Exercise duration per week (Poll)

[SecondCor521]

I can only speak to when I had access to a device to measure it. Over the last six years, it has come slowly down a couple points as I have aged, but still in the high range. From what I understand it is very hard to improve it as you age. Mine stays within .2 -.3 range currently. It’s hard to move the needle. My brother who is in terrible shape has about half the VO2 that I have.

Thanks. I suspect I'll be able to improve mine some more but it'll still be lower than my high school days. Sigh.

 

[tutan]

I am 62. I repeat the following every week:
Mon (120 minutes) - barbell squats, lunges, leg press, leg curl and extension, incline dumbbell press and incline machine press.
Tues - 30 - 40 minutes clean and press followed by 30 minutes swim.
Wed - 70 minutes dead lift and bench press.
Fri - 30 minutes jogging, 30 minutes barbell shoulder press / clean & press.
Sat - 30 minutes swimming and 30 minutes tricep press and lunges.

I do none of that when we travel. Even if I hike or swim and snorkel, after a few weeks my strength and stamina to do squats in particular diminish quickly and usually would take several weeks to recover. I’m giving my joints a rest so I don’t mind. Also it is a challenge to try to get back into shape after a long break.

 

[5Miler]

Since my running days seem to be essentially over as it continues to cause knee pain, I have had to change up my routine.

5 days each week I spend 1/2 hour on the elliptical machine and 1/2 hour on the treadmill walking at 4 mph pace. (Or so my treadmill reports) Fortunately, these seem to not aggravate my knee as running will do.

I add in some body weight exercises randomly.

 

[imjustawarrior]

It looks like people around here are both fiscally and physically responsible.

 

[Koogie]

Thanks. I suspect I'll be able to improve mine some more but it'll still be lower than my high school days. Sigh.

Look into that Norwegian 4x4 workout. I looked into it after Ronstar posted it. It is intentionally meant to increase your VO2max (and therefore longevity and quality of longevity).

Essentially, I found out I have been doing it in my run training since if you use running to do it, it's basically doing kilometre repeats 4 times... something I hate doing but I do know it definitely makes me faster, fitter and does subsequently increase my VO2max.

 

[Dash man]

My body yells at me if I stand or walk for ten minutes. I can only do stretching exercises these days.

 

[1242Vintage]

I use STRAVA to record my workouts.

Last month got 58-1/2 hours of cardio. Two-thirds of this on my gravel bike, with the rest … because of rain … being intervals on the gym treadmill or elliptical.

For the year, 5,100 miles of gravel biking and 1/2 million feet of gravel road hill climbing on my bike.

Still have the competitive blood flowing thru my veins: 7 Cyclocross races and 3 gravel road endurance events this year. I was humbled on the road races.

On the road races last year there were some seriously fast 60+ year old guys in my class. Putting in the miles this winter to improve results this Spring.

 

[Errollyn]

I plan my daily workouts in 3-month schedules. I'm 51. Pleasantly surprised to see how many of you are doing 300+ minutes per week.

My schedules consist of a mix of routines I picked up when I was in peak shape (2006-2010), and incorporate workouts from Crossfit, Starting Strength (5x5), P90X, and a few stretching/yoga routines from YouTube. (Maybe the most GenX workouts ever, LOL.)

I've run over 30 full marathons, but in recent years I haven't enjoyed running so I stick to my home gym. I also do a lot of outdoor chores, including volunteer work clearing invasive shrubs from a nearby nature reserve, so that gives me several hours of outside cardio each week.

 

[Chuckanut]

I am impressed by the poll numbers. What is missing is the age of the people reporting and maybe how broadly their exercise addresses their body's needs.

Very true. Right now I am taking a week off certain exercises to overcome a muscle strain that is taking a long time to go away. Back in my youthful 40s and 50s, three to four days would be all that was needed. Now, at least a week. As many have said, the #1 goal in exercise for seniors is to not hurt yourself.

