Healthy ageing: how to exercise over 50

Published August 2024 | 6 min read
Expert contributors Cameron Hyde, exercise physiologist at Sydney Sports and Exercise Physiology; Heath Jones, exercise scientist  
Words by Donnay Torr 

Ageing is inevitable – but being unfit and unhealthy isn’t. Ready to start moving but not sure how? Use these tips to help make the most of exercise over 50 and beyond. 

Exercise seems effortless when you’re young – running, surfing and team sports are just part of the fun. But as we age, life gets in the way. Long work hours (often spent sitting) and the challenges of home and family force us to prioritise our time. Too often, regular exercise gets shifted from the ‘must do’ to the ‘if time permits’ list. And before you know it, you find yourself in midlife, out of breath after a flight of stairs, and you realise: I need to start moving.   

The good news? It’s never too late to start exercising – even if you’re in your 80s. A recent study from the University of Sydney found a clear link between starting regular exercise in midlife and improved physical health in women later in life – even if the routine wasn’t started until their mid-50s. 

Is it harder to get fit as we age?

Our bodies change as we age, losing muscle mass, strength, stamina and coordination, and maintaining fitness does get harder, especially if you haven’t been consistently active. Chronic conditions and old injuries often surface during midlife, and older adults may avoid exercise because they’re worried about getting injured, not being strong or capable enough, or they have chronic pain.

But your body can still do much more than you realise, explains Cameron Hyde, an exercise physiologist at Sydney Sports and Exercise Physiology.

“Many of my over-50s clients lack confidence in their abilities initially, but our bodies are robust and can adapt to the load and stimulus of exercise,” he says. “Shift your thinking from how can I manage my pain/the limited ability I have to I want to be able to do this; help me develop a step-by-step plan to get there.”

Exercising is crucial in your mature years and consistency is key, adds Heath Jones, exercise scientist.

“It’s harder to start after years of inactivity, but don’t internalise the message of ‘my body can’t do this anymore’. Instead, focus on ‘I can exercise regardless of…’,” he says. “You might start slow, but with consistency, you’ll see phenomenal health improvements.”

The benefits of exercise as we age

Regular exercise improves our lives in many ways. Whatever your age, it can reduce the chance of developing chronic conditions and can help manage conditions like the below.

• Hypertension: Exercise helps control body weight, particularly body fat. Losing weight can lower blood pressure as the heart doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood around the body. Regular exercise also improves blood vessel elasticity, reducing blood pressure.
• Diabetes: Exercise helps regulate blood sugar levels and improves insulin sensitivity, enabling cells to use blood glucose more efficiently.
• Obesity: Resistance exercise (using weights, body weight or resistance bands) helps maintain a better muscle-to-fat ratio. When you exercise, you help increase the amount of muscle in your body (known as muscle mass). The more muscles you build, the more kilojoules your body will need to burn to support the use of those muscles. Muscles burn kilojoules quicker than fat cells because of this. So denser muscles increase kilojoule burn.
• Osteoporosis: Resistance exercises stimulate bone mineral density, making bones stronger.
• Mental health: Exercise releases endorphins, the ‘happy hormones’, which help regulate symptoms of depression and anxiety, which can make us happier and more resilient.

Getting fitter can produce a range of other benefits, too, including a better quality of life, a sense of achievement, increased confidence, better mobility, improved mental focus, energy and pain management.

Then there are the social benefits of exercise. “Group classes often lead to friendships – people who train together, then socialise over coffee or dinner,” says Heath.

If a doctor or physiotherapist has recommended an exercise or gym program to treat a specific medical condition (like arthritis, hypertension, obesity, asthma, diabetes or osteoporosis), HCF members covered for health management programs may be able to claim towards the cost. 

The best exercise routines for over 50s

To improve and maintain general health and fitness, a balanced exercise program is best, says Heath, and always speak to your doctor first before you change your exercise routine. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate to intense exercise at least five days a week, broken into:

• two to three strength training sessions (using body weight, weights or resistance bands)
• two cardiorespiratory sessions (raising your heart rate to the point where you can’t hold a conversation)
• one or two mobility/flexibility sessions, like yoga or stretching.

If you struggle to find time for 150 minutes of weekly exercise, prioritise strength training, suggests Cameron. “Muscle-strengthening exercises improve skeletal muscle mass, mobility, agility and load-bearing ability,” he says. “They benefit bone health, and better grip strength is linked to reduced all-cause mortality.”

The enjoyment factor is also important, notes Heath. “Join a class for over 50s to train with people who understand where you’re at. These classes specialise in providing support to over 50s and help with exercise modifications if needed, like alternative knee-strengthening exercises if you struggle with painful knees.”

No exercise is necessarily off limits as you age, says Cameron, “as long as you consider your training history, goals, any muscular-skeletal issues and related risks. There’s always a suitable program for your needs and abilities.”

