Here are some ways to understand and measure the intensity of aerobic activity: relative intensity and absolute intensity.
Relative Intensity
The level of effort required by a person to do an activity. When using relative intensity, people pay attention to how physical activity affects their heart rate and breathing.
The
talk test is a simple way to measure relative intensity. As a rule of thumb, if you're doing moderate-intensity activity you can talk, but not sing, during the activity. If you're doing vigorous-intensity activity, you will not be able to say more than a few words without pausing for a breath.
Absolute Intensity
The amount of energy used by the body per minute of activity. The table below lists examples of activities classified as moderate-intensity or vigorous-intensity based upon the amount of energy used by the body while doing the activity.
Moderate Intensity
- Walking briskly (3 miles per hour or faster, but not race-walking)
- Water aerobics
- Bicycling slower than 10 miles per hour
- Tennis (doubles)
- Ballroom dancing
- General gardening
This woman pictured below was spending some time outdoors on a bright sunny Georgia day working in her yard. At this point in her activity, she was gathering leaves on her lawn by using a plastic flexible-pronged leaf rake. She had applied sunscreen to the sun-exposed skin of her face, and chose to wear a long-sleeved shirt and denim pants, all of which would help to protect her from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. She was also wearing a pair of glasses, and a head scarf to protect her eyes and scalp respectively. Hopefully, she'd packed, or had easy-access to some water in order to avoid the possibility of dehydration. Picture and content courtesy of the CDC/ Amanda Mills.
Woman Working Outside in Yard
Courtesy CDC/ Amanda Mills
Vigorous Intensity
- Race walking, jogging, or running
- Swimming laps
- Tennis (singles)
- Aerobic dancing
- Bicycling 10 miles per hour or faster
- Jumping rope
- Heavy gardening (continuous digging or hoeing)
- Hiking uphill or with a heavy backpack
The young man pictured below was taking a jog through a Georgia recreational park on a sunny day. He was wearing a red, skin-tight shirt, and bright white shorts, both of which reflected the sun’s harmful rays, and kept him cool as he completed his run. His running shoes were especially designed for this kind of activity, affording the needed support, and comfort to his feet. He’d applied sunscreen to his sun-exposed skin, protecting him during his long-term ultraviolet light exposure. Though he carried no water, he had brought bottled water, which he’d ingest when he reached his vehicle.
Courtesy CDC/ Amanda Mills
Other Methods of Measuring Intensity
