Senior Fitness and Exercise: Guidelines and Tips for Older Adults

Senior fitness: exercise is not just for younger people

Jane is in her early 80’s and is noticing her mobility is getting more and more limited. Her doctor gave her a clean bill of health but recommended she consider an exercise class to maintain her balance and keep her strength up. “He must be nuts”, she says. “Doesn’t he know how old I am”? Jane has never liked exercise and it is hard enough to get moving as it is. A few months ago, she fell on the last step in her entryway-- a frightening experience Jane does not want to repeat in an exercise class

Fred is in his late 70’s and has progressively worsening arthritis. He has a lifelong love of being active-hunting, fishing, hiking and bicycling to name a few- but he is unable to keep up at the pace he is used to. “I just don’t see how I can exercise”, he says. “I don’t like feeling sluggish and slow but I just can’t do what I used to anymore. Isn’t that part of being old?”

Have you heard you should be exercising, but you aren’t sure where to begin? You are not alone. Many seniors don't exercise for the same reason that people of all ages resist physical activity – they think of it as too hard, too boring, or they are disappointed by the lack of immediate results. On top of this, some older adults have additional challenges, such as chronic health conditions or concerns about injury or falls.

But the evidence is clear: exercise benefits people of all ages. In fact, studies show that not only is exercise safe for seniors, but it has enormous health advantages. Exercise can help you maintain your health and independence throughout your life. Regular exercise and senior fitness is the key to greater energy, stronger muscles, better balance and flexibility, and a happy and alert mind.

It doesn’t matter how old you are! People in their sixties, seventies, eighties, and even nineties can reap the benefits of exercise.

Myths and facts about senior fitness and exercise

Dispelling the many myths surrounding older adults and exercise is the first start towards getting fit.

Myth 1: Exercise is a chore.

Fact: If you pick an activity that you already enjoy doing, exercise is easier than you think. For example, gardening, walking at the mall, or playing with your grandchildren combine exercise with another fun activity.

Myth 2: There’s no point to exercising. I’m going to get old anyway.

Fact: Exercise and strength training helps you look and feel younger and stay active longer. Regular physical activity lowers your risk for a variety of conditions, including Alzheimer’s and dementia, heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure, and obesity.

Myth 3: I’ve never been coordinated. Exercise is not for me.

Fact: You don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to benefit from exercise. If sports are not for you, walking is a great form of exercise that is easy to do.

Myth 4: I’m afraid I’m going to fall if I try to exercise.

Fact: Regular exercise, by building strength and stamina, prevents loss of bone mass and improves balance, actually reducing your risk of falling. There are many types of exercise to start with if you are concerned about falls.

What if I am frail or physically unable to exercise?

Some seniors are reluctant to exercise because of the mistaken belief that exercise is bad for older people – especially those with various diseases and disabilities – because it puts too much of a strain on your body. As you age, the body does take a little longer to repair itself, but moderate physical activity is good for people of all ages and of all ability levels. Remember that your body was meant for movement, and just like a car or a bike needs to be used to keep working properly, your body needs to be used to function best. If your physical abilities are limited by medical conditions or frailty, you may have to go about exercise more carefully than others, but don’t dismiss it entirely:

Consult your doctor before starting your exercise program. With proper instruction and guidance, you can learn activities and exercises that you can do to improve mobility and reduce frailty, reducing the risk of falling and broken bones.
Try exercise in a class setting with proper supervision. Safe options for seniors with health or mobility issues include chair exercises, swimming, or water aerobics. Your local YMCA is a good place to start when looking for exercise programs that address special needs.

The benefits of exercise for seniors

Regular exercise is more important than ever as you age. There are many physical and mental health benefits that result from regular exercise.

Physical benefits of exercise for seniors

Exercise helps seniors maintain or lose weight. Maintaining a healthy weight is a challenge as you age, as metabolism naturally slows down. Exercise helps keep your metabolism up and increases your muscle mass, helping you to burn more calories. Your overall health improves at a healthy weight as well.
Exercise reduces the impact of illness and chronic disease. Among the many benefits of exercise for seniors include improved immune function, better heart health and blood pressure, better bone density, and better digestive functioning. Seniors who exercise also have a lowered risk of several chronic conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, osteoporosis, and colon cancer.
Exercise increase mobility, flexibility, and balance in seniors. Exercise improves your strength, flexibility and posture, which in turn will help with balance, coordination, and reducing the risk of falls. Strength training also helps alleviate the symptoms of chronic conditions such as arthritis.

