The Amount of Physical Activity You Need in Grand Rapids, MI

Staying active is one of the best things you can do for your health—especially in a city like Grand Rapids, where long winters, busy work schedules, and lots of time in the car can make it easy to sit too much. The good news: you don’t need a gym membership to get enough physical activity. Walking along the Grand River, playing in one of our many parks, or shoveling snow in winter all count.

This guide explains how much physical activity you need at every age, with examples tailored to life in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Why Physical Activity Matters in Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids residents experience:

  • Cold, snowy winters that can increase time spent indoors and sedentary behavior
  • Warm, humid summers that are ideal for outdoor activity (trails, parks, Lake Michigan day trips)
  • High rates of chronic conditions seen across Michigan, such as heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes

Regular physical activity helps lower your risk of these conditions, improves mood during dark winter months, and supports healthy growth for kids and teens.

If you have questions about what’s safe for you, you can talk with your provider at Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health), Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, or Mercy Health, or call the Kent County Health Department for local resources.

What Counts as Physical Activity?

Physical activity is anything that gets your body moving, makes your breathing quicker, and your heart beat faster.

Intensity Levels

  • Moderate-intensity activity

    • You can talk, but you can’t sing.
    • Examples in Grand Rapids:
      • Brisk walking around your neighborhood or downtown
      • Walking the Mary Free Bed YMCA track
      • Casual biking on the White Pine Trail
      • Raking leaves or shoveling light snow
      • Recreational swimming at a local community pool

  • Vigorous-intensity activity

    • You can’t say more than a few words without pausing for breath.
    • Examples:
      • Running on the Kent Trails
      • Fast cycling on local bike paths
      • High-intensity fitness classes at Grand Rapids gyms
      • Competitive sports (soccer, basketball, hockey)

Sedentary Behavior: Why Sitting Too Much Is a Problem

A sedentary lifestyle means spending most of your time sitting or lying down with very little movement—such as:

  • Long hours at a desk job
  • Watching TV or streaming shows
  • Playing video games
  • Long car commutes on I-196, US-131, or M-6

Even in a city with great outdoor spaces, Grand Rapids residents often spend many hours indoors, especially in winter. Too much sedentary time is linked to:

  • Higher risk of obesity
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Heart disease
  • Poor mental health

Aim to break up long periods of sitting with short movement breaks—stand, stretch, or walk for a few minutes every 30–60 minutes.

How Much Physical Activity You Need by Age

These recommendations are based on national physical activity guidelines and are appropriate for most healthy people in Grand Rapids. Always check with a healthcare provider if you have chronic conditions, are recovering from illness or surgery, or are new to exercise.

Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers (0–5 Years)

Why Activity Matters for Young Children

For children in Grand Rapids, regular movement supports:

  • Healthy growth and development
  • Strong bones and muscles
  • Motor skills (crawling, walking, running, jumping)
  • Social and emotional development

These guidelines apply to all children aged 0–5 years who have not yet started school, regardless of background or ability.

Babies (0–1 Year)

  • Encourage floor-based play several times a day in a safe, supervised environment.
  • Include tummy time when the baby is awake and supervised:
    • Builds neck, shoulder, and core strength
    • Helps develop rolling, sitting up, and crawling

Ideas at home in Grand Rapids:

  • Soft blanket on the floor for reaching and rolling
  • Simple toys to encourage grasping and movement

Toddlers (1–3 Years) and Preschoolers (3–5 Years)

  • Need at least 3 hours of physical activity spread throughout the day.
  • Activity can be light, moderate, or more energetic.

Examples:

  • Playing at local parks (e.g., Millennium Park, Riverside Park)
  • Running, jumping, and climbing at playgrounds
  • Riding a tricycle or scooter on the sidewalk
  • Indoor play areas during winter months

Screen Time Guidelines for 0–5 Years

  • Under 2 years:
    • No screen time (TV, tablets, phones, computers) is recommended, except for video chatting with family.
  • Ages 2–5 years:
    • Less than 1 hour per day of screen time.
    • Break it into short periods and avoid screens before bedtime.

Physical activity helps young children in Grand Rapids build healthy habits early, make friends, and develop social skills—whether at daycare, preschool, or local playgroups.

Children (5–12 Years)

As kids enter elementary and middle school in Grand Rapids Public Schools or other local districts, staying active becomes especially important.

