Exercise intensity

Exercise intensity is the level of effort required to perform physical activity. It can be expressed as an absolute workload or relative to an individual’s capacity.

Metabolic equivalent of task: A unit expressing energy expenditure as a multiple of resting metabolic rate. MET values estimate absolute intensity by comparing an activity’s energy cost with rest.
Physical activity: Any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that increases energy expenditure above rest. Exercise intensity describes the effort level within the broader category of physical activity.
Physical activity guidelines: Public-health recommendations describing amounts and types of activity associated with health benefits. Guidelines commonly distinguish moderate and vigorous activity when setting weekly targets.
Light-intensity physical activity: Physical activity requiring little effort, such as slow walking or light household tasks. It occupies the lower end of intensity classifications.
Oxygen uptake: The amount of oxygen the body consumes, commonly measured per unit of time. Oxygen consumption provides a physiological measure of the workload during aerobic exercise.
Exercise: Planned, structured, repetitive physical activity intended to improve or maintain fitness. Intensity is one dimension used to describe and prescribe exercise.
Interval training: Training that alternates periods of higher effort with recovery or lower-intensity activity. Its structure depends on planned contrasts between intense work and recovery.
Moderate-intensity physical activity: Physical activity that noticeably raises breathing and heart rate while remaining sustainable. It is a common guideline category between light and vigorous effort.
Heart rate: The number of heartbeats per unit of time, commonly measured in beats per minute. Heart rate rises with effort and is used to track relative exercise intensity.
Absolute intensity: The energy cost or workload of activity expressed without adjustment for individual capacity. It distinguishes a task’s measured demand from how strenuous it is for one person.

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