No matter how you look at it, fitness is a key part of healthy aging. But you can’t just skate into your golden years looking great while doing minimal amounts of cardio. You should be focusing on anti-aging exercises that can help you boost your strength, balance and mobility. In turn, this can help you sustain healthy habits as well as your independence as you get older. You can’t discount exercise as a way to help you maintain your brain health as well.

Regular exercise can also prevent you from relying on others for daily assistance with your activities. However, your workout routine will change to accommodate your changing needs. To figure out which anti-aging exercises older adults should focus on to maintain wellness, we spoke with experts. 

Is exercise safe for older adults?

A common misconception among the aging population is that exercise is unsafe and should be avoided. This is untrue and works against older adults’ desire to achieve and maintain optimal health. Fitness is key to healthy aging, even when it comes to brain fitness. 

An unfortunate fact is that aging increases the risk of many diseases, per the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Regular physical activity helps to reduce the risk of the same conditions, like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer and dementia. 

Physical activity is safe for older adults when done correctly and is necessary for a healthy life. The benefits of exercise among the aging population are strongly supported by the CDC, physical therapists and personal trainers across the globe.

Kevin Robinson, a physical therapist and professor of orthopedics and kinesiology, shared some general guidelines for safe exercising for older adults: 

• Focus on minimal-impact activities, like water exercise, recumbent stationary bikes and ellipticals. 
• Join SilverSneakers programs, which are often offered at local health clubs. These are usually covered by insurance and are designed specifically for older adults. One benefit of these programs is that you can also make friends, which will help you attend consistently. 
• Focus on certain muscle groups like gluteals (butt), quadriceps (thighs), biceps and abdominals, and know your limits. 
• Make stretching and balancing exercises part of your regular exercise program. 

The best anti-aging exercises for older adults

The best exercises for you will depend on factors like your current fitness level and medical conditions requiring a limited or modified approach. It’s never too late to begin a good exercise program. 

The CDC recommends the following weekly physical activity for adults aged 65 and older:

• 150 minutes a week minimum of moderate aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, like jogging. 
• Two days a week minimum of strengthening exercises, like lifting weights.
• Balance-improving activities, like balancing on one foot.

Here are some examples of what that exercise routine can look like for older adults. 

1. Moderate cardio 

The CDC defines moderate aerobic activity, also known as cardio, as a 5 or 6 on a scale of one (sitting still) to 10 (working hard). Some activities that are light cardio for one person may be moderate cardio for another.

Walking is a common form of moderate cardio, especially popular with older adults. “Walking can be a great activity,” Robinson said. “But many people with arthritis cannot tolerate walking for distances. This is because the average ground reaction force going through the knee is 1.2 to 1.5 times the person’s body weight. So, what seems like a minimal impact activity can be too much.”

Robinson recommends water exercise for patients with arthritis in their legs or feet. “This reduces the forces through the knee by 50% to 75% as compared to walking on land,” he said.

Other forms of moderate cardio include hiking, running errands or doing certain chores (like raking leaves), some types of yoga, bike riding and using an elliptical.

2. Light strength exercises

Erin Stimac, personal trainer and group exercise instructor, says functional movements are the foundation for maintaining independence, reducing the risk of injury and enhancing your overall quality of life. Erin recommends incorporating strength exercises that cover essential functional movements:

• Squatting (sitting and standing): Squatting exercises are vital for regular daily life and contribute to improved mobility and stability.
• Hinging (bending down): Essential for tasks like picking up objects, hinging exercises strengthen the lower back and promote flexibility.
• Pushing (body weight or objects): Pushing enhances upper body strength and supports activities like getting up from the ground or lifting objects.
• Pulling (toward the body): This strengthens the back muscles and is crucial for maintaining posture and balance.
• Carrying: Life often requires you to carry objects from one point to another. Reduced grip strength is closely linked to mortality, predicting risk for early death better than blood pressure. 

Some specific CDC-recommended light strength exercises that can incorporate functional movements include weight lifting, using resistance bands, working in a garden, bodyweight exercises like pull-ups or push-ups, and various yoga postures.

