Aerobic, Muscle and Bone Strengthening: What Counts?
To get you started, here is a list of possible activities that children and adolescents can do as found on the Center for Disease Control web site. These activities serve as a guide, so encourage your child to do any of them, as long as they are age-appropriate.
Many of these activities fall under two or three different categories, making it possible for your child do each type of activity – vigorous-intensity aerobic, muscle- and bone-strengthening activity – on at least 3 days each week. Also, some activities, such as bicycling or basketball, can be done at either a moderate- or a vigorous-intensity, depending on your child’s level of effort.
| Type of Physical Activity | Children | Adolescents |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate Intensity Aerobic | – Active recreation such as hiking, skateboarding, rollerblading – Bicycle riding – Walking to school | – Active recreation, such as canoeing, hiking, cross-country skiing, skateboarding, rollerblading – Brisk walking – Bicycle riding (stationary or road bike) – House and yard work such as sweeping or pushing a lawn mower – Playing games that require catching and throwing, such as baseball, softball, basketball and volleyball |
| Vigorous Intensity Aerobic | – Active games involving running and chasing, such as tag – Bicycle riding – Jumping rope – Martial arts, such as karate – Running – Sports such as ice or field hockey, basketball, swimming, tennis or gymnastics | – Active games involving running and chasing, such as flag football, soccer – Bicycle riding – Jumping rope – Martial arts such as karate – Running – Sports such as tennis, ice or field hockey, basketball, swimming – Vigorous dancing – Aerobics – Cheerleading or gymnastics |
| Muscle Strengthening | – Games such as tug of war – Modified push-ups (with knees on the floor) – Resistance exercises using body weight or resistance bands – Rope or tree climbing – Sit-ups – Swinging on playground equipment/bars – Gymnastics | – Games such as tug of war – Push-ups – Resistance exercises with exercise bands, weight machines, hand-held weights – Rock climbing – Sit-ups – Cheerleading or Gymnastics |
| Bone Strengthening | – Games such as hop-scotch – Hopping, skipping, jumping – Jumping rope – Running – Sports such as gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, tennis | – Hopping, skipping, jumping – Jumping rope – Running – Sports such as gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, tennis |