How Much Activity Do I Need?

The CDC recommends older adults participate in at least 2 1/2 hours of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, with muscle-strengthening activities at least 2 days a week. This is about 20 minutes, 7 days per week or 30 minutes, 5 days per week.

Everyone can benefit from more movement

Examples of aerobic activities:

Swimming
Walking or hiking
Chair dancing
Water or wheelchair aerobics
Some forms of yoga
Wheeling yourself in a wheelchair
Riding a bike (stationary or outdoors) or using an arm cycle
Some yard work, such as raking and pushing a lawnmower
Sports like tennis or basketball
Walking as part of golf

Examples of muscle-strengthening activities:

Strengthening exercises using exercise bands, weight machines, or hand-held weights
Body-weight exercises (push-ups, pull-ups, planks, squats, lunges)
Digging, lifting, and carrying as part of gardening
Some yoga postures
Some forms of tai chi

Physical activity recommendations are not just for the robust, very healthy older adult.

Exercise can:

help with weight control
strengthen bones, muscles, and joints
reduce the risk for heart disease and other disorders

Two women lifting weights - one is sitting by her walker, the other is sitting in a wheelchair.

Next: Set a Daily Mobility Goal