Aerobic Exercises
The aerobic component can include any modality that you are capable of doing, including walking, swimming, biking, elliptical, stair-master, etc. By the end of the prehabilitation period the goal will be 30 minutes of aerobic activity 3 times per week at moderate intensity.
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Moderate activity feels somewhat hard. Here are clues that your exercise intensity is at a moderate level:
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Your breathing quickens, but you're not out of breath.
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You develop a light sweat after about 10 minutes of activity.
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You can carry on a conversation, but you can't sing.
Goals
3 times per week
30 minutes total per day
RPE 3-5
It’s not necessary to limit yourself to 30 minutes and 3 times a week, if you wish to exercise longer and more frequently
Rated Perceived Exertion (RPE)
We will be using the Rated Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale to measure the intensity of your exercise. The RPE scale runs from 0 – 10. The numbers below relate to phrases used to rate how easy or difficult you find an activity. For example, 0 (nothing at all) would be how you feel when sitting in a chair; 10 (very, very heavy) is how you feel at the end of an exercise stress test or after a very difficult activity.
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In most cases, you should exercise at a level that feels 3 (moderate) to 5 (heavy). When using this rating scale, remember to include feelings of shortness of breath, as well as how tired you feel in your legs and overall. The aerobic exercise does not have to take place in continuous bouts but has been shown to be of benefit in smaller sessions of at least 10 minutes each.
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If you find the activity to be easier (1-2 on the RPE Scale), then you should first increase duration (i.e. 10-15 minutes) followed by a gradual increase in walking pace or exercise intensity (i.e. RPE from 3 to 4 or 5).
It is recommended not to surpass 7 to 8 on the RPE Scale.
Example: walk at a normal pace for 5 minutes and then walk at a quicker pace for 2 minutes and repeat for the duration of time.
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Please use the Exercise Log to keep track of your aerobic exercise sessions!
