What is the recommended duration of moderate intensity exercise for normal adults on most or all days of the week?

Key facts

• Keeping active helps you stay physically and mentally strong.
• Aim for about 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days, but any amount of activity is beneficial — even just a few minutes.
• Strength and weight-bearing activities can increase bone density, helping to prevent osteoporosis.
• Consider exercising with a friend, and choose activities you enjoy, to help you stay motivated.

Whatever your age, you can enjoy the benefits of physical activity. There’s a host of health reasons to stay active and it doesn’t have to be ‘serious business’ — being active can be fun, especially if you can socialise at the same time. Exercise also helps keep your mind active and improves your quality of life.

Even a small increase in daily physical activity can reduce your risk of health conditions such as:

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Physical activity can also:

Conversely, spending a lot of time sitting down (being sedentary) may increase the risk of health conditions. So it’s a good idea to break up long periods of sitting with physical activity. Even a few minutes of walking or stretching is beneficial.

Can physical activity ‘slow down’ the ageing process?

Some types of physical activity, such as resistance training and flexibility exercises, can improve physical changes that come with ageing.

Most people lose some muscle mass, bone density and flexibility as they age. Chronic health problems can also contribute to weakness and frailty.

Physical activity has been shown to improve overall health, reduce the chance of chronic health conditions and reduce frailty. This means that staying active may help you live longer with a better quality of life.

How much physical activity do older people need?

You should aim for about 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every day. Moderate-intensity exercise should make you feel a bit breathless, but you should still be able to talk comfortably.

Incorporate different types of physical activity into your daily routine. This will keep it interesting and easier to stick to over time.

What types of exercise should older people be doing?

There are 4 main types of physical activity that are important for people of all ages.

Cardiovascular (‘cardio’) fitness activities help keep your heart and lungs healthy. This includes:

• brisk walking
• cycling
• swimming
• golf (without a gold cart)
• tennis
• aerobics classes
• dancing

Household chores such as gardening and cleaning can also be a great cardio workout. Low-impact activities such as swimming can be beneficial for people who find movement painful because of health conditions such as osteoarthritis.

You don’t have to do all of your activity in one session per day — you can spread it out. For example, 10 minutes of cardio 3 times a day, or 15 minutes twice a day

Strength activities help your muscles and bones stay strong. Strength training and weight-bearing exercise are especially helpful at increasing your bone density and reducing the risk of falls among people with osteoporosis.

Strength exercises include:

• weight training
• resistance training
• lifting and carrying (for example, groceries or small children)
• gardening (involving digging and lifting)
• climbing stairs

Aim to build strength exercises into your routine about 2 to 3 times a week.

Flexibility activities incorporate gentle stretching and bending exercises that help you move more easily. This might include:

• Tai Chi
• yoga
• dancing
• gardening
• lawn bowls
• mopping or vacuuming

Try to do some stretching exercises every day. You can even stretch while watching TV or waiting for the kettle to boil — you can follow the diagrams here.

Balancing activities help improve your balance, which can help prevent falls. They include:

• side leg raises
• half squats
• heel raises

Remember, physical activity can be varied and you can exercise outside of a gym or classes. There are also online fitness tools and programs you can use at home.

Even people who are less mobile or have a disability can find ways to keep active. Find an exercise program that is tailored to people at a similar age and fitness level as you.

If you’re struggling to find an activity that’s right for you, ask your doctor, exercise physiologist or physiotherapist for advice.

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How can older people start exercising safely?

Start gradually to give your body time to adjust to a new exercise routine. Try short periods of activity and, over a few weeks, build up to about 30 minutes of physical activity on most days. Even a few minutes of activity is beneficial when you’re starting out.

Wear comfortable clothes and supportive shoes. Drink plenty of water before, during and after exercising.

High-intensity (vigorous) exercise isn’t specifically recommended for older people, particularly those with osteoporosis since it can increase the risk of fractures. But if you’ve enjoyed vigorous exercise throughout your life you may be able to safely continue as you get older. Check with your doctor.

Don’t stop or slow down without first checking with your doctor — you might just be advised to keep it up, or modify your activity slightly as you get older.

If you have stopped being active because of a health condition or recent surgery, talk to your doctor before resuming your fitness program. In some cases, your doctor may refer you to a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist for advice.

Physical activity should involve some effort, but shouldn’t cause pain. If you experience pain or other symptoms such as dizziness or heart palpitations when you exercise, stop the activity and see your doctor.

If you are experiencing severe chest pain or shortness of breath, call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance.

How do I stay motivated to keep active?

Even when you know that physical activity is beneficial, it can be hard to get started and stay motivated. You could:

• choose activities you enjoy
• switch to another activity if you find yourself getting bored
• invite a family member or friend to join you
• use reminders, such as post-it notes on the fridge
• plan ahead — schedule activities in your diary or calendar and allocate regular times for exercise
• use a diary or activity tracker to record your activities to help keep you motivated

Myths about physical activity and older people

‘Older people can’t go to the gym.’

