Train Your Body
Stay physically active to build strength, balance, and endurance, so you can keep doing the things you love with energy and confidence.
Movement keeps you independent
Staying active is one of the most powerful things you can do for your health as you age. Regular movement keeps your muscles and bones strong, steadies your balance so you are less likely to fall, and helps your heart, lungs, and mood.
Activity does more than slow decline. Studies show it can restore strength and mobility that people thought they had lost, which means it is rarely too late to feel the benefit. The reward is practical: carrying groceries, climbing stairs, playing with grandchildren, and staying in your own home for longer.
The simple goal: work toward 150 minutes of moderate activity across the week, with some muscle-strengthening and balance practice. You can build up to this slowly, and any movement is better than none.
How active are you right now?
This self-check is the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE), a measure validated with older adults. It asks about your past week, then gives feedback suited to your answers.
Simple ways to add movement
Your self-check gives steps suited to your level. Here is the wider picture that works for almost everyone.
Start where you are
Begin with short walks most days. Even ten minutes counts, and you can add a few minutes each week as you feel ready.
Build toward 150 minutes
Spread moderate activity, such as brisk walking or gardening, across the week. Several short sessions are as good as one long one.
Add strength twice a week
Use resistance bands, light weights, or your own body weight. Standing up from a chair without using your hands is a great place to start.
Practise balance
Activities such as tai chi or standing on one foot lower your chance of a fall. Hold a counter for safety as you learn.
Make it enjoyable
Walk with a friend, join a class, or move to music you love. Activity you look forward to is activity you keep doing.
What the research shows
The advice on this page rests on published studies in aging and health. Open each item to read more.
Activity is linked with living longer
A large analysis combining more than 600,000 people found that meeting the recommended amount of activity was associated with about a third lower risk of early death, compared with being inactive. The benefit began even below the recommended level, so any increase helps.
Arem, H., et al. (2015). Leisure time physical activity and mortality. JAMA Internal Medicine. · Bull, F. C., et al. (2020). WHO 2020 guidelines on physical activity. British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Strength and balance work prevents falls
Programs that combine muscle-strengthening with balance practice reduce the rate of falls in older adults living at home. Falls are a leading cause of injury and lost independence, so this protection matters a great deal.
Activity can reverse features of frailty
A review of studies found that physical activity can reverse aspects of frailty in older adults, restoring strength and function. This is strong reason to start at any age and any starting point.
Trusted programs and guides
Browse these organisations for safe, practical ways to get moving.