Skip directly to search Skip directly to A to Z list Skip directly to navigation Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options
CDC Home

Aerobic, Muscle- and Bone-Strengthening: What Counts?

To get you started, here is a list of possible activities that children and adolescents can do to meet the Guidelines. These activities serve as a guide, so encourage your child to do any of them, as long as they are age-appropriate.

Many of these activities fall under two or three different categories, making it possible for your child do each type of activity – vigorous-intensity aerobic, muscle- and bone-strengthening activity – on at least 3 days each week. Also, some activities, such as bicycling or basketball, can be done at either a moderate- or a vigorous-intensity, depending on your child's level of effort.

Age Group
Type of Physical Activity Children Adolescents
Moderate–intensity aerobic
  • Active recreation such as hiking, skateboarding, rollerblading
  • Bicycle riding
  • Walking to school
  • Active recreation, such as canoeing, hiking, cross-country skiing, skateboarding, rollerblading
  • Brisk walking
  • Bicycle riding (stationary or road bike)
  • House and yard work such as sweeping or pushing a lawn mower
  • Playing games that require catching and throwing, such as baseball, softball, basketball and volleyball

Vigorous –intensity aerobic

  • Active games involving running and chasing, such as tag
  • Bicycle riding
  • Jumping rope
  • Martial arts, such as karate
  • Running
  • Sports such as ice or field hockey, basketball, swimming, tennis or gymnastics
  • Active games involving running and chasing, such as flag football, soccer
  • Bicycle riding
  • Jumping rope
  • Martial arts such as karate
  • Running
  • Sports such as tennis, ice or field hockey, basketball, swimming
  • Vigorous dancing
  • Aerobics
  • Cheerleading or gymnastics

Muscle-strengthening

  • Games such as tug of war
  • Modified push-ups (with knees on the floor)
  • Resistance exercises using body weight or resistance bands
  • Rope or tree climbing
  • Sit-ups
  • Swinging on playground equipment/bars
  • Gymnastics
  • Games such as tug of war
  • Push-ups
  • Resistance exercises with exercise bands, weight machines, hand-held weights
  • Rock climbing
  • Sit-ups
  • Cheerleading or Gymnastics

Bone-strengthening

  • Games such as hop-scotch
  • Hopping, skipping, jumping
  • Jumping rope
  • Running
  • Sports such as gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, tennis
  • Hopping, skipping, jumping
  • Jumping rope
  • Running
  • Sports such as gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, tennis

Top of Page


 
Contact Us:
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
    1600 Clifton Rd
    Atlanta, GA 30333
  • 800-CDC-INFO
    (800-232-4636)
    TTY: (888) 232-6348
    24 Hours/Every Day
  • cdcinfo@cdc.gov
USA.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web PortalDepartment of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention   1600 Clifton Rd. Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) TTY: (888) 232-6348 - cdcinfo@cdc.gov
A-Z Index
  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
  4. D
  5. E
  6. F
  7. G
  8. H
  9. I
  10. J
  11. K
  12. L
  13. M
  14. N
  15. O
  16. P
  17. Q
  18. R
  19. S
  20. T
  21. U
  22. V
  23. W
  24. X
  25. Y
  26. Z
  27. #