Moderate Vs Strenuous Exercising

dbanks80
dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
What do you define moderate versus strenuous exercise. I exercise 6 days a week (6 hours), 3 of those days are BootCamp sessions with other 3 days running, elyptical or stairmaster. I have a desk job. Would that be considered moderate exercising?

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Replies

  • jvs125
    jvs125 Posts: 223 Member
    You workout 6 hours per day, 6 days a week?
  • NoelFigart1
    NoelFigart1 Posts: 1,276 Member
    I swim about three hours a week for 6,100 yards. That's moderate.
  • michaelachallis
    michaelachallis Posts: 137 Member
    I believe OP means 6 hours total a week.
    Sounds like moderate exercise to me *shrug*
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    I find this pretty helpful...

    Perceived-Exertion-Chart.jpg
  • mmm_drop
    mmm_drop Posts: 1,126 Member
    It would depend on your intensity during the workouts. When I go hiking or walking I generally consider those light to moderate workouts, depending on my speed. However, when I do HIIT or run, etc, I consider that to be strenuous.
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
    jvs125 wrote: »
    You workout 6 hours per day, 6 days a week?

    6 hours per week.

  • FitFitzy331
    FitFitzy331 Posts: 308 Member
    Pretty sure they mean 6 hours a week, about an hour a day, I think that counts as strenuous in most TDEE calculator sites
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Pretty sure they mean 6 hours a week, about an hour a day, I think that counts as strenuous in most TDEE calculator sites

    even if said exercise is walking?
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    Most people wouldn't recover from strenuous exercise by 24 hours to be able to work out again. 3 days of strenuous exercise would leave a least a day of FULL (no exercise) recovery in between. So if you're able to work out every with no reduction in current intensity, then more than likely, both sessions are moderate for you.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    I've done BC with my wife to see what it's all about. Based on the gym I went to I would say it's definitely strenuous for an untrained individual. At some point as your fitness level improves I've seen individuals that damn near walk through the class and it's probably moderate at that point. You do a lot and BC can be very strenuous and it's very aerobic intense as it is; I would consider either cutting some of your other cardio OR 1 or 2 BC classes a week. Recovery is a large part of improving your fitness and as long as your nutrition is good it won't impact your weight loss (assuming that's your goal, if not disregard).
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
    My workouts are very arduous where I am burning 600-700 calories each time I work out. So I am thinking strenuous.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    dbanks80 wrote: »
    My workouts are very arduous where I am burning 600-700 calories each time I work out. So I am thinking strenuous.

    Yeah I'm sure it is; BC is not easy by any means.
  • Wronkletoad
    Wronkletoad Posts: 368 Member
    suggestion: downgrade from "strenuous" to the next lighter. this way, you won't overstate exercise in the logging.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Most people wouldn't recover from strenuous exercise by 24 hours to be able to work out again. 3 days of strenuous exercise would leave a least a day of FULL (no exercise) recovery in between. So if you're able to work out every with no reduction in current intensity, then more than likely, both sessions are moderate for you.

    Do you think most people can sustain "strenuous" for an hour?
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    I would think after an hour continuous, the definition of strenuous for that person moves back.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    dbmata wrote: »
    I would think after an hour continuous, the definition of strenuous for that person moves back.

    hmmm... interesting point.
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    I've done BC with my wife to see what it's all about. Based on the gym I went to I would say it's definitely strenuous for an untrained individual. At some point as your fitness level improves I've seen individuals that damn near walk through the class and it's probably moderate at that point. You do a lot and BC can be very strenuous and it's very aerobic intense as it is; I would consider either cutting some of your other cardio OR 1 or 2 BC classes a week. Recovery is a large part of improving your fitness and as long as your nutrition is good it won't impact your weight loss (assuming that's your goal, if not disregard).

    My fitness level drastically improved from Boot Camp because my calorie burns are lower the more fit i get 400 cals per session. So I do 1 mile run to get the 600 calorie burns. So that I can eat more. LOL! But for my initial question is to make sure my TDEE is correct which with moderate exericse i selected has me at 2189 cals.

  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    dbanks80 wrote: »
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    I've done BC with my wife to see what it's all about. Based on the gym I went to I would say it's definitely strenuous for an untrained individual. At some point as your fitness level improves I've seen individuals that damn near walk through the class and it's probably moderate at that point. You do a lot and BC can be very strenuous and it's very aerobic intense as it is; I would consider either cutting some of your other cardio OR 1 or 2 BC classes a week. Recovery is a large part of improving your fitness and as long as your nutrition is good it won't impact your weight loss (assuming that's your goal, if not disregard).

