️ Incorporating interval training, which involves short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by rest, can improve fitness and health outcomes.
• 🤔 To gauge intensity, consider if the activity changes your breathing pattern or makes you sweat, and whether you can hold a conversation or sing during the activity.
• 🌟 Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week to meet health targets and improve overall well-being.

Q & A

What does MVPA stand for in the context of physical activity guidelines?

MVPA stands for Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity, which is an important component of Canada's physical activity guidelines.

How much MVPA is recommended weekly according to Canada's physical activity guidelines?

At least 150 minutes per week of MVPA is recommended.

Why is it important to engage in MVPA for health benefits?

MVPA is important for health benefits as it can reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, improve mental health, and enhance the overall quality of life.

What does Dr. Mike Evans suggest as the best exercise?

Dr. Mike Evans suggests that the best exercise is the one that you will actually do, but if possible, choose an exercise that requires more effort or is higher in intensity.

How does higher intensity activity compare to lower intensity in terms of health benefits?

Higher intensity activities are more effective than lower intensity activities at improving health, especially in reducing the risk for heart disease.

What is the definition of intensity in the context of physical activity?

Intensity can be thought of as how hard a person works to do a specific activity, and it varies between individuals based on their exercise experience and fitness level.

How is physical activity intensity measured?

Physical activity intensity is measured using a metabolic equivalent (MET), which quantifies the energy cost of physical activities.

What are some examples of activities and their corresponding MET values?

Running might be an 8 MET, jogging a 5 MET, and resting or watching TV would be less than 1.5 MET.

What is considered moderate intensity physical activity and its MET range?

Moderate intensity physical activity, which measures 3 to 6 METs, requires effort and noticeably accelerates the heart rate.

What is considered vigorous intensity physical activity and its MET range?

Vigorous intensity physical activity measures more than 6 METs, requires a large amount of effort, and causes rapid breathing and a substantial increase in heart rate.

What is interval training and how does it benefit physical performance?

Interval training involves periods of high-intensity exercise followed by recovery periods and has been shown to improve performance in a shorter amount of time.

How can one determine if they are engaging in low, moderate, or vigorous intensity activity?

An activity is low intensity if it doesn't change breathing patterns or cause sweating. It's moderate if one can hold a conversation but feels out of breath, and vigorous if one can't talk or sing.

Outlines

00:00

💪 Importance of Intensity in Physical Activity

Dr. Mike Evans emphasizes the significance of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for health benefits. According to Canada's guidelines, at least 150 minutes of MVPA weekly is recommended. Intensity is crucial as higher intensity exercises yield better health outcomes, particularly in reducing heart disease risk. Intensity is subjective and varies based on individual fitness levels. Starting with small amounts of activity and gradually increasing is advised. Measuring intensity uses metabolic equivalents (METs), with higher METs indicating more vigorous activities. Dr. Evans suggests incorporating interval training and aiming for at least 150 minutes of MVPA weekly for optimal health.

Keywords

💡Intensity

Intensity in the context of physical activity refers to the level of effort exerted during exercise. It is a measure of how hard one works during a specific activity, which can vary greatly depending on an individual's fitness level and previous exercise experience. In the video, Dr. Mike Evans emphasizes the importance of higher intensity activities for improving health outcomes, such as reducing the risk of heart disease. The script mentions that higher intensity exercises are more effective than lower intensity ones, suggesting that the intensity of an activity should be challenging enough to increase heart rate and breathing.

💡MVPA

MVPA stands for Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity, which is a guideline for the type of exercise that should be undertaken for health benefits. According to the script, to meet Canada's physical activity guidelines, one needs to engage in at least 150 minutes per week of MVPA. This term is central to the video's message as it sets the standard for the quantity and quality of exercise needed to improve health and well-being.

💡Metabolic Equivalent (MET)

A Metabolic Equivalent (MET) is a unit used to measure the intensity of physical activities. It represents the energy cost of a specific activity and is used to compare different exercises in terms of the energy they burn. In the video, Dr. Evans uses METs to illustrate the varying intensities of activities, with higher MET values indicating more intense exercises. For example, running is described as an 8 MET activity, while resting or watching TV is less than 1.5 METs.

💡Moderate Intensity

Moderate intensity physical activity is a level of exercise that requires effort and noticeably accelerates the heart rate. In the video, it is described as an activity that measures 3 to 6 METs. Examples given include brisk walking and yard work, which can provide health benefits when done regularly. This concept is important as it outlines a type of activity that is accessible to many people and contributes to meeting the MVPA guidelines.

💡Vigorous Intensity

Vigorous intensity physical activity is more demanding than moderate intensity and measures more than 6 METs. It requires a large amount of effort and causes rapid breathing and a substantial increase in heart rate. The video uses examples like sports or shoveling heavy snow to illustrate vigorous activities. This type of exercise is important for pushing the body's limits and achieving significant health benefits in a shorter amount of time.

💡Interval Training

Interval training is a specific type of exercise regimen where periods of high-intensity activity are alternated with low-intensity recovery periods. The video mentions that this method, such as cycling very hard for 30 to 60 seconds and then relaxing, has been shown to improve performance and health in a shorter time. Interval training is highlighted as an effective way to incorporate vigorous intensity into one's routine.

