Easy Ways to Stay Active After 70

Staying active can be challenging as you age, especially if you live with mobility issues. But even with limitations like joint pain, muscle weakness, or balance problems, it's possible to make movement a part of your regular routine.

While the idea of exercise might conjure up images of sweaty people at a gym, the truth is, any activity that gets your body moving counts, and it doesn't need to involve a gym. Exercise for seniors at home can include activities like doing the laundry or mowing the lawn. And even short stints of activity lasting just a few minutes can lead to improvements in your health, physical function, and wellbeing, according to findings published in the journal Sports Medicine. These expert-recommended ideas are a great place to start. Lace up your comfy shoes, grab a bottle of water, and get ready to move.

Why Exercise Is Important for Seniors

Forming good fitness habits after 60 is a must for protecting your health and well-being. And that's even more true whether you're 70, 75, 80, or beyond. "Exercise is one of the most effective 'medicines' we have for healthy aging," says David Cutler, M.D., a board-certified family medicine physician at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA.

According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), being active can prevent bone loss, relieve osteoarthritis pain, boost immunity, and reduce your risk for chronic diseases like heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and colon cancer. Exercise is also a major mood booster and is tied to lower rates of anxiety and depression. And it can help you sleep better, too.

As a senior, you should aim to get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week, or around 30 minutes five days a week. If you'd like to break it up into shorter stints, that's just fine. "Three 10-minute walks or two 15-minute walks provide essentially the same health benefits as one continuous 30-minute walk. Breaking exercise into shorter sessions often makes it easier to stay consistent," Dr. Cutler says.

Round out your aerobic exercise with two weekly sessions of resistance training, along with regular balance activities (like taking steps backwards or standing on one leg). Strength training for seniors is the key to reducing your risk for falls and fractures, recommends the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Take a Seated Dance Class

Chair boogie-ing is a trending activity among the senior set these days, and for good reason. Seated exercises can give you a solid aerobic and strength-boosting workout, per Harvard Health Publishing. They've been shown to support better flexibility and balance too, found a randomized controlled trial published in BMC Geriatrics.

Plus, grooving out to your favorite tunes is just plain fun. And when it comes to keeping up a regular fitness routine, that counts for a lot. "Optimizing joy is so important for health and who doesn't get joy from dancing it out to good tunes," says Shannon Leggett, PT, a physical therapist based in New York City.

You can look for seated dance classes at your local senior or community center or YMCA. Or pull up a YouTube video and try one at home with your spouse or your grandkids. For an extra challenge, add some light resistance bands or hand weights.

Hit the Pool

Exercising in the water has big benefits. For one, all that buoyancy takes the stress off creaky hips, knees, and ankles while nixing the risk of falling, notes the Cleveland Clinic. And the gentle resistance of water means you get to work on strength and cardiovascular fitness without the need for heavy equipment, Dr. Cutler explains.

Try water walking, side-stepping in shallow water, holding the pool wall while marching, or swimming laps with or without a kick board. Looking for some company? Join a water-based workout at a local gym. You can find classes near you through the YMCA and the Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program.

Grow Something Green

Even non-exercise physical activities like tending to your plants can support your health and longevity. In one study of adults 65 and older published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, participants who regularly engaged in light physical activity—think housework or gardening—lived around two years longer compared to those who did less. Even if you're simply snipping flowers or herbs, "gardening may require some squatting, hinging, and reaching, all of which are important for daily activities," says Leggett.

What's more, gardening can be as labor-intensive or as light as you'd like. If you're passionate about planting, consider visiting or volunteering in an accessible community garden or growing vegetables in raised beds. Looking for something gentler? Consider growing herbs on your windowsill or trying your hand at flower-arranging.

Ready to Roll

Walking is, simply put, one of the best forms of aerobic activity you can do. And you can reap the same benefits even if you use an assistive device like a rollator, according to a clinical trial published in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. "I encourage older adults to gradually increase their activity from wherever they're starting. Even around 6,000 to 8,000 steps per day can provide substantial health benefits for many adults over 70," Dr. Cutler says. (That's roughly 3 miles of total walking throughout the course of your day.)

That said, advice to "take a walk" can be pretty boring if it's just around the block. How about heading somewhere different? Grab your rollator and make yourself a weekly destination schedule (think: the farmer's market on Monday, a weekly senior walking group on Tuesday, a museum outing each Wednesday, and so on). Or pick up a field guide from the bookstore and make it your mission to learn to identify the local flora and fauna in your neighborhood or parks.

Buy a Recumbent Bike

Yes, it's an investment. But one you won't regret. Compared to traditional bicycles, recumbent bikes are a form of gentle exercise for seniors—safer, more stable, and easier on the joints for people with balance or mobility issues, according to the Arthritis Foundation. You can buy a stationary recumbent bike for the house or a real one for the road. And many cities offer cycling groups or classes to help you get comfortable on your new set of wheels. (You can join Facebook groups like Cycling for Seniors to learn more about biking options in your area.)

Tips for Choosing the Right Activity

If you're thinking about starting off with an exercise class (smart move—they're fun!), you might be wondering which one will work best for you. To figure that out, consider these tips:

• Look for classes that are age- and level-appropriate. If you're not sure whether something is a good fit, "talk to a facility manager about the class to get a better understanding of intensity and style. That can help you make an informed decision," Leggett says. Words like "low-impact" or "adaptive" are also green lights.
• Ask about the instructor's experience. Ideally, you want someone who's used to working with older adults or those with mobility issues, Dr. Cutler says. Ask whether the instructor has modifications available for people with arthritis, joint replacements, or osteoporosis, or if movements can be completed while seated or holding onto a chair.
• Give it a try and be patient. Finding the perfect fit can take time, so if you're on the fence about a class, try it once or twice before making a yes-or-no decision. And don't get discouraged if it doesn't work out. "You may need to try a few different options, but once you find something you enjoy, you're much more likely to stick with it," Dr. Cutler says.

When to Check With Your Doctor

Talk with your doctor before starting an exercise program if you have mobility or balance concerns or an underlying chronic health condition, recommend Harvard Health Publishing and the National Institute on Aging. Together, you can decide which types of exercise are appropriate, how to get started, and what gradually increasing the intensity may look like for you.

If you're new to exercising, ask your doctor how you can expect to feel. For instance, while it might be normal to feel some soreness or fatigue, pain is usually a sign that you should stop. And symptoms like dizziness, chest pain, or unusual shortness of breath may warrant medical attention, notes the Mayo Clinic.

Movement Has a Meaning Beyond Fitness

For most folks, staying active after 70 isn't about reclaiming a younger body or reaching an arbitrary fitness goal. Instead, it's about engaging in movement that helps you feel your best—both physically and mentally. "Exercise lengthens your healthspan, or the length of time that you can keep doing what you love. This keeps older adults engaged mentally, socially, and emotionally," Leggett says.

So, look for forms of exercise that offer something more than just burning calories. It might be an opportunity to form new friendships, get some fresh air, or explore your creative side. "When exercise becomes something people genuinely look forward to rather than something they feel they have to do, it becomes much easier to make it a lifelong habit," Dr. Cutler says.

Consider getting started this week—or even today. Pick an activity and commit to doing it for just 10 minutes. You might have so much fun that you want to keep going.