In this article, I discuss how much exercise per week. The right mix of exercise activities can help you stay fit and reduce your health risks when you’re over 65. But how much exercise do you really need?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults over 65 who don’t have a limiting medical condition should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity each week. Alternatively, they can get at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week or an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous-intensity activities.
The CDC recommends weight-bearing activities, such as strength training for all muscle groups, at least twice a week. If you’re at risk for falls, you may also benefit from balance exercises. Here’s what you need to know about working out at 65 and beyond.
Exercise is important as we age
Exercise is important at every age, and especially as we get older because physical activity can reduce many of the health concerns that come with aging, such as muscle weakness and loss of bone density. Muscle loss can lead to pain, injury, and loss of independence, but weight-bearing exercise can prevent it.
Exercise is also an excellent defense against cognitive decline. When genetic risk is taken into account, people with healthy lifestyles who exercise regularly have a much lower risk of developing dementia than those with less active lifestyles.
Exercise reduces your risk of heart disease, diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, stroke, colon and breast cancer, and more.
Moderate or vigorous activity
You can combine moderate or vigorous intensity physical activity to achieve total activity. Mix it up with moderate aerobic exercise and other vigorous aerobic exercise. Or, perform moderate activity with bursts of intensity throughout the session.
Choose activities that you enjoy - dancing, brisk walking, cycling, or swimming. Add variety and enjoy different activities throughout the week. Consider investing in a pickleball set and joining a league.
Moderate Aerobic Exercise
Consider duration, frequency, and intensity when adding moderate exercise to your daily routine. Here's what you need to know about moderate aerobic exercise.
- Duration: The minimum time for moderately intense aerobic exercise is 30 minutes five days each week, but you will get even more benefits if you exercise for 60 minutes daily. Break up exercise into shorter workouts of at least 10 minutes. The total should be at least 150 minutes per week.
- Frequency: You should exercise at least 5 days a week.
- Signs: You are at a moderate intensity when your breathing and heart rate increase. You can still carry on an entire conversation, but you will be breathing heavier and maybe sweating. On a 10-point scale, with zero being a state of rest, moderate would be a 5 or 6.
- Types: Brisk walking, easy jogging, using the treadmill, utilizing an elliptical trainer, riding bikes, swimming, and dancing are all moderate-intensity aerobic activities. For older adults, walking is the most accessible exercise. But if you have any orthopedic problems, such as arthritis in your knees and hips, you may want to use aquatic exercise or a recumbent exercise bike to reduce joint stress.
You are not in the moderate-intensity zone with an easy walk where you are adding steps to your pedometer but not breathing heavily. You need to increase your walking speed, walk uphill, or climb stairs to get your heart rate into the moderate zone.
If you have not been walking for exercise, start walking for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Work on good posture and steadily increase your walking time by five minutes for each session per week. A pair of walking shoes for seniors is a good investment.
You should be able to build your walking time to enjoy 30 minutes at a time within four weeks. Once you can walk comfortably for 30 minutes, improve your walking speed. If you are already walking for fitness, you can use a weekly walking workout schedule that varies the intensity of your walking workouts.
Vigorous Aerobic Exercise
Vigorous aerobic exercise is a little more intense than moderate-intensity exercise. Here are ways to make sure you're getting vigorous aerobic exercise.
- Duration: If you exercise vigorously, your workouts need only be 20 minutes at a minimum. At this higher intensity, you should aim for a minimum of 75 minutes per week, and 150 minutes may give more benefits.
- Frequency: To meet the guidelines, exercise at least three days a week at this intensity.
- Signs: At a vigorous intensity, you are breathing rapidly and cannot easily carry on an entire conversation, just short phrases. Your heart rate is boosted, and you will probably break a sweat. On a scale from 1 to 10, vigorous exercise would be a 7 or 8.
- Types: Because everyone has a different fitness level, some will achieve vigorous exertion with brisk walking or swinging a pickleball paddle. Others will need to jog or bike to increase their effort to a vigorous level.
Muscle-Strengthening Activities
Muscle-strengthening activities are vital for mature adults to prevent loss of muscle mass and bone density, and ensure optimal movement and function. This type of exercise is also called resistance training.
- Frequency: Strength workouts occur at least 2 days each week.
- Getting started: You can visit a fitness center or use a strength-training guide to learn fundamentals. It can be beneficial to get the advice of a certified personal trainer on how to modify exercises so they are appropriate for your fitness level and address any orthopedic problems.
- Reps: Do eight to 10 exercises with 10 to 15 repetitions of each exercise.