Fact: Gyms are not just for younger people. Many older people enjoy working out at gyms or attending exercise classes, many of which are tailored to seniors.

If it makes you more comfortable (and you're retired), you could go to the gym during off-peak hours. You could also request a tour or introductory training session with a qualified personal trainer. It’s also important to remember that physical activity can take place anywhere.

‘Frail people can’t exercise.’

Fact Most people can find enjoyable ways to safely stay active, even if they have health problems or are frail. Physical activity can actually help you become stronger and less frail. If you are struggling to find an activity that is right for you, ask your doctor, exercise physiologist or physiotherapist for ideas.

‘I’m too old to start exercising.’

Fact: It’s never too late to become more active and enjoying the benefits of physical activity. Improving your fitness and mobility, even at an older age, will boost your physical and mental health, and quality of life.

Resources and support

• The Women’s Health Study, for example, followed 34,000 middle-aged women for 13 years to see just how much physical activity they needed to stay within 5 pounds of their weight at the start of the study. Researchers found that women who were in the normal weight range at the start of the study needed the equivalent of an hour a day of physical activity to stay at a steady weight.(43)

• If you are exercising mainly to lose weight, 30 minutes or so a day may be effective in conjunction with a healthy diet. (44)

If you currently don’t exercise and aren’t very active during the day, any increase in exercise or physical activity is good for you.

• Aerobic physical activity—any activity that causes a noticeable increase in your heart rate—is especially beneficial for disease prevention.

• Some studies show that walking briskly for even one to two hours a week (15 to 20 minutes a day) starts to decrease the chances of having a heart attack or stroke, developing diabetes, or dying prematurely.

• You can combine moderate and vigorous exercise over the course of the week, and it’s fine to break up your activity into smaller bursts as long as you sustain the activity for at least 10 minutes.

Exercise Intensity:

• Moderate-intensity aerobic activity is any activity that causes a slight but noticeable increase in breathing and heart rate. One way to gauge moderate activity is with the “talk test”—exercising hard enough to break a sweat but not so hard you can’t comfortably carry on a conversation.

• Vigorous-intensity aerobic activity causes more rapid breathing and a greater increase in heart rate, but you should still be able to carry on a conversation—with shorter sentences.

Here is a summary of the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. More information is available on the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans website.

Children and adolescents should get at least 1 hour or more a day of physical activity in age-appropriate activities, spending most of that engaged in moderate- or vigorous–intensity aerobic activities. They should partake in vigorous-intensity aerobic activity on at least three days of the week, and include muscle-strengthening and bone strengthening activities on at least three days of the week.

Healthy adults should get a minimum of 2-1/2 hours per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or a minimum of 1-1/4 hours per week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or a combination of the two. That could mean a brisk walk for 30 minutes a day, five days a week; a high-intensity spinning class one day for 45 minutes, plus a half hour jog another day; or some other combination of moderate and vigorous activity. Doubling the amount of activity (5 hours moderate- or 2-1/2 hours vigorous-intensity aerobic activity) provides even more health benefits. Adults should also aim to do muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week.

Healthy older Adults should follow the guidelines for healthy adults. Older adults who cannot meet the guidelines for healthy adults because of chronic conditions should be as physically active as their abilities and conditions allow. People who have chronic conditions such as arthritis and type 2 diabetes should talk to a healthcare provider about the amount and type of activity that is best. Physical activity can help people manage chronic conditions, as long as the activities that individuals choose match their fitness level and abilities. Even just an hour a week of activity has health benefits. Older adults who are at risk of falling should include activities that promote balance. (37)

Strength training for all ages

Studies have shown strength training to increase lean body mass, decrease fat mass, and increase resting metabolic rate (a measurement of the amount of calories burned per day) in adults. (59, 60) While strength training on its own typically does not lead to weight loss, (61) its beneficial effects on body composition may make it easier to manage one’s weight and ultimately reduce the risk of disease, by slowing the gain of fat—especially abdominal fat. (62)

• Muscle is metabolically active tissue; it utilizes calories to work, repair, and refuel itself. Fat, on the other hand, doesn’t use as much energy. We slowly lose muscle as part of the natural aging process, which means that the amount of calories we need each day starts to decrease, and it becomes easier to gain weight.

• Strength training regularly helps preserve lean muscle tissue and can even rebuild some that has been lost already.