 

[Jerry1]

I’ve always struggled with getting enough exercise. In the summer, I have golf and until this year, I had a good amount of yard work. Moving to a condo eliminated some of my “forced” activity.

Last week I started working out but I’d call it just moving at this point. I get around just fine, but I don’t want to do anything to hurt myself and my main goal is to get into a routine where I do something every morning. Once I get into a better habit, I’ll increase the effort. I’m clearing out a space in my basement to set up a workout area. Nothing special, but I need better lighting and will throw down a large piece of carpet and an exercise mat.

 

[athena53]

I switched to 2 workouts per day when my mitral valve prolapse made exercise became really hard work. (Docs were supportive if that.) Four+ months post-surgery, I still do that. One hour video workout at home; light weights included. In the afternoon I go to Planet Fitness- 25 minutes on the elliptical and 20 on the recumbent bike plus arm workouts on the weight machines every other day or do. I'd really like to get back down to one workout per day but I don't want to lose the calorie burn!

 

[imjustawarrior]

I need better lighting

We have a workout area in our basement. We have a tv and an open area because my DW likes to do workout videos. We also have a treadmill, rower, bench, free standing pullup bar, weights, and a few other things. I like to workout with all the lights off. My DW likes to workout with every possible light on. It is a continuous battle when we are both down there.

Depending on your intensity, you may want to get a fan. We have three fans. One for the rower, one for the treadmill, and one for the video workouts. We just use inexpensive Walmart fans.

 

[Ronstar]

I am impressed by the poll numbers. What is missing is the age of the people reporting and maybe how broadly their exercise addresses their body's needs.

Very true. Right now I am taking a week off certain exercises to overcome a muscle strain that is taking a long time to go away. Back in my youthful 40s and 50s, three to four days would be all that was needed. Now, at least a week. As many have said, the #1 goal in exercise for seniors is to not hurt yourself.

I'm 70, and have been running fairly consistently for 46 years. Last year I thought it would be cool if I ran a post 70 marathon. My body had some issues when I started increasing training mileage, and I've since scaled my sights a lot lower.

My doctor is a marathon runner in his early 40's and he was not fond of my post 70 marathon pursuit. He said that training for a marathon at my age would just speed up my need for a knee replacement or 2. His comment: "You're 70, not 20".

But my doc thinks it's ok for me to run 3-4 miles three times a week. DW's knee replacement doc told her that she could run if she wanted to, but limit it to 3 miles, 2-3 times a week.

I agree with you - the no 1 goal in exercise for seniors is to not hurt yourself. My doc says that he has seen several seniors start their downfall when they have an injury and never recover enough to exercise again.

 

[Dtail]

I'm 70, and have been running fairly consistently for 46 years. Last year I thought it would be cool if I ran a post 70 marathon. My body had some issues when I started increasing training mileage, and I've since scaled my sights a lot lower.

My doctor is a marathon runner in his early 40's and he was not fond of my post 70 marathon pursuit. He said that training for a marathon at my age would just speed up my need for a knee replacement or 2. His comment: "You're 70, not 20".

But my doc thinks it's ok for me to run 3-4 miles three times a week. DW's knee replacement doc told her that she could run if she wanted to, but limit it to 3 miles, 2-3 times a week.

I agree with you - the no 1 goal in exercise for seniors is to not hurt yourself. My doc says that he has seen several seniors start their downfall when they have an injury and never recover enough to exercise again.

That is one reason I will not play basketball anymore. Scared of the Achilles tendon injury for life. Of course, Pickleball has that potential too but much less so.
I have had a mid-grade level calf injury and a hernia surgery. Both took around 6 weeks to recover, but nothing putting me on the sideline for good. I get some back and shoulder soreness but then rest a few days and it is good enough.

