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Training & movement

A

American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Quantity and Quality of Exercise for Developing and Maintaining Cardiorespiratory, Musculoskeletal, and Neuromotor Fitness in Apparently Healthy Adults: Guidance for Prescribing Exercise

Carol Ewing Garber, Bryan Blissmer, Michael R Deschenes, Barry A Franklin, Michael J Lamonte, I-Min Lee, David C Nieman, David P Swain · 2011 · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise

REZA evidence rating A: High confidence

Methodology

Position stand

Population

Apparently healthy adults of all ages; sections addressing older adults and deconditioned/beginner individuals

Intervention

Aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, flexibility exercise and neuromotor (balance, agility, coordination, proprioceptive) exercise prescriptions

Findings

Recommends ≥150 min/week moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, resistance training for each major muscle group 2-3 days/week, flexibility exercise ≥2 days/week, and — notably for older adults — neuromotor exercise 2-3 days/week to improve balance, agility and reduce fall risk. Deconditioned, older or unfit individuals need lower starting doses and gradual progression.

Outcome measures

Cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, neuromotor fitness/functional balance, health outcomes

Limitations

Position stand rather than systematic review; recommendations based on expert interpretation of heterogeneous literature; published 2011 and partly superseded for resistance training by the 2026 ACSM position stand.

Original source

DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e318213fefb · PMID: 21694556

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