    My fitness level drastically improved from Boot Camp because my calorie burns are lower the more fit i get 400 cals per session. So I do 1 mile run to get the 600 calorie burns. So that I can eat more. LOL! But for my initial question is to make sure my TDEE is correct which with moderate exericse i selected has me at 2189 cals.

    If that's the reason you asked, then I agree with the previous poster who suggested choosing a lower option to be safe. Estimate conservatively and most people run into fewer problems. So if it's a question of moderate vs intense, choose moderate to be safe. Use it for a few months and see how your expected results compare to your actual results, and go from there.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    I've done BC with my wife to see what it's all about. Based on the gym I went to I would say it's definitely strenuous for an untrained individual. At some point as your fitness level improves I've seen individuals that damn near walk through the class and it's probably moderate at that point. You do a lot and BC can be very strenuous and it's very aerobic intense as it is; I would consider either cutting some of your other cardio OR 1 or 2 BC classes a week. Recovery is a large part of improving your fitness and as long as your nutrition is good it won't impact your weight loss (assuming that's your goal, if not disregard).

    This is a common misconception...perception of an exercise or activity as "strenuous" just because you are out of shape or untrained doesn't actually make that activity strenuous...it just alters the individual's perception and means that you are untrained or out of shape.

    If I took someone of the same stats as me out on a 30 mile ride at a moderate pace of 15 MPH, it is likely that person would perceive that activity as strenuous...whereas for me, it's just something I do for *kitten* and giggles...but in either case, we're going to burn roughly the same calories...the actual activity itself isn't more strenuous for the untrained individual...they're just untrained.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    edited October 2014
    jacksonpt wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Most people wouldn't recover from strenuous exercise by 24 hours to be able to work out again. 3 days of strenuous exercise would leave a least a day of FULL (no exercise) recovery in between. So if you're able to work out every with no reduction in current intensity, then more than likely, both sessions are moderate for you.

    Do you think most people can sustain "strenuous" for an hour?
    For the average person...................no. Athletes possibly. Elite athletes, yes which is why they are elite athletes.

    I could see an average person possibly lasting 30 minutes if it's truly strenuous exercise. Lots of people train somewhat hard, but if they aren't practically being dragged off the floor and the end and gasping for air, the exercise was more than likely moderate (7-8 on Perception Chart).

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
    Great thanks everyone! Moderate it is!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    dbmata wrote: »
    I would think after an hour continuous, the definition of strenuous for that person moves back.
    Well the physicality of it would diminish, but based on the condition of the person at the time (lower glycogen, higher lactic acid), it would still be strenuous.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    edited October 2014
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    I've done BC with my wife to see what it's all about. Based on the gym I went to I would say it's definitely strenuous for an untrained individual. At some point as your fitness level improves I've seen individuals that damn near walk through the class and it's probably moderate at that point. You do a lot and BC can be very strenuous and it's very aerobic intense as it is; I would consider either cutting some of your other cardio OR 1 or 2 BC classes a week. Recovery is a large part of improving your fitness and as long as your nutrition is good it won't impact your weight loss (assuming that's your goal, if not disregard).

    This is a common misconception...perception of an exercise or activity as "strenuous" just because you are out of shape or untrained doesn't actually make that activity strenuous...it just alters the individual's perception and means that you are untrained or out of shape.

    If I took someone of the same stats as me out on a 30 mile ride at a moderate pace of 15 MPH, it is likely that person would perceive that activity as strenuous...whereas for me, it's just something I do for *kitten* and giggles...but in either case, we're going to burn roughly the same calories...the actual activity itself isn't more strenuous for the untrained individual...they're just untrained.

    Since we're talking BC let's keep it in-context here. BC classes are typically 30-min classes. Let's say I take two individuals and one can fairly easily complete that WOD in 30-min's while the 2nd person is not able to complete the WOD in 30-min's and is dragging *kitten* at the end, wouldn't that exercise have been more strenuous for the 2nd person?
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    I would think after an hour continuous, the definition of strenuous for that person moves back.
    Well the physicality of it would diminish, but based on the condition of the person at the time (lower glycogen, higher lactic acid), it would still be strenuous.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
    Yes. Not that it's responsible to use myself as an example, as I'm not an elite anything...

    I can think to several climbs I've made where it started strenuous and a few hours later as we were nearing halfway, it felt even more so. In your average conditions would you consider 1-2 miles an hour +2k' feet of gain to be strenuous? No. Would you consider it strenuous with a 35-40# pack, rotten snow and done over several hours?

