Intermediate - 12-week training program - Step it up with the Intermediate training program

Sep 22, 2026

12-week intermediate fitness training program for people with a base level of fitness who already complete about 150 minutes of exercise per week. The plan progressively increases overall physical activity over 12 weeks and is primarily built around running or jogging, while allowing swaps with cycling, swimming, or other modes if intensity, duration, and session count remain consistent. Includes vigorous-intensity guidance, plus warm up, cool down, and stretching.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time8 min

AccessFree to download

Program overview

Training intensity guidelines

Weekly session schedule (Weeks 1-6)

Intermediate 12-week training program Step it up with the Intermediate training program The Intermediate training program is designed for people with a base level of fitness, wanting to improve their fitness by increasing the amount of physical activity they do. As a guide this program is suited to people already performing 150 minutes of exercise per week and provides a 12-week plan to extend your activity. This training program is built around running (or jogging) however you can exchange running with other modes of exercise, such as cycling, swimming or other forms of activity, to suit your own preferences. If you do modify the program it is important that you keep the number, intensity and duration of sessions the same. The program includes exercise at a “vigorous intensity” level and we recommend that you seek guidance from your general practitioner if you are beginning to exercise at a higher intensity than you previously have. There is an additional warm up, cool down and stretching guide. Make sure to complete this before and after each workout. Intensity guide: Moderate intensity: An aerobic activity that is able to be conducted whilst maintaining a conversation uninterrupted. You will notice a slight increase in breathing and heart rate. Your heart rate will be about 55-70% of your maximum heart rate (maximum heart rate = 220-age). For example, a 45 year old will have a predicted maximum heart rate of 175 (220-45=175), and 55% of this is 96 beats per minute (55% of 175= 96 beats per minute). Vigorous intensity: An aerobic activity in which a conversation generally cannot be maintained uninterrupted. You will notice a large increase in breathing and heart rate. Your heart rate will be about 70-85% of your maximum heart rate (as discussed above; if you are unsure, there are a number of calculators on the internet which will be able to calculate this for you). | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Week 1
45 min walk at moderate intensity
The walk should be enjoyable. Schedule the walks with a friend along a nice trail or path. But remember to walk at a fast pace. | 30 min Interval training.
Interval training involves alternating between low and high intensity exercise and is one of the best ways to improve your fitness and get used to running. Walk for 3-5 min then run for the same amount of time. Repeat this combination for the 30 minutes | Strength and balance
Follow the exercises in the Intermediate Strength and balance program. | Rest day.
Although you are not participating in sport or exercise today,
try to minimise the amount of time you are sitting. | 45 min walk at moderate intensity.
This training day will start with a walk and will progress over the next 12 weeks to be able to run continuously for 45 minutes. The first run is scheduled in week 5. | 30 min Interval training.
Walk: 3 min
Run: 3 min
Repeat: 5 times The interval training sessions on this day will consist of shorter intervals. The focus is on the run. The run intervals will not exceed 5 minutes. The purpose here, is to complete the run portion at a faster speed than the other sessions in the week. | Strength and balance. | | Week 2
45 min walk at moderate intensity | 30 min Interval training.
Walk: 3-5 min
Run: 3-5 min
Repeat: 3-5 times
The 3-5 min run will feel hard. It doesn’t matter how fit you are, running for a short period of time is difficult. The reason for this is that it takes your body a few minutes to adjust to the running. Remember, your body starts breathing faster and deeper, your heart starts beating faster and your legs and arms are moving quicker. After about 3-5 minutes, the body has adjusted. So don’t panic if this feels harder than expected, it is normal! | Strength and balance | Rest day. | 45 min walk at moderate intensity. | 30 min Interval training.
Walk: 3 min
Run: 3 min
Repeat: 5 tim

FAQs

Who is the intermediate training program designed for?

It is designed for people with a base level of fitness who want to improve fitness by increasing physical activity. It fits those already doing about 150 minutes of exercise per week.

Can I replace running with other exercises?

Yes. Running (or jogging) can be exchanged with other exercise modes such as cycling or swimming, as long as the number, intensity, and duration of sessions stay the same.

What are the moderate and vigorous intensity guidelines?

Moderate intensity is an aerobic activity you can do while maintaining uninterrupted conversation, with heart rate about 55–70% of maximum. Vigorous intensity generally cannot sustain uninterrupted conversation, with heart rate about 70–85% of maximum.

Sep 22, 2026

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