# METs and vigorous activity guidelines w/ intervals

**URL:** <https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/mets-and-vigorous-activity-guidelines-w-intervals/19337>\
**Category:** Training Q&A \[Moderated\]\
**Created:** [December 16, 2025, 3:12pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/mets-and-vigorous-activity-guidelines-w-intervals/19337 "2025-12-16T15:12:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![acconrad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@acconrad](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/acconrad)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2025, 3:12pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/mets-and-vigorous-activity-guidelines-w-intervals/19337/1 "2025-12-16T15:12:07Z")

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Trying to meet the 75min vigorous (ideally 150 min) exercise via rowing. If you’re doing that with METs, that’s \>6 but a few things:

- According to [metscalculator.com](http://metscalculator.com) that’s rowing at 100w+ (7 METs) or 150w+ (8.5 METs) but I mean my UT2 (Zone 2 for rowing, about RPE5-6) is around 150w. Is that going to count towards vigorous minutes?

- Let’s say I abandon that and just focus on hard intervals (4’on/4’off, 4-6 sets)… is only the working portion (50% of workout) contributing towards that 75 min vigorous activity? Or the whole session? Moderate is a lot cleaner cause it’s usually 1x45’ (no rest), what about with intervals?

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**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2025, 3:14pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/mets-and-vigorous-activity-guidelines-w-intervals/19337/2 "2025-12-16T15:14:31Z")

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I don’t think METs accurately predicts exercise intensity for most individuals. Training below the aerobic threshold (zone 2) _should be_ moderate intensity conditioning, whereas above would be vigorous for most. I would use RPE, HR, and/or power output (relative to max) for this.

Yes, only the working portion of the conditioning would contribute towards your weekly conditioning volume if you’re resting completely. Admittedly, this is made-up and different people will say different things. I generally don’t count complete rest periods towards conditioning volume though.