Workouts for seniors: what the guideline asks for, and a first week

"Stay active" is easy to say. This page makes it specific: what the World Health Organization's guideline asks for, what the research on strength training in older people found, and a first week built from both.

Before you start, talk to your doctor if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, a joint replacement or any other health condition, or if you haven't been active for a long time. I'm a fitness coach, not a doctor.

How much exercise seniors need

The WHO's 2020 guidelines give older adults (65 and over) the same weekly targets as other adults, plus one more:¹

The same guideline says some physical activity is better than none, to start with small amounts and build up gradually, and that older adults should be as active as their functional ability allows.¹ So the targets are where you head, not where you start.

Does strength training work at this age?

• Strength rose on average. A Cochrane review included 121 trials with 6,700 older people. In the 73 trials (3,059 people) that measured muscle strength, progressive strength training had a large positive effect on average, and in the 33 trials (2,172 people) that measured physical ability, a small but significant improvement.²
• On each of four tests. In a separate review of 47 studies of adults aged 50 and over, mostly in their 60s and 70s, strength rose on each of the four tests analysed.³
• Serious problems were rare, but reporting was poor. In the Cochrane review, serious adverse events were rare and none was reported to be directly related to the exercise programme. The authors noted that adverse events were poorly recorded, that joint pain and muscle soreness were reported in many of the studies, and that some caution is needed for that reason.²

"Progressive" is the key word: the weight or the difficulty goes up a little at a time as you get stronger. Progressive overload explains how.

A first week

This is a practical starting point, not a study protocol. Keep every set at a level where you could do two or three more reps, and hold on to a counter or a sturdy chair whenever you want support.

Two strength days (for example Monday and Thursday)

• Sit-to-stand from a chair: 2 sets of 8 to 10. Stand up without using your hands if you can; use them if you need to. The bodyweight squat is the next step.
• Wall or counter push-ups: 2 sets of 8 to 10. Lower the surface over the weeks. How to do push-ups has the progression.
• Band or one-arm dumbbell row: 2 sets of 10 each side. See the dumbbell row.
• Step-ups onto a low step: 2 sets of 6 to 8 each leg, holding a rail. See step-ups.
• Glute bridge: 2 sets of 10. See the glute bridge.
• Calf raises holding a counter: 2 sets of 10 to 12.

Balance practice (three days, a few minutes)

Next to a counter you can grab, and only if you feel steady: stand on one foot for up to 30 seconds each side, then walk heel-to-toe along the counter for a few steps. As it gets easier, hold on less. Do it on three days a week, for example after both strength sessions and on one more day. It's a starting point toward the guideline's three days of balance and strength work, not the whole of it.¹

Walking (most days)

Start with what you do now and add 5 to 10 minutes a day, building toward 150 minutes a week at a moderate pace (a practical rule of thumb: you can talk, but not sing). How many steps a day covers building up your steps.

After two weeks, add a third set to each strength exercise; after a month, start adding a little weight. If a movement causes pain, stop and skip it, and ask your doctor or a physical therapist about it.

Common questions

Is it too late to start lifting at 70?

In one 18-week study of people over 65, with an average age of about 71, both women and men got stronger.⁴ In the Cochrane review of trials in older people, strength rose on average.² Start light and build up gradually, as the guideline says.¹

Is weight training safe for seniors?

In the Cochrane review, serious adverse events were rare and none was reported to be directly related to the exercise, but adverse events were poorly recorded and joint pain and muscle soreness came up in many studies.² That's a summary of trials, not a guarantee for you: start light, and check with your doctor first if you have any health condition.

How many days a week should seniors exercise?

The guideline's version: muscle-strengthening on 2 or more days, balance and strength on 3 or more, and 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity across the week.¹ The first week above has that shape, and the walking builds toward 150 minutes over the following weeks.

Do seniors need special exercises?

Mostly the same movements as anyone, started easier: sitting down and standing up, pushing, pulling and stepping, plus the balance work the guideline adds for older adults.¹

If you'd rather not plan it alone

The hard part isn't the exercise list. It's picking the right starting level and adding a little each week without overdoing it. Strength training over 40 and 50 covers the research in more depth. Coaching is the version built around your body and your week, with a weekly call to adjust it: coaching after 40 explains how it works, and apply tells me where you're starting.