Exercising as We Age

by Susan Ingraham (March 11, 2026)

When you hit 50, you may still approach physical activity based on your experiences in your thirties or forties. Theresa MacPhail, a contributor to The Guardian, asked if the anti-aging messaging has resulted in a new problem of injuries from over-exercising. Weill Cornell Medicine geriatrician Dr. Emily Finkelstein advises us to change our expectations and how we exercise as we age.

Changes in the Body with Aging

• The peak for muscle mass and performance is in our mid-thirties, according to Dr. Emily Finkelstein. She says that we need to “be flexible in terms of what we’re doing and expecting of ourselves.” Sarcopenia, or age-related loss of muscle mass, affects balance and strength. Starting in your 30s, you lose about 3-8 percent of your muscle mass per decade, and more after turning 60.
• Johns Hopkins Medicine notes that older bodies are more likely to have stiff tendons, decreased strength, and reduced range of motion, which all contribute to injuries such as back strain, sprains, and muscle and tendon injuries.
• Balance, coordination, and proprioception decline, increasing fall risk.
• Cardiovascular capacity — the heart and lungs’ ability to take in oxygen and convert it into energy (VO2 max) — decreases.
• Recovery takes longer.
• Decrease in bone density (osteopenia/osteoporosis) for postmenopausal women (lower estrogen). For men, testosterone levels continue to decline, reducing muscle mass and energy levels.
• Knee issues, such as cartilage or ligament tears. Women are more vulnerable because of wider hips, which create greater stress on the knee during physical activity.

What You Can Do

The Heart Research Institute’s main message is to “keep moving throughout your life. Sustained exercise is what benefits health most.” For those in their sixties, Rachel Straub, MS, CSCS, co-author of Weight Training Without Injury, comments that the sixties “are the most important time in your life to exercise.” She emphasizes the need to be consistent and use proper form.

Dr. Melissa Leber, associate professor of orthopedics and emergency medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine, has a formula:

• In your fifties: spend 50 percent of total exercise time on strength training and 50 percent doing cardio.
• In your sixties: do 60 percent strength and 40 percent cardio.
• In your seventies: 30 percent of a workout should be cardio.

Types of Exercise in Your Fifties and Beyond

The Australian Institute of Fitness suggests the following appropriate exercise types, focusing on mobility, longevity, and quality of life:

• Strength and balance training, including resistance bands, light dumbbells, and bodyweight exercises (doing pushups, squats, lunges, and crunches). When performing strength exercises, quality is essential, so be mindful of the control and precision of your movements. Strength training prevents falls and improves balance. Strong muscles support bones and protect joints. An additional benefit of strength training is its impact on brain health. A study in England found that middle-aged women with stronger legs showed slower cognitive aging, with their brains aging structurally and functionally better. If you fall, you will fall differently, and your recovery time will be shorter. As Alexis Coslick, DO, a sports medicine and rehabilitation expert at Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center, states, “Regular strength exercise can actually prevent you from becoming disabled.” Another benefit is that strength training helps improve digestion and reduces your risk of chronic health problems such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. To build your balance, Coslick suggests practicing standing on one leg with your eyes closed (have something nearby to support you if you lose balance). To make sure you do this daily, try brushing your teeth while standing on one leg.
• Water aerobics provides resistance without stressing joints.
• Tai chi and chair yoga increase flexibility, coordination, and fall prevention. These types of fitness are excellent for balance and relaxation. Dr. Peter Wayne, research director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, comments that tai chi is roughly, depending on intensity, at the same level as a brisk walk, and some research suggests it is also similar to more vigorous forms of weight training.
• Walking clubs or dance classes provide opportunities for socialization and cardiovascular health that are low-impact. Walk fast enough so your breathing rate increases, but you are still able to talk (moderate intensity) and you “break a sweat.” If you have been a runner, walking is less impact and can be as effective as running for reducing the risk of chronic conditions.

Tips When Exercising as an Older Adult

• Include longer warm-ups and cool-downs, and allow modifications.
• Avoid isolation by participating in group fitness.
• Avoid high-risk activities that increase the risk of falls and injury (high-impact activities or complex agility drills).
• Have a realistic and adaptive mindset.
• Go for variety — Sarah Witkowski, an exercise physiologist and associate professor at Smith College, tells The New York Times that to maximize benefits, you want to “keep your body guessing.” Variety is also good for heart health, including blood pressure. Small changes are beneficial. An example is lunging in different directions or doing lunges with overhead dumbbell presses, or changing your walking routine by choosing a route with more hills or walking as fast as you can.
• Make your exercise plan progressive. Physiotherapist Lauren Lynass of the fitness platform [P]rehab advises people to continually increase the weight they lift or the number of repetitions.
• Reduce stress on joints — for example, do a warm-up, wear the right kinds of shoes, and maintain a healthy weight to lessen stress on the knees. Consider exercising in water, which provides buoyancy and reduces joint stress.
• Don’t push through pain — consult your doctor or a physiotherapist to guide you on appropriate exercises, especially if you have chronic conditions. With aging, chronic conditions increase. Move as your level of physical fitness allows, with the goal of moving more and sitting less.
• Be aware that recovery takes longer for older adults — use gentle stretching daily, prioritize sleep, hydrate frequently, and avoid alcohol (alcohol impairs muscle repair). According to the Australian Institute of Fitness, recovery days still include activity, such as light walking or mobility work. How do you know if you have done too much exercise? It is normal to have a little muscle soreness after workouts, especially in the beginning. If you are not recovering between workouts, you could be overdoing it and need to reduce the intensity or frequency of your workouts until you find the “sweet spot.” You want to do an exercise routine you enjoy to maintain it.
• Have a backup plan if you injure yourself — for example, adjust your routine. For example, Dr. Leber suggests that if you sustain an injury while running, replace running with a modified strength-training routine and a lower-impact activity, such as swimming. When you return to running, run less frequently and shorter distances. To avoid injury or overuse, take one to two days off for rest.

Consult Your Doctor

Speak with your doctor before commencing exercise — especially if you have a chronic health condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart or lung disease, osteoporosis, a neurological disease, or mobility issues such as arthritis or poor balance. Harvard Medical School reports that people who have been inactive but start doing regular, moderate-intensity exercise reap the most benefit.

Important — it is essential to determine the physical activities you enjoy and can maintain regularly.

Resources

• SAFE website — developed by the Geriatric Division of Medicine at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), SAFE is a series of exercise videos with one goal: to improve your quality of life. The prevention of falls, as well as overcoming the fear of falling, is a big part of that. SAFE will help make you feel stronger and more confident. You can click on the video (found on the right side of the homepage) featuring Dr. José A. Morais, Director, Division of Geriatric Medicine, to learn more about SAFE.
• Choose to Move Program website — a free and flexible program that provides you with the motivation and support to become more active. It can help you integrate activity into your daily routine, meet new friends, and make a positive change. It is for anyone aged 55 and older who wants to become active, regardless of ability. If you live in BC, you can join them either in person or become part of their thriving online Choose to Move community.
• Active Aging Canada website — features a physical activity directory. Older adults often don’t know how to become physically active, or how to keep doing so safely. This physical activity directory helps connect you to active aging resources to help you get and stay physically active.
• Canada’s 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for 65 plus website and 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for 18 to 64 website
• US MedlinePlus Exercise for Older Adults website

Sources:

• In the Loop magazine, University of Victoria (March 11, 2026)
• The Guardian website
• Australian Institute of Fitness website
• HRI website
• MDLinx website
• The Healthy website
• New York Times website
• Johns Hopkins Medicine website
• Zoe website
• Harvard Medical School website