Daily Activity Recommendations

Children aged 5–12 years should:

  • Get at least 60 minutes (1 hour) of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day.
  • Include a variety of aerobic activities, such as:
    • Walking or biking to school (where safe)
    • Running, jumping, skipping
    • Playing tag or active games at recess
    • Cycling on neighborhood streets or trails

Strengthening Activities for Kids

At least 3 days per week, children should do activities that strengthen muscles and bones, such as:

  • Climbing on playground equipment
  • Swinging, jumping, and skipping
  • Playing on monkey bars
  • Gymnastics, martial arts, or dance classes

Local tip: Many Grand Rapids parks and school playgrounds are excellent for climbing, swinging, and other strength-building play.

Screen Time for School-Age Children

  • Aim for less than 2 hours per day of recreational screen time (TV, video games, non-school computer/tablet use).
  • Break screen time into shorter blocks and avoid long periods of sitting.

Doing more than the minimum activity brings even greater health benefits—better fitness, improved mood, and healthier weight.

Teens and Young People (13–17 Years)

Teens in Grand Rapids are balancing school, friends, jobs, and activities. It can be challenging to stay active, but it is essential for both physical and mental health—especially during long, dark winters.

Daily Activity Recommendations

Young people aged 13–17 years should:

  • Get at least 60 minutes (1 hour) of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day.
  • Include:
    • A variety of aerobic activities (walking, running, biking, sports)
    • Some vigorous activity on at least 3 days per week

Examples in Grand Rapids:

  • School sports (basketball, soccer, football, hockey, track)
  • Walking or biking with friends
  • Skateboarding at local skate parks
  • Fitness classes at community centers or gyms

Strengthening Exercise for Teens

At least 3 days per week, teens should do muscle- and bone-strengthening activities, such as:

  • Bodyweight exercises (push-ups, squats, lunges, sit-ups)
  • Resistance training with supervision from a qualified coach or trainer
  • Martial arts, dance, or gymnastics

Screen Time for Teens

  • Aim for less than 2 hours per day of recreational screen time.
  • Break up long sitting periods with standing, stretching, or short walks.

Again, these are minimum guidelines—more activity usually means more benefits.

Adults (18–64 Years)

For adults in Grand Rapids—whether you work in an office downtown, in manufacturing, healthcare, or at home—regular physical activity is key to preventing chronic disease and maintaining quality of life.

Basic Principle

  • Any physical activity is better than none.
  • If you’re not active now, start small and build up gradually.

Weekly Activity Recommendations

Aim for one of the following each week:

  • 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity (e.g., 30–60 minutes on most days), such as:
    • Brisk walking along the Grand River or in your neighborhood
    • Recreational biking on local trails
    • Mowing the lawn, raking leaves, or shoveling snow at a steady pace
    • Dancing or low-impact fitness classes

OR

  • 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, such as:
    • Running or fast cycling
    • High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
    • Competitive sports in local leagues

OR

  • An equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous activity.

Strength Training for Adults

On at least 2 days per week, do muscle-strengthening activities that work major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, arms), such as:

  • Resistance training with weights or bands
  • Bodyweight exercises (push-ups, squats, lunges, planks)
  • Heavy yard work (digging, lifting, carrying)
  • Strength classes at local gyms or community centers

Reduce Sitting Time

  • Limit how long you sit at work and home.
  • Stand up often, stretch, or take short walking breaks.
  • Consider:
    • A standing desk
    • Walking meetings
    • Walking during phone calls

Safety and Medical Advice

Before starting a new exercise program—especially if you have heart disease, diabetes, joint problems, or other chronic conditions:

  • Talk with your healthcare provider at:
    • Corewell Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health
  • Consider a pre-exercise screening and guidance from an exercise physiologist or physical therapist.

Even small increases in activity—like a 10-minute walk—can improve your health and wellbeing.

Older Adults (65+ Years)

For older adults in Grand Rapids, staying active helps you maintain independence, reduce fall risk, support heart health, and improve mood—especially during long Michigan winters.

General Guideline

Some physical activity is recommended for everyone, regardless of age, weight, health problems, or current fitness level.

Types of Activity to Include

Aim for a mix of activities that build:

  • Aerobic fitness (heart and lung health)
  • Strength (muscles and bones)
  • Balance (to prevent falls)
  • Flexibility (to maintain range of motion)

If you’ve been inactive or are starting something new, begin at an easy level and gradually increase time and intensity as your fitness and confidence grow.