Mental benefits of exercise for seniors

Exercise helps seniors sleep better. Many older adults report problems with sleep. Poor sleep is not an automatic consequence of aging and quality sleep is important for your overall health. The right amount of exercise often improves sleep, helping you to fall asleep more quickly, sleep more deeply and awake less often during the night.
Exercise can improve mood and boost self-confidence. Endorphins produced by exercise can actually help you feel better and reduce feelings of sadness or depression. Being active and feeling strong naturally helps you feel more self confident and sure of yourself. This improved sense of well-being also helps your overall mood and attitude about life.
Exercise is good for the aging brain. Exercise helps encourage regular brain functions and can help keep the brain active, helping to prevent memory loss, cognitive decline, and dementia. Exercise may even help slow the progression of brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Types of exercises for seniors and older adults

Types of exercises for seniors and older adults Don’t let the different types of exercise intimidate you. Any exercise is better than none! However, mixing different types of exercise helps both reduce monotony and improve your overall health. Here are some examples of different types of exercise and how they can help you stay more active.

Cardio endurance exercise increases your body’s ability to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues and to remove waste over sustained periods of time. This type of exercise gets your heart pumping and you may even feel a little short of breath.
Strength training uses and strengthens your muscles with repetitive motion exercises. Strength training helps prevent loss of bone mass, builds muscle, and improves balance, both important in staying active and preventing fall risk
Stretching, flexibility and balance exercise improves and maintains flexibility, prevents injury, and reduces muscle soreness and stiffness. Brief stretching is also good to do before any other type of exercise as well.

Exercise for seniors: How it improves your daily life
Type of exercise	How to do it	Daily activities it benefits
Cardio exercise	Walking, bicycling, swimming, water aerobics	Cleaning the house, gardening, shopping, running errands
Strength training	Weights, resistance bands, nautilus machines or by using walls, furniture, and your own body weight for resistance.	Lifting grandchildren, carrying groceries, doing household chores
Stretching, flexibility, balance	Yoga, Pilates, basic stretching exercises, Tai Chi, or Qi Gong	Putting on shoes, looking behind you while driving, navigating steps

While the exercise options can seem overwhelming, the good news is there is a type of exercise for any person at any level. Even if it means starting simple exercises entirely seated or starting by walking half a block, you are still exercising.

What exercise is best for me?

Think about activities that you enjoy and how you can incorporate them into an exercise routine. Below are examples of activities that are especially beneficial to seniors:

Walking. Walking is a great way to start exercising. It requires no special equipment, aside from a pair of comfortable walking shoes, and can be done in many places, from a shopping mall to a hiking trail. You can also enjoy walking and chatting with a friend or workout buddy.
Senior sports or fitness classes. Sports and fitness classes offer a great way to stay motivated to exercise while also helping you relax and relieve stress. They are fun, so it is easy to keep up your fitness plan, and are a great way to make friends and stay socially active as well.
Water aerobics and water sports. Water aerobics has several advantages over land-based aerobics, especially for seniors. The water reduces stress and strain on the body's joints. At the same time, increased resistance and exercise for the muscles enables you to burn calories more efficiently.
Yoga. Yoga is a widely practiced form of exercise that combines a series of poses with breathing. Moving through the poses works on strength, flexibility and balance. Yoga can be adapted to a wide range of levels and disabilities, using a chair or other props to start.
Tai Chi and Qi Gong. Tai Chi and Qi Gong are two martial arts-inspired systems of movement that are beneficial to both mind and body, helping with improved ability at daily activities, better balance, and increased strength. Classes catering to seniors can often be found at your local YMCA or community center.

Making Exercise Fun

Exercise can be fun, and it doesn’t have to be the traditional walking, swimming, or biking. You can try different sports or you can take up an active hobby like gardening. Even better, make your fitness routine sociable by exercising with friends. Making sure your activities are fun is the most important step in your decision to be healthy and fit over the long term.