    As the body depletes glycogen stores, could something that was "hard" be promoted upward to strenuous?
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    dbmata wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    I would think after an hour continuous, the definition of strenuous for that person moves back.
    Well the physicality of it would diminish, but based on the condition of the person at the time (lower glycogen, higher lactic acid), it would still be strenuous.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
    Yes. Not that it's responsible to use myself as an example, as I'm not an elite anything...

    I can think to several climbs I've made where it started strenuous and a few hours later as we were nearing halfway, it felt even more so. In your average conditions would you consider 1-2 miles an hour +2k' feet of gain to be strenuous? No. Would you consider it strenuous with a 35-40# pack, rotten snow and done over several hours?

    As the body depletes glycogen stores, could something that was "hard" be promoted upward to strenuous?
    Yes because if the body is having difficulty with an at the moment physical challenge, it's basically straining to incorporate everything available to complete it.
    Running a mile might not be strenuous for a runner. Running that last mile with nothing left in the tank would.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    I've done BC with my wife to see what it's all about. Based on the gym I went to I would say it's definitely strenuous for an untrained individual. At some point as your fitness level improves I've seen individuals that damn near walk through the class and it's probably moderate at that point. You do a lot and BC can be very strenuous and it's very aerobic intense as it is; I would consider either cutting some of your other cardio OR 1 or 2 BC classes a week. Recovery is a large part of improving your fitness and as long as your nutrition is good it won't impact your weight loss (assuming that's your goal, if not disregard).

    This is a common misconception...perception of an exercise or activity as "strenuous" just because you are out of shape or untrained doesn't actually make that activity strenuous...it just alters the individual's perception and means that you are untrained or out of shape.

    If I took someone of the same stats as me out on a 30 mile ride at a moderate pace of 15 MPH, it is likely that person would perceive that activity as strenuous...whereas for me, it's just something I do for *kitten* and giggles...but in either case, we're going to burn roughly the same calories...the actual activity itself isn't more strenuous for the untrained individual...they're just untrained.

    Since we're talking BC let's keep it in-context here. BC classes are typically 30-min classes. Let's say I take two individuals and one can fairly easily complete that WOD in 30-min's while the 2nd person is not able to complete the WOD in 30-min's and is dragging *kitten* at the end, wouldn't that exercise have been more strenuous for the 2nd person?

    No...they're just untrained and/or out of shape. The two individuals, provided they are of the same or similar stats, are going to have roughly the same kind of calorie burn for the exact same workout. The perception would be that it was more strenuous for the untrained individual...but that doesn't change the true nature of the exercise...the calorie burn is going to be pretty much the same.

    The purpose of picking these descriptors with a TDEE calculator is to provide as accurate of an estimate as possible of the calorie requirements for a given activity level...these calculators assume trained individuals, not untrained individuals...because truth is that an untrained individual is never going to be working to a level that is truly "strenuous". People do this all of the time and vastly overestimate their TDEE...their perception is not reality. You don't burn more calories and an activity isn't inherently more strenuous just because one is out of shape or untrained....being out of shape or untrained does not change the inherent nature of the activity.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    I've done BC with my wife to see what it's all about. Based on the gym I went to I would say it's definitely strenuous for an untrained individual. At some point as your fitness level improves I've seen individuals that damn near walk through the class and it's probably moderate at that point. You do a lot and BC can be very strenuous and it's very aerobic intense as it is; I would consider either cutting some of your other cardio OR 1 or 2 BC classes a week. Recovery is a large part of improving your fitness and as long as your nutrition is good it won't impact your weight loss (assuming that's your goal, if not disregard).

    This is a common misconception...perception of an exercise or activity as "strenuous" just because you are out of shape or untrained doesn't actually make that activity strenuous...it just alters the individual's perception and means that you are untrained or out of shape.

    If I took someone of the same stats as me out on a 30 mile ride at a moderate pace of 15 MPH, it is likely that person would perceive that activity as strenuous...whereas for me, it's just something I do for *kitten* and giggles...but in either case, we're going to burn roughly the same calories...the actual activity itself isn't more strenuous for the untrained individual...they're just untrained.

    Since we're talking BC let's keep it in-context here. BC classes are typically 30-min classes. Let's say I take two individuals and one can fairly easily complete that WOD in 30-min's while the 2nd person is not able to complete the WOD in 30-min's and is dragging *kitten* at the end, wouldn't that exercise have been more strenuous for the 2nd person?

    No...they're just untrained and/or out of shape. The two individuals, provided they are of the same or similar stats, are going to have roughly the same kind of calorie burn for the exact same workout. The perception would be that it was more strenuous for the untrained individual...but that doesn't change the true nature of the exercise...the calorie burn is going to be pretty much the same.