Moderate-Intensity Activities for Older Adults

You should be able to talk while doing these:

  • Brisk walking at the mall or in your neighborhood
  • Light to moderate yard work (raking leaves, gardening)
  • Recreational swimming or water aerobics at local pools
  • Active games with grandchildren

Vigorous and Strengthening Activities

When you do vigorous activities, you’ll be breathing harder and faster (“huffing and puffing”). Examples:

  • Climbing stairs
  • More intense yard work involving lifting, carrying, or digging
  • Faster walking or uphill walking

Strengthening activities may be moderate or vigorous, but they should:

  • Build muscle
  • Improve strength and function

Examples suitable for many older adults:

  • Resistance bands or light weights
  • Chair stands or sit-to-stand exercises
  • Wall push-ups
  • Supervised strength classes at senior centers or fitness facilities

Check with your provider before starting vigorous or new strength training, especially if you have arthritis, heart disease, or other chronic conditions.

Examples of Moderate, Vigorous, and Strengthening Activities

Moderate-Intensity Activities

  • Brisk walking
  • Recreational swimming
  • Dancing
  • Social tennis
  • Riding a bike or scooter on flat terrain
  • Golf (walking the course instead of using a cart)
  • Household tasks like cleaning windows or raking leaves

Vigorous-Intensity Activities

  • Running or jogging
  • Fast cycling or cycling on hills
  • Organized sports (football, soccer, basketball, hockey)
  • High-intensity fitness classes

Strengthening Activities

For children:

  • Skipping, hopping, jumping
  • Climbing and swinging on playgrounds
  • Games like tug-of-war and hopscotch
  • Gymnastics or martial arts

For teens and adults:

  • Any of the children’s activities above
  • Resistance/strength training with bands or weights
  • Bodyweight exercises (push-ups, sit-ups, lunges, squats)
  • Dance styles that involve jumps and strong movements

For older adults (with appropriate supervision if needed):

  • Light weight training
  • Resistance band exercises
  • Functional movements (sit-to-stand, step-ups)

How to Incorporate More Physical Activity into Your Day in Grand Rapids

You don’t have to do all your activity at once. Short bouts throughout the day add up.

At Home

  • Wash the car by hand
  • Work in the yard: mow the lawn, rake leaves, prune bushes, shovel snow
  • Do abdominal exercises or stretching while watching TV
  • Dance to music while cooking or cleaning

At Work

  • Use a standing desk or alternate between sitting and standing
  • Take the stairs instead of the elevator—or get off a few floors early and walk
  • Walk down the hall to talk to a coworker instead of emailing
  • Schedule exercise time in your calendar and treat it like a meeting
  • Walk around the building or nearby streets during breaks or lunch

With Family or Friends

  • Walk the kids to school if it’s safe and practical
  • Plan active family outings: hiking, swimming, sledding, or biking
  • Meet a friend for a walk instead of sitting at a café
  • When you’re at the beach or Lake Michigan, go for a walk, swim, or fly a kite

With Pets

  • Walk your dog regularly, even in winter (with appropriate clothing and footwear)
  • Choose a hilly or longer route when conditions are safe

Local Resources in Grand Rapids

If you need help getting started or want more support:

  • Primary Care & Specialists:
    • Corewell Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, Mercy Health
  • Public Health Information:
    • Kent County Health Department
    • Grand Rapids Public Health programs and community initiatives
  • Community Centers & YMCAs:
    • Offer group classes, pools, walking tracks, and senior programs

These organizations can help you find programs tailored to your age, health conditions, and fitness level.

Key Points to Remember

  • Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers should be active every day with lots of floor play and limited screen time.
  • Children and teens need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity daily, plus strengthening activities at least 3 days per week.
  • Adults should aim for 150–300 minutes of moderate or 75–150 minutes of vigorous activity per week, plus strength training at least 2 days per week.
  • Older adults should stay as active as their abilities allow, focusing on fitness, strength, balance, and flexibility.
  • Strengthening activities are important at every age to support bones, muscles, and long-term independence.
  • Even in a city with cold winters like Grand Rapids, every bit of movement counts, and small changes can lead to big health benefits.

If you’re unsure where to start, talk with your Grand Rapids healthcare provider and begin with small, manageable steps.