Senior Adults
As an older adult, regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Physical activity is essential to healthy aging. It can prevent many of the health problems that seem to come with age. It also helps your muscles grow stronger so you can keep doing your day-to-day activities without becoming dependent on others.
Not doing any physical activity can be bad for you, no matter your age or health condition. Keep in mind, some physical activity is better than none at all. Your health benefits will also increase with the more physical activity that you do.
If you're 65 years of age or older, are generally fit, and have no limiting health conditions you can follow the guidelines listed below.----------------------------------------------------------------------
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For important health benefits:
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Older adults need at least:
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2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (i.e., brisk walking) every week and |
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muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms). |
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- OR -
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1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity (i.e., jogging or running) every week and |
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muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms). |
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- OR -
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An equivalent mix of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity and |
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muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms). |
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10 minutes at a time!
We know 150 minutes each week sounds like a lot of time, but it's not. That's 2 hours and 30 minutes, about the same amount of time you might spend watching a movie. The good news is that you can spread your activity out during the week, so you don't have to do it all at once. You can even break it up into smaller chunks of time during the day. It's about what works best for you, as long as you're doing physical activity at a moderate or vigorous effort for at least 10 minutes at a time.
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For even greater health benefits:
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Older adults should increase their activity to:
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5 hours (300 minutes) each week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity and |
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muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms). |
- OR -
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2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) each week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity and |
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muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms). |
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- OR -
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An equivalent mix of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity and |
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muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms). |
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Information on this page has been in part provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and other local community resources. Before starting any physical activity program consult your healthcare professional or physician.