Starting Out With Exercise in Later Life
Exercise in Later Life: the few things that matter most, and the mistakes that catch people out early.
Activity aimed at maintaining strength, balance and independence from around the sixties onward.
Key takeaways
- Activity guideline: 150 minutes moderate a week
- Strengthening: at least 2 days a week
- Most useful single change: Add balance work such as single-leg stands to the routine.
- Commonest mistake: Assuming walking alone maintains muscle mass.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
Why bother
Muscle power declines faster than raw strength with age, and power is what gets you out of a chair and catches you when you trip.
Start here
Begin here, with two things rather than ten.
- Add balance work such as single-leg stands to the routine
- Use machines or bands, which are easier to learn safely
Then add these
The next additions, when you are ready for them.
- Break activity into short blocks across the day
- Report any fall to a GP, even without injury
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Activity guideline | 150 minutes moderate a week |
| Strengthening | at least 2 days a week |
| Balance activities | 2 or more days a week over 65 |
| Documented gains | recorded in trials well into the eighties and nineties |
| Falls | predict further falls; each one warrants assessment |
Common early mistakes
- Assuming walking alone maintains muscle mass
- Skipping lower-body work, which is what standing up depends on
- Waiting for a fall before starting balance training
Where to go next
- The Short Guide to Exercise in Later Life
- What the Guidance Really Says About Exercise in Later Life
- Exercise in Later Life — the reference entry
- Exercise Motivation: What the Evidence Actually Says
- Weekly Activity Targets: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
When to speak to a doctor
See a GP after any fall, even without injury, as the cause is often treatable. Seek prompt assessment for new confusion, which in older adults often indicates infection, dehydration or a medication effect. Call 999 for sudden weakness on one side, difficulty speaking, or a head injury while on anticoagulants.
Where this comes from
- UK Chief Medical Officers — Physical Activity Guidelines for older adults
- NICE — Falls in older people
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.
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