• Weight training has also been shown to help fight osteoporosis. For example, a study in postmenopausal women examined whether regular strength training and high-impact aerobics sessions would help prevent osteoporosis. Researchers found that the women who participated in at least two sessions a week for three years were able to preserve bone mineral density at the spine and hip; over the same time period, a sedentary control group showed bone mineral density losses of 2 to 8 percent. (63)

• In older populations, resistance training can help maintain the ability to perform functional tasks such as walking, rising from a chair, climbing stairs, and even carrying one’s own groceries. An emerging area of research suggests that muscular strength and fitness may also be important to reducing the risk of chronic disease and mortality, but more research is needed. (64-68)

• A systematic review of 8 studies examining the effects of weight-bearing and resistance-based exercises on the bone mineral density (BMD) in older men found resistance training to be an effective strategy for preventing osteoporosis in this population. Resistance training was found to have more positive effects on BMD than walking, which has a lower impact. (69)

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends that muscle strengthening activities be done at least two days a week. (37) Different types of strength training activities are best for different age groups.

• When talking about the benefits of exercise, keeping the heart and blood vessels healthy usually gets most of the attention. For many individuals, though, stretching and strength training exercises may be just as important.

• Strength training, also known as resistance training, weight training, or muscle-strengthening activity, is one of the most beneficial components of a fitness program.

Children and Adolescents: Choose unstructured activities rather than weight lifting exercises. (37)

Examples:

• Playing on playground equipment
• Climbing trees
• Playing tug-of-war

Active Adults: Weight training is a familiar example, but there are other options: (37)

• Calisthenics that use body weight for resistance (such as push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups)
• Carrying heavy loads
• Heavy gardening (such as digging or hoeing)

Older Adults: The guidelines for older adults are similar to those for adults; older adults who have chronic conditions should consult with a health care provider to set their activity goals. (37) Muscle strengthening activities in this age group include the following:

• Digging, lifting, and carrying as part of gardening
• Carrying groceries
• Some yoga and tai chi exercises
• Strength exercises done as part of a rehab program or physical therapy

Flexibility training

Flexibility training or stretching exercise is another important part of overall fitness. It may help older adults preserve the range of motion they need to perform daily tasks and other physical activities. (70, 71)

• The American Heart Association recommends that healthy adults engage in flexibility training two to three days per week, stretching major muscle and tendon groups. (60)

• For older adults, the American Heart Association and American College of Sports Medicine recommend two days a week of flexibility training, in sessions at least 10 minutes long. (70) Older adults who are at risk of falling should also do exercises to improve their balance.

References

37. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, U.S.D.o.H.a.H. Services, Editor. 2008.

43. Lee, I.M., et al., Physical activity and weight gain prevention. JAMA, 2010. 303(12): p. 1173-9.

44. Jakicic, J.M., et al., Effect of exercise duration and intensity on weight loss in overweight, sedentary women: a randomized trial. JAMA, 2003. 290(10): p. 1323-30.

49. Sesso, H.D., R.S. Paffenbarger, Jr., and I.M. Lee, Physical activity and coronary heart disease in men: The Harvard Alumni Health Study. Circulation, 2000. 102(9): p. 975-80.

59. Hunter, G.R., J.P. McCarthy, and M.M. Bamman, Effects of resistance training on older adults. Sports Med, 2004. 34(5): p. 329-48.

60. Williams, M.A., et al., Resistance exercise in individuals with and without cardiovascular disease: 2007 update: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association Council on Clinical Cardiology and Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism. Circulation, 2007. 116(5): p. 572-84.

61. Committee, P.A.G.A., Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Report. Washington, D.C.(2008).

62. Schmitz, K.H., et al., Strength training and adiposity in premenopausal women: strong, healthy, and empowered study. Am J Clin Nutr, 2007. 86(3): p. 566-72.

63. Engelke, K., et al., Exercise maintains bone density at spine and hip EFOPS: a 3-year longitudinal study in early postmenopausal women. Osteoporos Int, 2006. 17(1): p. 133-42.

64. Katzmarzyk, P.T. and C.L. Craig, Musculoskeletal fitness and risk of mortality. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2002. 34(5): p. 740-4.

65. Gale, C.R., et al., Grip strength, body composition, and mortality. Int J Epidemiol, 2007. 36(1): p. 228-35.

66. Bohannon, R.W., Hand-grip dynamometry predicts future outcomes in aging adults. J Geriatr Phys Ther, 2008. 31(1): p. 3-10.

67. Ling, C.H., et al., Handgrip strength and mortality in the oldest old population: the Leiden 85-plus study. CMAJ, 2010. 182(5): p. 429-35.

68. Ruiz, J.R., et al., Association between muscular strength and mortality in men: prospective cohort study. BMJ, 2008. 337: p. a439.

69. Bolam, K.A., J.G. van Uffelen, and D.R. Taaffe, The effect of physical exercise on bone density in middle-aged and older men: A systematic review. Osteoporos Int, 2013.

70. Nelson, M.E., et al., Physical activity and public health in older adults: recommendation from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Circulation, 2007. 116(9): p. 1094-105.