Why the MET Hours method is so powerful

The BJSM analysis shows that combining roughly 30–44 MET hours of weekly aerobic activity with about 60–119 minutes of resistance training delivers around a 45% reduction in all-cause mortality. MET hours quantify how much energy you expend, not just how long you move, so they capture the true “dose” of exercise more accurately than time alone. In practice, this means you can mix higher-intensity, shorter sessions with longer, moderate ones and still hit the same protective dose.

How much: turning 30 MET hours + 2 hours of strength into a week

Strength (target: 2 hours/week total)

• Option A: 12 minutes × 6 days/week ≈ 72 minutes, plus one extra 30-minute block to reach ~102 minutes.

• Option B: 30 minutes × 3–4 days/week ≈ 90–120 minutes, right in the “sweet spot” range.

Cardio (target: 30 MET hours/week total)

A practical mix is:

• Vigorous: about 2 hours/week, such as running or HIIT cycling. At ~8–10 METs, this contributes ~16–20 MET hours.

• Moderate: the remaining ~10–14 MET hours from brisk walking or Zone 2 cycling at ~4–5 METs. That’s roughly 2.5–3.5 hours/week.

Actionable steps

1. Define your moderate and vigorous zones (HUNT-style)

Use age-adjusted heart rate zones to define:

• Moderate: about 64–76% of your age-predicted max HR (HUNT formula: HRmax ≈ 211 − 0.64 × age).

• Vigorous: about 77–93% of your age-predicted max HR (HUNT formula in brackets: HRmax ≈ 211 − 0.64 × age).

2. A typical week structure

Totals: Strength ≈ 90 minutes; cardio ≈ 220 minutes (about 2 hours vigorous, 3+ hours moderate, ≈30 MET hours)

3. Fun ways to hit these doses

Vigorous:

• Hard group rides

• Park runs

• Fast rowing

• Hill repeats

• Competitive racquet sports

Moderate:

• E-mountain biking in Zone 2

• Brisk dog walks

• Dancing

• Swimming

• Steady long rides

DAY	STRENGTH (MIN)	CARDIO (MIN)
SUNDAY	30	40 MODERATE
MONDAY	30	40 VIGOROUS
TUESDAY	0	40 MODERATE
WEDNESDAY	30	20 VIGOROUS
THURSDAY	0	40 MODERATE
FRIDAY	0	20 VIGOROUS
SATURDAY	0	40 MODERATE