Most people can start slowly and gradually build intensity, says Heath. However, “if a movement aggravates an injury or condition, the rule is: don’t do it.”

Should I exercise with chronic pain?

Yes, is the answer, but only in consultation with your doctor. Exercise can help control chronic pain conditions like lower back pain, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and neuropathic pain. Exercise can also aid in managing sleep disturbances, fatigue, anxiety and depression – often linked with chronic pain. 

 Low-impact activities such as walking, swimming, cycling, yoga and Pilates are beneficial, as they generally don’t strain the joints. Likewise, somatic exercises, which involve mindful movement and a slow, gentle approach, can also be helpful. Examples include water aerobics and tai chi. 

 “For people with chronic pain, any movement they can tolerate is good,” says Cameron. “However, appropriate strength training is also important. Work with a professional to develop a suitable exercise program and set realistic goals and expectations.”  

To learn practical tips to cope with chronic pain, you can ask your GP, medical specialist, psychologist or other allied health specialist to refer you to This Way Up’s Chronic Pain Program^*. Developed by experienced psychologists and psychiatrists and including evidence-based cognitive behavioural therapy, the free online program can teach you practical tips and tools for managing chronic pain and minimising its impact on your daily life.

What to do before you start exercising

The first step? See your doctor. “If you’re planning a major life change like starting an exercise program or altering your diet, talk to your GP and get a physiological baseline,” says Cameron.

You might need a blood test to check for underlying conditions. Your GP can advise on managing chronic conditions or refer you to an exercise physiologist or physiotherapist to check for muscle imbalances or assess major injuries. Then, work with a professional to create a custom exercise plan and get their guidance on how to use the exercise equipment you need.

For extra support, eligible HCF members can get free access to Osteoarthritis Healthy Weight for Life, an evidence-based program designed to kickstart weight loss to reduce burden on joints, strengthen muscles and improve mobility. The program is specifically for members with a BMI of 28, and who are living with osteoarthritis^{^}.

The benefits of tracking your exercise gains

If it's winter, or you’re busy, injured or stressed, it’s natural that your motivation to exercise can lessen, but when this happens, tracking your progress can help, says Heath.

“When someone is losing steam, I get them in for an assessment to show their progress. We compare their starting metrics (body fat, resting heart rate, weight, range of motion, strength, pain scores, happiness) to their current ones. Monitoring these improvements gives a sense of achievement. Progress is incremental and the journey long, so seeing how far you’ve come can keep you motivated.”

Five easy exercises for over 50s

Heath suggests these five exercises that can be done at home with little to no exercise equipment.

1. Fake skipping

Aim for: three sets of 20 to 40 reps.

Why it’s good: It’s a low-impact, all-over body warm-up.

How to do it: Simply pretend you’re using a skipping rope. Twirl both arms forward while simultaneously doing a small jump. Depending on your fitness, you can do this exercise without jumping – instead concentrate on your hand movements and bending your knees (keeping your back straight) when the ‘rope’ comes to the ground.

2. Dumbbell rows

Aim for: 12 to 15 reps.

Why it’s good: It strengthens the upper back and improves posture.

How to do it: Hold dumbbells by your sides (choose a challenging but not too heavy weight), bend your knees and push your hips back while bending forward in a ‘bowing’ motion, keeping your back flat. Pull arms up through elbows, feeling your shoulder blades come together. Lower weights slowly and keep glutes contracted to support your lower back. Continue for 12 to 15 reps – try to do these without stopping.

3. Rear lunge with bicep curl

Aim for: eight to 10 reps each side.

Why it’s good: It improves balance and upper and lower body strength.

How to do it: Hold a dumbbell in each hand, step back with one leg and lower your body, keeping arms straight and bending both knees at a 90-degree angle. Raise your body by pushing through legs, doing a bicep curl at the same time.

4. Push-ups (wall or floor)

Aim for: 12 to 15 reps.

Why it’s good: It builds upper body and core strength and improves shoulder mobility.

How to do it: Do push-ups against a wall – or on the ground for a bigger challenge. Position hands flat on the surface, facing out, in front of or below shoulders. Press into the wall or floor and straighten your arms. Once fully extended, slowly bend your arms to complete the push-up cycle. Brace your core by drawing in your belly button during this movement. Keep your glutes contracted to maintain good form.

5. Standing knees to elbows

Aim for: eight to 10 reps each side.

Why it’s good: It strengthens core, especially obliques (found on the sides of the abdomen, extending from ribs to pelvis).

How to do it: Stand with your arms up, elbows bent. Lift one knee to the outside of your body, drawing down the same elbow to meet the top of the knee. Return to starting position and repeat on opposite side.

Living a healthier life

Alongside regular exercise, maintaining a healthy mind and body also requires a well-balanced diet. That’s why we’re helping eligible members save on the evidence-based CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet⁺. Created by Australia’s national science agency, the program combines a higher protein, low-GI eating plan with proven weight management tools to help improve habits and create lifelong positive behavio-osteoporosis