💡Health Benefits

Health benefits are the positive outcomes that result from engaging in physical activity, such as reduced risk of heart disease, improved mental health, and enhanced quality of life. The video underscores that exercise, particularly of higher intensity, can lead to these benefits, making it a worthwhile investment for individuals to prioritize in their daily lives.

💡Physical Activity Guidelines

Physical activity guidelines are recommendations for the amount and type of exercise needed to maintain or improve health. The video references Canada's guidelines, which suggest at least 150 minutes of MVPA per week. These guidelines are crucial as they provide a benchmark for individuals to aim for in order to achieve optimal health outcomes.

💡Exercise

Exercise, as discussed in the video, refers to any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health. It is the primary means through which individuals can achieve the MVPA recommended by health guidelines. The script emphasizes that the best exercise is the one that an individual will consistently do, suggesting that personalization and adherence are key to success.

💡Quality of Life

Quality of life refers to an individual's general well-being and satisfaction with life, which can be influenced by various factors including physical health. The video suggests that engaging in physical activity, especially of higher intensity, can improve one's quality of life by reducing the risk of diseases and enhancing mental health, thus contributing to a more fulfilling life.

💡Brisk Walk

A brisk walk is a form of moderate intensity physical activity that is accessible to most individuals. The video uses it as an example of an activity that can help meet the MVPA guidelines. A brisk walk is beneficial as it requires a moderate level of effort, increases heart rate, and can be easily incorporated into daily routines, contributing to overall health improvements.

Highlights

The importance of intensity in physical activity is discussed.

Canada's physical activity guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes weekly of MVPA.

MVPA stands for moderate to vigorous physical activity.

Exercise improves many aspects of health and quality of life.

The best exercise is the one you'll do, but higher intensity is healthier.

Higher intensity activities are more effective at improving health.

Intensity can be thought of as how hard a person works during an activity.

Intensity varies between people based on fitness levels and exercise experience.

Any amount of physical activity provides health benefits.

Start with smaller amounts of activity and gradually increase.

Intensity is measured using metabolic equivalents (METs).

Moderate intensity physical activity measures 3 to 6 METs.

Vigorous intensity physical activity measures more than 6 METs.

Interval training improves performance in a shorter amount of time.

Incorporating short periods of increased intensity can improve fitness and health.

An activity that doesn't change breathing patterns or cause sweating is low intensity.

Moderate intensity is when you can hold a conversation but feel out of breath.

Vigorous intensity is when you can't talk or sing out loud.

Meeting the 150 minutes per week of MVPA target is beneficial for health.

Encouragement to engage in physical activities like brisk walking, dancing, or gardening.

Transcripts

hi I'm Dr Mike Evans and today we're

talking about the importance of

intensity in physical activity the stuff

that gets your heart pumping to meet

Canada's physical activity guidelines

you need to do at least 150 minutes

weekly of something called

mvpa so mvpa stands for moderate to

vigorous physical activity so why is

this important well I guess in our lives

we want to invest in simple actions that

improve many things exercise does this

from reducing heart disease or cancer to

improving mental health to Simply

improving the quality of Our Lives I

often get asked what is the best

exercise and my number one answer is

definitely the one you'll do but my

second answer is when possible do an

exercise that requires more effort or

that is higher intensity the higher the

intensity the healthier the results why

well research has shown that higher

intensity activities are more effective

than lower intensity activities at

improving our health especially when it

comes to the important stuff like

reducing your risk for heart

disease but what is intensity well I

think intensity can be thought of as how

hard a person Works to do a specific

activity it's important to remember that

no two people are the same so the

intensity of different forms of physical

activity varies between people and

depends on someone's previous exercise

experience and their level of Fitness if

you're an active any amount of physical

activity can provide some health

benefits so it's best to start with

smaller amounts of activity and

gradually increase duration frequency

and intensity so how how do we measure

intensity well we use something called a

met so that's a metabolic equivalent so

at the high end running might be an

eight jogging a five and at the bottom

would be resting or or watching TV which

would be anything less than

1.5 moderate intensity physical activity

which measures 3 to six Mets requires

effort and noticeably accelerates your

heart rate so for example walking

depending on your speed the Met could

range from 2.3 to 3.6 yard work could be

to six housew workk could be 3 to 3.5

and so on vigorous intensity physical

activity which measures more than 6 Mets

requires a large amount of effort and

causes rapid breathing and a substantial

increase in your heart rate think of

sports or or shoveling heavy snow it's

difficult to sustain vigorous activity

for a long time one way to think about

this is to reflect on the research on

athletes so for example cycling really

really hard for 30 to 60 seconds and

then relaxing for the same amount of

time and then repeating what we call

interval training has been shown to

improve performance in a shorter amount

of time the same can be true for the

average person incorporating short

periods of increased intensity into your

routine can improve your Fitness and

decrease your risk of a long list of

Health

complications still a little unclear

let's make it even simpler if an

activity doesn't cause changes in your

breathing patterns or make you sweat

then you're probably getting a low

intensity workout if you can hold a

conversation but still feel out of

breath you're probably in the moderate

range

if you can't talk to your neighbor or or

sing out loud you're probably in the

vigorous range if you can do moderate to

vigorous activity at least 150 minutes

per week you're meeting the target so go

for a brisk walk grab a dance partner a

garden ho or even a vacuum cleaner and

get ready get set and up and go that's

all for now thanks for listening