- Types: Lifting, pushing, and pulling exercises build muscle strength and endurance. Use exercise machines at the gym, resistance bands, or free weights (dumbbells, barbells, medicine balls, and kettlebells). Another option is calisthenics, which uses your body weight for resistance.
Flexibility Exercises
Stretch your major muscles and tendons for 10 minutes two days a week. Hold each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds and repeat each stretch three to four times. Flexibility is important for your daily activities because it helps you maintain the proper range of motion around your joints.5
Improving your range of motion will help reduce your risk of injury and help you avoid stiffness and pain around your joints. In addition, proper range of motion will enhance your other workouts and activities by ensuring proper form and better muscle activation.6
Balance Exercises Reduce Fall Risk
Any exercise can help strengthen muscles and improve balance to reduce your risk of falls. However, adding balance exercises three times a week can further reduce your risk of falls.
Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend balance training with exercises such as walking backwards, walking sideways, heel walking, toe walking, and standing from a seated position. . Tai chi, standing on one leg, and yoga can help develop balance.
Avoid Inactivity Over 65
If you have limitations that prevent you from meeting the guidelines, the most important thing is to be active in some way every day. Any amount of exercise is better than none, so starting is the key. Choosing exercise equipment for seniors that works for you can help you stay active consistently. For example, if you can’t get outside for regular walks, a walking pad or under-desk treadmill will make it easier to maintain a regular walking schedule.
While you may decide to enjoy moderate-intensity rather than vigorous-intensity exercise, you still need endurance activities. Endurance exercise helps improve the health of vital organs like your heart and lungs and affects your circulatory system. Additionally, they can delay or prevent many chronic conditions that are more common in older adults, such as diabetes, heart disease, and others.
Safety Considerations
You should discuss any new exercise program with your healthcare provider to make sure you are cleared for the type of exercise you want. A medical professional can help you create a plan that fits your current abilities or limitations.
If you have a chronic condition, it is essential to work with a medical professional to create an activity plan that takes into account your health status, risks, and therapeutic needs. You will get the most benefit from exercise that you can do safely.
Also, never push past pain. If you experience any pain, dizziness, cramping, sudden weakness, numbness, or nausea while exercising, stop immediately and consider whether you need emergency medical attention. When you exercise, make sure someone is nearby in case you fall or get injured. Learning to perform strength-training exercises correctly can help you avoid injury.
A word from the very best
While it's important to start slowly, once you get into a pattern you can gradually add to the minimum exercise schedule listed here. More frequent and longer workouts can further reduce health risks and aid in weight maintenance.
Similarly, don't be discouraged if you can't meet the minimum requirements. Simply getting up and doing activities instead of sitting will help reduce your health risks and allow you to move about in your daily life.
FAQ
1. How much exercise should adults get per week?
- Aerobic Activity: At least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise.
- Strength Training: Two or more days per week targeting major muscle groups.
2. What counts as moderate or vigorous exercise?
- Moderate: Brisk walking, water aerobics, cycling at a casual pace.
- Vigorous: Running, swimming laps, cycling fast or on hills.
3. Can I break it into shorter sessions?
- Yes, activity can be broken into sessions of at least 10 minutes throughout the day or week.
4. How much exercise do children and teens need?
- At least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity daily, including aerobic and strength-building activities.
5. What if I’m older or have health conditions?
- Aim for the same guidelines but adjust based on ability. Include balance exercises to reduce the risk of falls.
6. What if I want to lose weight or gain fitness?
- For significant weight loss or improved fitness, aim for 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity weekly, combined with strength training.
7. What types of strength exercises are recommended?
- Exercises like weightlifting, resistance bands, or bodyweight exercises (e.g., push-ups, squats) that work major muscle groups.
8. How do I know if I’m doing enough?
- Use the “talk test”: During moderate exercise, you can talk but not sing. During vigorous exercise, you can’t say more than a few words without pausing for breath.
9. Is more exercise always better?
- More isn’t always better; balance exercise with rest to avoid injury or burnout.
10. What if I’m just starting out?
- Start slowly, aim for 10–15 minutes of activity daily, and gradually increase duration and intensity.
Introduction
Regular exercise is essential for maintaining physical and mental health, yet many people are unsure how much activity they really need. This FAQ provides evidence-based recommendations to help you understand the types and amounts of exercise that can improve fitness, prevent chronic diseases, and enhance overall well-being. Whether you’re just starting out, looking to fine-tune your routine, or supporting loved ones in their fitness journey, this guide answers common questions about weekly exercise goals and how to achieve them effectively.