Staying Fit After 50: Best Exercises for Seniors

09.02.2025 | Category: Health & Well-Being

Expertly reviewed by: Dr. Manoj Pawar, MD, FAAP
Chief Medical Officer, Mutual of Omaha

Summary: Getting fit after 50 is achievable and beneficial. Focus on adapted cardio like walking, dancing or swimming for heart health, and lighter weight training for muscle and bone strength. Prioritize proper form and include stretching like yoga or Tai Chi for flexibility. Always consult a doctor before starting a new routine.

Aging can be overwhelming. Just as your body starts to slow down, getting active becomes more important than ever. You’d be relieved to know that getting fit after 50 is an achievable goal, even if you haven’t been the most active person in your younger years. In fact, an approachable fitness guide can help you lead a life with better heart, muscle and bone health and provide you with added flexibility and stability in your later years.

Adapt to workouts according to your age

Exercise for seniors doesn’t have to be similar to how it was when you were in your 20s. As you age, your muscles begin to lose tone and strength, and your body requires more recovery time than you did when you were younger.

So, to stay fit after 50, the goal must be to train smarter. You must transition to gentler exercise that helps you maintain muscle tone and cardiovascular health without putting a strain on your body. However, it’s always important to consult with your physician before adapting or beginning any exercise regimen.

Cardio exercise for seniors

Cardio is an important part of fitness, and there are ways to adjust your routine to your body’s current capabilities. While you should always consult with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine, the general rule is to aim for 150 minutes per week of moderate cardio activity.

If you are able and want to take things up a notch, making your cardio workout more vigorous reduces the recommended time spent down to 75 minutes per week.²

You can choose from one of the following activities for a good cardio session that can help you maintain your heart health.

Walking and jogging

Walking and jogging can be good examples of senior fitness exercises. If you have not been very active in the past, you must start with walking as your primary workout activity. Walking for 150 minutes per week helps you achieve great benefits for heart health, bone health and overall fitness.³ To take your fitness sessions to the next level, you can replace walking with jogging for up to 75 minutes per week.

However, compared to jogging, which gets your heart pumping faster, walking is gentler on your joints and bones.

Dancing

Cardio can be fun. In fact, if you’re looking for a senior fitness routine that you’ll actually stick to, the more you enjoy it, the better. Depending on the class you join, dancing can count as either a “moderate” or “vigorous” fitness activity. Moreover, in a class setting, you also get to engage with a community, which is another lifestyle factor shown to have positive impacts on your overall health.⁴

Tennis and pickleball

Tennis and pickleball are both cardio exercises that are good for heart health. Engaging in both activities provides a community interaction. Compared to tennis, pickleball may be a little less stressful on arm joints⁵, and is also easily accessible. You can check venues such as your local community park to find a group to play these games regularly.

Cycling

Cycling is a great way to stay fit after 50. It allows you to get cardio exercise, can be adjusted to moderate or more challenging levels depending on your personal fitness goals and engages unique muscle groups like your hip flexors.⁶ Because you’re not sustaining your entire body weight on your legs, it can also be easier on your joints when you use proper form.

Swimming

When you’re in the water, there’s far less pressure on your joints. While gentle exercises in the water can help you improve your knee health,⁷ another option is getting cardio through swimming laps at a pace that’s adapted to your personal fitness levels.

Weight training workout tips

As you age, your body’s muscle mass and bone density decline. Healthy bones serve a number of functions, such as protecting your body from toxins that build up over time. Healthy bones are also less prone to fractures.⁸Therefore, strength training becomes essential. But you don’t have to become a bodybuilder to reap the benefits.

Train smarter, not harder

Lifting lighter weights at comparatively faster speeds is recommended as you age.⁹You’d be surprised at how much muscle mass you can build with regular training sessions at these lower weight levels. As a senior, think dumbbells over barbells.

The big takeaway is not to stress your body. You need more recovery time as you age. Stay within your capacities so you can maintain consistent, regular weightlifting sessions.

Focus on form

Form is essential at any age, and it is particularly important for seniors. It’s admirable to want to “be better,” but if you start chasing perpetual improvement in terms of the amount of weight you’re lifting at the cost of proper form, you’re more likely to injure yourself.

Stretching is integral for senior fitness

Don’t discount stretching as an important form of exercise. Cardio and weight training serve a need, but so does working on your flexibility and stability. These exercises can give you the ability to pursue activities like cycling and lifting weights longer, and they can also help prevent slips and falls, which can be detrimental to your overall health.

Yoga

Yoga improves your overall flexibility and strength while also improving mindfulness and relieving stress. Yoga as an exercise for seniors is adaptable to all fitness levels. While the outcomes of the exercise may be slow, even small progress leads to noticeable improvements over time.

Tai Chi

If yoga sounds too intense as a starting point, you can dip your toes in the water with tai chi. This workout is focused on gentle movements and an almost meditative state, which can help you hone in on individual muscles as you work to relax them and increase their mobility.

Getting fit after 50: It’s never too late

Whether you have been an athlete in your days or you’ve never worked out a day in your life, it’s never too late to take control of your fitness as a senior. Working out isn’t just for the young. In fact, picking up a workout routine later in life can lead to major health benefits for your heart, bones, muscles, and overall flexibility and stability.

Consult with a medical professional before beginning a new workout routine. Additionally, explore the Health & Well-Being section on Mutual of Omaha’s website for more tips on staying fit.

Frequently asked questions

Should I focus on weight loss as I get fit after 50?

Some people may need to lose weight for health purposes as they pursue their fitness goals after 50. You can do so with a targeted fitness routine and a healthy diet. However, any specific regimens are best formulated with the assistance of your doctor.

How can I get fit after 50 as a woman?

Women are just as capable of getting fit after 50 as men. Women in particular may want to have discussions with their doctor about bone health, which can sometimes be helped through weight training and dietary regimens, as osteoporosis disproportionately affects women after menopause.¹⁰

What is the 6-12-25 rule?

The 6-12-25 rule may not apply to senior fitness as much as it appeals to younger individuals. This is a generalized rule that stresses that the heavier the weights, the fewer repetitions you should do. Under this “rule,” you’d do six repetitions at the heaviest weight, 12 at moderate weights and 25 at lighter weights.

As a senior, you’re likely to see the best benefits at the lightest weight levels. This may or may not mean high levels of repetitions – that’s something you should discuss with your doctor for your individual situation prior to beginning any weight training regimen.

Expertly reviewed by: Dr. Manoj Pawar, MD, FAAP

Chief Medical Officer, Mutual of Omaha

Dr. Pawar brings over two decades of clinical and executive experience with a focus on preventive care, public health and empowering physicians and patients with the tools they need to live their best lives. Dr. Pawar completed his undergraduate degree at Northwestern University, his medical degree at McGill University in Montreal and his specialty training at the University of Colorado. He’s a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physician and a member of Delta Omega, the Public Health honor society.