This is a legacy version of the WELL Building Standard. Please check the latest version here.

Fitness

Fitness

The WELL Building Standard™ (WELL) promotes the integration of physical activity into everyday life by providing the opportunities and support for an active lifestyle and discouraging sedentary behaviors.

Background

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) define fitness as “the ability to carry out daily tasks with vigor and alertness, without undue fatigue, and with ample energy to enjoy leisure-time pursuits and respond to emergencies”. Regular physical activity is essential to achieve optimal health, including weight management, chronic disease prevention and fitness maintenance. The American College of Sports Medicine, among others, recommends that all healthy adults engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity five days per week, and muscle-strengthening activities at least two days per week. Numerous types of physical activities, including walking, running, cycling, swimming and resistance training have demonstrated health benefits, with greater gains when performed at higher intensities or for longer periods of time.

However, the majority of people today are p...read more