It's quite possible that 10 minutes of cardiovascular exercise a day is enough activity to reach the guidelines established by the American College of Sports Medicine. As long as the intensity level is relatively high, you're getting your heart beating enough to improve your fitness. Lower intensity workouts, however, often need to be done for longer periods of time to get the most out of the activity.
Moderate Intensity
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends getting at least 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity five days a week. That's just 150 minutes of your time. Moderately intense cardio is any activity that elevates your heart rate to 50 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate and causes you to break a light sweat -- so walking, biking 5 to 9 mph, dancing, hiking and hitting the stair machine can all fall within this category.
Timing
If you're new to exercise, most medical professionals will tell you to start off slow and build up the intensity, frequency and duration of your workouts as your fitness level improves. Each activity should be done for at least 10 minutes, asserts the National Institutes of Health. And this length of time is a good start, but won't get you to the 150 minutes of moderately intense cardio to meet the activity guidelines for adults.
Vigorous Intensity
When you increase the intensity of your exercise, on the other hand, the length of time needed to reap its benefits often decreases. In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine suggests getting at least 20 minutes of vigorous intensity cardio three days a week. Vigorously intense cardio is any activity that elevates your heart rate to 70 to 85 percent your maximum heart rate and causes you to break a heavier sweat. Some of the same activities used for moderate can also be used for vigorous, simply kick up the intensity.
Timing
With vigorous pursuits, such as jogging, swimming laps, biking more than 10 mph or any activity that entails running, you can do 10 minutes a day and still meet the requirements set forth by the American College of Sports Medicine. To ensure you're getting a vigorous workout, however, periodically check your pulse. Count the beats your heart makes in 10 seconds and multiply this number by six. A program might consist of jogging for 10 minutes Monday, Wednesday and Friday -- and jumping rope for 10 minutes Tuesday and Thursday.
References
- American College of Sports Medicine; Physical Activity and Public Health Guidelines; 2007
- MedlinePlus; Exercise and Weight Loss; October 2009
- American Institute for Cancer Research: Moderate vs. Vigorous Activity
- Harvard Health Publications; Calories Burned in 30 Minutes for People of Three Different Weights; July 2004
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