Physical Activity for Older Adults - NYC Health

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Physical Activity for Older Adults

Regular physical activity is one of the best ways older adults can protect and improve their health. Finding the time to get active every day can keep you mobile and independent and reduce the risk of many health problems.

To improve your health and lower your risk of falls, it is important to regularly do:

Moderate and intense aerobic exercises

Muscle-strengthening exercises

Balance-training exercises

Recommended Amount of Activity

Each week, older adults should try to do at least:

Two hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise

One hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise

Two days of muscle-strengthening exercise

Three days of balance-training exercises

For aerobic activities, exercise for 10 minutes at a time, spread across at least five days each week. Two minutes of moderate-intensity activity counts the same as one minute of vigorous-intensity activity.

For muscle-strengthening, exercise until it becomes difficult to continue. Target legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms.

Remember, more activity is always better, but any amount is better than none.

Exercises

For aerobic exercises, you can:

Walk/jog

Dance

Swim

Take water aerobics or other exercise classes

Ride a bike

Golf without a cart

Garden, rake or push a lawn mower

To strengthen muscles, you can:

Work with exercise bands or hand-held weights

Carry groceries

Dig, lift or carry items while gardening

Do pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups or other resistance exercises

To improve your balance, you can:

Walk backwards, sideways, on your heels and on your toes

Stand up from a sitting position

Take a tai chi class

Evidence-based Falls Prevention Physical Activity Programs

Participants who complete these programs have been shown to reduce their personal falls risk. There are many types of programs, including Tai Chi for Arthritis, A Matter of Balance, Bingocize® and more.

For more information, contact your local Older Adult Center.

Exercise: Getting Started

CDC Physical Activity Guidelines for Older Adults

Tips to Incorporate Physical Activity into Daily Life

Exercise & Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide from the National Institute on Aging

Additional Resources

NYC Department for the Aging offers additional fitness resources including programs at some senior centers

Shape Up NYC offers free fitness classes every week in each of the five boroughs

Bicycling in New York City

NYC Parks offers a variety of local programs for older adults

City Parks Foundation offers free tennis lessons, yoga, instruction and fitness walking

YMCA offers a variety of classes specifically designed for older adults

Exercises for Arthritis

National Institute on Aging – Go4Life Exercises

More Information

Preventing Falls in Older Adults

Fall Prevention Main Page

Manage Your Medicine

Manage Chronic Conditions

Vision and Hearing in Older Adults

Caring for Your Feet

Reduce Fear of Falling

In Case of a Fall

Traffic Injury Data and Safety Tips