Read Making Exercise Fun: Finding a Fitness Plan That Works for You

Starting a senior fitness and exercise plan

Often the hardest part of exercise is getting started. The following tips will help you get on your way safely while having fun:

Get medical clearance from your doctor before starting an exercise program, especially if you have a preexisting condition. Your doctor may be able to guide you to community resources for specific conditions as well. If something feels wrong, such as sharp pain or unusual shortness of breath, stop doing it. You may need to scale back or try another activity.
Start slow. Remember, if you try to build in a complicated exercise routine, you might get burned out and frustrated before you even begin. The resources below provide a variety of step-by-step exercises you can try, including simple arm exercises you can do while seated. You might just want to start with ten minutes a couple of times a day, or take a class once a week to start. Let exercise become a habit, and then you can slowly start building up your time and vary your exercise routine. Remember to drink plenty of water and gently stretch.
Get support. It can be easier doing something new if others are there to support you. Consider taking a class or exercising with a buddy- it can be easier to stay motivated if there is a set time to exercise and you are able to socialize with others as well.
Enjoy yourself. If you are dreading your exercise or find it too hard or boring, sooner or later you will find a way to talk yourself out of it. If you feel this way, take a look at what you are doing. Is it time to try a new activity? The resources below provide a variety of activities and new exercises to try.

Exercise does not have to break the bank

Are you hesitant to start exercising because you think it will be too expensive? Like many of the best things in life, exercise can be free. You don’t need fancy equipment to exercise. Some easy to do exercise starters:

Do arm exercises or light stretching while watching TV. No weights? Many kitchen items, like soup cans, provide a quick way to get started.
While shopping, take an extra ten minutes to walk around the shopping center before you begin shopping

Keeping your exercise program going: Tips for seniors

Exercise is a lifelong commitment to better health. The more you exercise, the more you will reap the benefits. The National Institute on Aging provides excellent examples of life’s challenges and how to keep your motivation to exercise.

How To Cope with Change In Your Situation
*Source:*National Institutes on Aging: Exercise & Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide from the National Institute on Aging
You’re on vacation	Many hotels now have fitness centers. Check out the facilities where you’ll be staying, and bring along your exercise clothing or equipment (resistance band, bathing suit, or walking shoes). Get out and see the sights on foot rather than just by tour bus.
Caring for an ill spouse is taking up much of your time	Work out to an exercise video when your spouse is napping. Ask a family member or friend to come over so you can go for a walk.
Your usual exercise buddy moves away	Ask another friend to go with you on your daily walk. Ask other older adults in your area where they go for walks or what physical activity resources are available nearby. Join an exercise class at your local community center or senior center. This is a great way to meet other active people.
You move to a new community	Check out the fitness centers, parks, and recreation associations in your new neighborhood. Look for activities that match your interests and abilities. Get involved!
The flu keeps you out of action for a few weeks	Wait until you feel better and then start your activity again. Gradually build back up to your previous level of activity.
You are recovering from hip or back surgery	Talk with your doctor about specific exercises and activities you can do safely when you’re feeling better. Start slowly and gradually build up your activities as you become stronger.

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Topics

Senior Fitness and Exercise

Guidelines and Tips for Older Adults

In This Article:

Senior fitness: exercise is not just for younger people

Myths and facts about senior fitness and exercise

Myth 1: Exercise is a chore.

Myth 2: There’s no point to exercising. I’m going to get old anyway.

Myth 3: I’ve never been coordinated. Exercise is not for me.

Myth 4: I’m afraid I’m going to fall if I try to exercise.

What if I am frail or physically unable to exercise?

The benefits of exercise for seniors

Physical benefits of exercise for seniors

Mental benefits of exercise for seniors

Types of exercises for seniors and older adults

What exercise is best for me?

Making Exercise Fun

Starting a senior fitness and exercise plan

Exercise does not have to break the bank

Keeping your exercise program going: Tips for seniors

Related articles

More Helpguide articles:

Related links for senior fitness and exercise

Senior fitness plans and exercise instructions

Benefits of exercise for seniors

Senior sports and types of exercise

More senior fitness and exercise resources