3. Exercises to help your balance

It is common for older adults to have balance problems. Good balance, however, reduces the risk of falls.

“To improve balance, you need to perform balance activities for short periods of time throughout the day, as opposed to 10 to 15 minutes once a day,” said Robinson. He recommends the following balance activities, which can usually be done safely at home:

• Stand on both feet in front of a counter. Let go of the counter to see how long you can maintain your balance without grasping the counter. Repeat this activity three to five times throughout the day until you’ve built up to three 45-second periods. Once you’ve achieved this, move on to the next exercise. 
• Repeat the balance exercise above, but this time close your eyes. 

Yoga is also a common form of exercise known to improve balance, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. 

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Exercises older adults should avoid

Are there specific exercises older adults should avoid entirely? According to Stimac, the answer is generally no. 

“Contrary to common beliefs, there’s no need for older adults to shy away from any specific movements,” Stimac said. “The fear of injury should not deter them from engaging in strength training. Instead of focusing on limitations, we should explore what movements are suitable for each individual.” 

If you have a disease, condition or injury that involves physical limitations, you should always follow the guidance of your medical doctor. With proper guidance and modifications, you can still find ways to achieve physical fitness. 

Stimac says there’s no one-size-fits-all approach and that every aging person deserves a tailored program that enhances strength and ability while considering individual needs. “By embracing personalized plans and debunking myths, we empower older adults to lead active and fulfilling lives,” she said. 

A 12-week study shows that low-impact yoga and exercise can significantly reduce urinary incontinence episodes in older women, offering a safe, accessible alternative to medications

It’s more likely than not that personal trainers will work with female clients who deal with incontinence issues, which could be an obstacle on their path to the fitness and wellness goals. Recent research supports the belief that solutions are available, and exercise may be one of them.

A recent study led by Stanford Medicine and the University of California, San Francisco, has found that low-impact exercise programs, such as yoga and general stretching, significantly reduce urinary incontinence episodes in older women. The research, published in Annals of Internal Medicine on August 27, provides promising alternatives for women seeking non-pharmacological treatments.

A Underreported & Common Issue

Urinary incontinence affects more than half of middle-aged women and up to 80% of women over 80 and can interfere with daily activities and significantly impact quality of life. The study examined the effects of a 12-week low-impact yoga program and found a 65% reduction in incontinence episodes among participants.

“We were testing the kind of yoga that just about anyone can do, with modifications for different physical abilities,” said Dr. Leslee Subak, chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Stanford Medicine and the study’s senior author. “What I love about it is that it’s safe, inexpensive, doesn’t require a doctor and is accessible wherever you live.”

The research set out to find cost-effective and accessible solutions for a problem that is often stigmatized and underreported. According to Subak, incontinence is mistakenly viewed as an inevitable part of aging, though treatments are available.

“Incontinence is not only common, but it also interferes with people’s lives,” Subak noted. “It takes away independence. Many women avoid staying with their children or grandchildren due to the fear and embarrassment of an accident.”

Study Parameters

The study involved 240 women between the ages of 45 and 90, all experiencing daily incontinence. Participants were divided into two groups: one practicing 16 hatha yoga poses aimed at strengthening the pelvic floor, and the other group performing general stretching and strengthening exercises.

Both groups attended two 90-minute exercise sessions weekly and were asked to practice independently for at least an hour per week.

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Both the yoga and the control groups experienced significant improvements. Participants in the yoga group reported an average of 2.3 fewer daily incontinence episodes, while those in the general exercise group saw a reduction of 1.9 episodes per day. These results are comparable to the 30% to 70% improvement rates seen with medications for incontinence, according to the researchers.

Subak emphasized the importance of regular activity, which is good news for fitness professionals who work with this population.

“One of the take-home messages from this study is ‘Be active!’ I’m impressed that exercise did so well and that yoga did so well,” Subak added.

The benefits of physical activity, including yoga, extend beyond managing incontinence. As the study’s lead author, Dr. Alison Huang, professor at UCSF, pointed out, being physically active helps reduce the risk of other health issues, such as falls and bone fractures, which can be exacerbated by conditions like incontinence.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, with contributions from researchers at Yale University and San Francisco State University.

