120 Minutes of Exercise a Week Improves Health

Just 120 minutes of exercise per week can significantly improve cardiovascular health, according to research. Excessive exercise is not necessary to experience benefits.

Exercise reduces blood pressure and cholesterol, lowering the risk of heart attack and stroke. Studies show that two hours of exercise per week reduces the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 20%, especially for people starting from a sedentary lifestyle.

The J-curve shows that the benefits are greater when someone starts from inactivity. Increasing exercise beyond a certain point does not offer significant additional improvement.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an efficient way to maximize benefits in a short amount of time, with typical workouts lasting 20 minutes. Even weekend HIIT workouts are beneficial.

Gradual increases in exercise can lead to even better results, such as increased heart muscle tissue and improved cardiorespiratory fitness. Source: Vita