    The purpose of picking these descriptors with a TDEE calculator is to provide as accurate of an estimate as possible of the calorie requirements for a given activity level...these calculators assume trained individuals, not untrained individuals...because truth is that an untrained individual is never going to be working to a level that is truly "strenuous". People do this all of the time and vastly overestimate their TDEE...their perception is not reality. You don't burn more calories and an activity isn't inherently more strenuous just because one is out of shape or untrained....being out of shape or untrained does not change the inherent nature of the activity.

    Dan John says otherwise, but I'm not sure how significant he believes the difference is.

    FWIW.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    edited October 2014
    jacksonpt wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    I've done BC with my wife to see what it's all about. Based on the gym I went to I would say it's definitely strenuous for an untrained individual. At some point as your fitness level improves I've seen individuals that damn near walk through the class and it's probably moderate at that point. You do a lot and BC can be very strenuous and it's very aerobic intense as it is; I would consider either cutting some of your other cardio OR 1 or 2 BC classes a week. Recovery is a large part of improving your fitness and as long as your nutrition is good it won't impact your weight loss (assuming that's your goal, if not disregard).

    This is a common misconception...perception of an exercise or activity as "strenuous" just because you are out of shape or untrained doesn't actually make that activity strenuous...it just alters the individual's perception and means that you are untrained or out of shape.

    If I took someone of the same stats as me out on a 30 mile ride at a moderate pace of 15 MPH, it is likely that person would perceive that activity as strenuous...whereas for me, it's just something I do for *kitten* and giggles...but in either case, we're going to burn roughly the same calories...the actual activity itself isn't more strenuous for the untrained individual...they're just untrained.

    Since we're talking BC let's keep it in-context here. BC classes are typically 30-min classes. Let's say I take two individuals and one can fairly easily complete that WOD in 30-min's while the 2nd person is not able to complete the WOD in 30-min's and is dragging *kitten* at the end, wouldn't that exercise have been more strenuous for the 2nd person?

    No...they're just untrained and/or out of shape. The two individuals, provided they are of the same or similar stats, are going to have roughly the same kind of calorie burn for the exact same workout. The perception would be that it was more strenuous for the untrained individual...but that doesn't change the true nature of the exercise...the calorie burn is going to be pretty much the same.

    The purpose of picking these descriptors with a TDEE calculator is to provide as accurate of an estimate as possible of the calorie requirements for a given activity level...these calculators assume trained individuals, not untrained individuals...because truth is that an untrained individual is never going to be working to a level that is truly "strenuous". People do this all of the time and vastly overestimate their TDEE...their perception is not reality. You don't burn more calories and an activity isn't inherently more strenuous just because one is out of shape or untrained....being out of shape or untrained does not change the inherent nature of the activity.

    Dan John says otherwise, but I'm not sure how significant he believes the difference is.

    FWIW.

    Dan John is pretty good at what he does.

    I think measuring one's VO2 max or at least their pulse post exercise would be most accurate to test the level of stress that was place on one's body than calorie burn. Exercise aside, how do doctors conduct a stress-test on a patient? They don't measure their calorie burn. I have yet to see an exercise assessment that looks at one's calorie burn as a means of measurement and I've been required to review many of them.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    I think measuring one's VO2 max or at least their pulse post exercise would be most accurate to test the level of stress that was place on one's body than calorie burn. Exercise aside, how do doctors conduct a stress-test on a patient? They don't measure their calorie burn. I have yet to see an exercise assessment that looks at one's calorie burn as a means of measurement and I've been required to review many of them.

    Would the individual with the higher peak and mean heart rate have a higher burn, even if the range was wider than the individual with lower peak and mean hr, provided both performed at the same perceived level?
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    edited October 2014
    dbmata wrote: »
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    I think measuring one's VO2 max or at least their pulse post exercise would be most accurate to test the level of stress that was place on one's body than calorie burn. Exercise aside, how do doctors conduct a stress-test on a patient? They don't measure their calorie burn. I have yet to see an exercise assessment that looks at one's calorie burn as a means of measurement and I've been required to review many of them.

    Would the individual with the higher peak and mean heart rate have a higher burn, even if the range was wider than the individual with lower peak and mean hr, provided both performed at the same perceived level?

    I have no idea. I'm roughly 3/4's of the way through my MS program and will have my PES at the end of this semester and I have yet to study any evaluation method that looks at caloric expenditure. Heart-rate, VO2 max, yes, calorie's no. Is there a correlation between the two... maybe, I just haven't been exposed to that. I don't know how you can measure caloric expenditure accurately outside of a controlled lab environment for all types of exercise.