What types of exercise and how much? ·
Always speak to your doctor before engaging in an exercise programme. Different people with HIV will need different exercise regimes depending on whether, for instance, you need to gain or lose weight, your age, and physical parameters such as your blood pressure and pulse rate.
There are three main types of physical activity:
- Aerobic/cardiovascular exercise helps to improve your cardiovascular system/fitness. Examples of such activities include walking, jogging, swimming, rowing and cycling.
- Strength/resistance training helps to maintain/build muscle mass and stabilise joints. Strength/resistance exercises involve lifting, pulling or pushing against something.
- Flexibility exercises are designed to help increase your range of movement, decrease joint soreness, improve balance and decrease risk of injury.
An exercise programme should try to incorporate all three types of physical activity. However, it’s important to find activities that you enjoy. If you don’t like running, don’t do it – try to find something else that you do enjoy.
How much should I be doing?
A minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a day.
The 30 minutes of activity can be accumulated throughout the day, for example 3 X 10-minute bouts of activity. Moderate-intensity activity is defined as any activity that results in you getting hot and sweaty and your breathing increasing while still being able to hold a conversation.
Although there are benefits to a structured exercise programme, you could also try taking the stairs rather than the lift/escalators, walking or cycling to work or the shops, getting off the bus/train a stop earlier, housework, gardening or dancing.
In terms of more structured activity, the guidelines are as follows:
Aerobic/cardiovascular
- Ideally 3-5 times a week, with moderate intensity. Work 10-20 minutes initially, building gradually to 20-60 minutes as training progresses.
Resistance/strength
- Ideally, 3 times a week with a rest day between sessions. Pick 8-10 different exercises (depending on the parts of the body you want to work). Ideally, select a weight that you can manage 8-12 lifts with. For each exercise, perform 8-12 lifts 1 to 3 times. Spend approximately 45 minutes.
Flexibility
- Ideally, 3 sessions a week. Ask your instructor for stretching exercises.
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