Is there one exercise that can offer strength, endurance, muscle gain, and fat loss all at the same time? Arnold Schwarzenegger believes so. On September 6, 2024, in his Arnold’s Pump Club Newsletter, he lays out the overarching physical benefits of rucking or walking while carrying extra weight.  

The fitness space is absolutely obsessed with exercise selection, and for good reason. We have a limited amount of time and opportunities to fulfill our exercise needs, whether it’s at the gym, outside in the sun, or inside of our homes. 

However, with so many different muscle groups and targeted areas of concern, making genuine progress across the board can seem nearly impossible. This has led to a rapid increase in conversations about which exercises are best to build muscle.

We’ve seen countless takes on the hot subject. Nutritionist Stan Efferding, former seven-time Olympia Phil Heath, Chris Bumstead, and Nick Walker have all offered their top 10 exercises for muscle growth, but what if they could only pick one? 

Look no further as Arnold Schwarzenegger breaks down why rucking is the ultimate ‘Swiss Army Knife’ of exercise that can help you ‘achieve every fitness goal imaginable.’ 

Arnold Schwarzenegger Explains Why Rucking Is ‘The Swiss Army Knife’ of ‘Muscle Gain and Fat Loss’

According to recent research shared by Schwarzenegger, rucking may be the only exercise you need to improve strength, endurance, muscle gain, and fat loss.  

“The Only Exercise You Need?
If we told you that there was only one exercise you need to improve strength and endurance — while improving muscle gain and fat loss — would that be something you might be interested in? (Entourage fans, eat your heart out).”

“Research suggests that rucking — or walking while carrying extra weight — might be the Swiss army knife of exercise because of its ability to help you achieve every fitness goal imaginable.”

Of course, as a seven-time Mr. Olympia winner, Schwarzenegger utilized a range of exercises to build his larger-than-life physique and maintains that one movement alone is not likely to fulfill all of your needs. Though he enjoys various exercises, if he had to pick, rucking checks the most boxes. 

“Hype aside, we don’t believe there’s only one exercise anyone needs to do. The best type of exercise is the one that you’ll do consistently, and research shows that you’ll benefit from a mix of strength and cardio.

But if you had to pick one that checks all the boxes, rucking would do it better than anything else. It’s an activity you can do alone or with friends, and it gets you outdoors—which, as we’ve shared before, is good for your physical and mental health.”

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The scientific literature also suggests that rucking makes you stronger, builds endurance, and improves stamina without causing joint degradation. 

“Research suggests that rucking makes you stronger, builds endurance, improves stamina, and does so without much impact on your joints. If that wasn’t enough, studies have found that rucking helps you burn 100 more calories per hour than jogging at a moderate pace. And if you compare it to walking, researchers from South Carolina estimate that rucking can burn at least 2 to 3 times more calories than walking.”

In one study, Schwarzenegger revealed that wearing a heavily weighted pack led to participants losing three more pounds than those who wore lighter vests. He echoed that the ‘pounds seemingly disappeared’ even though they didn’t change other aspects of exercise or diet. 

“One study even found that wearing a heavily weighted pack resulted in participants losing three more pounds than those wearing a light vest. The cool part? The pounds seemingly disappeared despite not changing any other aspects of exercise or diet.

Scientists are investigating whether carrying the extra weight might trick your body into producing more leptin, a hormone in your fat cells. This could reduce hunger, increase your metabolism, and limit fat storage.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger isn’t the only proponent of rucking. Health expert and physician Dr. Peter Attia credited rucking as one of his top exercises (among a list of 10 movements) that can aid lifelong fitness and health. Additionally, Stanford professor and neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman commits to one long ruck per week, which has long made up an integral part of his workout split for 30 years. 

I ruck to the gym three days a week and have found success with my endurance and strength over time. If you’re looking for a new way to challenge yourself and want to gain muscle and burn fat, give it a try! 

RELATED: Rucking Basics for Fitness and Fat Loss