Frequency

How often you exercise each week is a crucial factor in your response to the program. For health benefits you should (ideally) do some sort of activity every day. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) and ACSM guidelines for cardiovascular health suggest activities (not necessarily exercise) on most, preferably all, days of the week (Pate et al. 1995). The recommendations for cardiovascular fitness are similar, with a minimum of 3 to 5 days of aerobic exercise per week (ACSM 1998; 2000). The potential for injuries increases as the frequency and duration of exercise increases (especially over 5 days per week). One way to decrease the chance of overuse injuries is to do another activity, such as cycling, once or twice a week, or to reduce the intensity to a mild level. The health benefits of a regular fitness program far outweigh the risk of injury with a properly designed program.

As I mentioned in the section on duration, you may need to divide your exercise sessions into two separate periods per day. This increase in frequency during the day is only appropriate when your aerobic exercise session is shorter than desired. The total daily time for your sessions should not normally exceed the recommended guideline of 20 to 60 minutes. Although there are no criteria for what are considered maximal time limits, I suggest that 60 minutes be your maximum. Beyond this you may be at risk of overuse due to the effects of arthritis 'better safe than sorry.