 

[Ronstar]

That is one reason I will not play basketball anymore. Scared of the Achilles tendon injury for life. Of course, Pickleball has that potential too but much less so.
I have had a mid-grade level calf injury and a hernia surgery. Both took around 6 weeks to recover, but nothing putting me on the sideline for good. I get some back and shoulder soreness but then rest a few days and it is good enough.

Yes these injuries have a way of sticking around for life. I had an achilles injury and a rotator cuff injury in the 1980's and 1990's that I left untreated, and both showed up in MRI's decades later. And I get still get physical reminders that they are still there.

 

[Lsbcal]

I knew at some point I would have to give up running. At 75 decided that my legs were just not quite good for doing that any more. So I switched to walking and other broader measures of exercise.

No regrets.

 

[YellowSubmarine]

Every morning, before coffee I do my PT routine @ 20 minutes. In the cold months, I will hike or bike 3-4 hours minimum per week. Further, I shuffleboard over 4.5 hours per week. Summer, I swim vs hike/bike >400 minutes per week. I don't normally swim in December and January (FL), but my Son has a heated pool in West Palm and there I swam for 60 minutes. 87.5 degree water, my pool with solar heat gets 78 at best...daylight is too short, plus...

 

[srblanco7]

HIIT Training 6 days/week. Typical class is 40 mins.

Walking every day - time & distance varies, but usually log a couple of miles per day with the dog.

Now that I'm retired - walking (and perhaps a return to jogging) time & distance will increase. Definitely a seasonal affect (certainly somewhat "less active" in the winter months) - though snow shoveling could, at times, count as strenuous exercise .

 

[KMPC]

I'm 64 and slog (slow jog) 4 days a week keeping heart rate around 140 bpm. Kind of hard to call it running, but it's steady. Body weight exercise 2 days to maintain strength. Other work around house and property can be strenuous, but doesn't count in time.

 

[donheff]

In winter about four hours a week. In summer, about twelve.

I'm 77 with Parkinson's, so exercise is important to me to hold back symptoms to a degree as the disease progresses. But I don't think you have to overdo it. I cycle 20 miles 3 or 4 times a week in reasonable weather. In the winter I try to do a set of short sprints on a recumbent at the gym a few times a week. On strength, three times a week I do a simple set of core exercises; one set of 10-12 reps for each to exhaustion. It seems to work. I can do 10 pull-ups with better that RFK Jr style.  Finally, I daily do a set of 7 specific range of-motion exercises every day, but that only takes about 15 minutes-

 

[stedmakr]

I'm 71 and have slowed down a bit.

Weight lifting twice a week, 60-75 minutes per session. Focus is on upper boday. (I have a sports hernia that is being evaluated for surgery)

Cycling 3 times a week also 60-75 minutes per session.

My challenges are sleep and recovery.

 

[VanWinkle]

3 days per week at the gym with cardio and strength training. About 70 minutes per session. I'm not counting softball and golf.

 

[Flyfish1]

When I first retired 3 years ago , we joined a Personal Training facility specifically aimed at older adults. I wanted to finally get back in shape after maybe 5 to 8 years of slacking off due to work. We did squats, dead lifts, bench press, pushed the weighted sled to the point of near collapse. Then I found out I had an aortic aneurysm and all the things I just mentioned are big no no's. Over straining , heavy lifting , BP spikes can all increase the damage to the aorta. Not good. I wonder how much damage I self inflicted. So, now I do light cardio and light weights 3 days a week. No straining , no crazy heart rate elevation. Can't run due to a spinal injury, and that is for the best. Walking is fine. Things change. I'm young , early 60's but I just can't push it if I want to live without massive heart surgery. Interestingly, my Father will be 91 this year, never exercised, never went to a gym, never ran. He's doing well at the moment.

 

[FREE866]

Exercise is so important for me mentally.

Here is my current routine:

Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays:
Plank shoulder taps, dumbbell curls, farmer carries, tricep pushdowns, walk down push ups, dumbbell squats, regular planks, dead hangs
It's kind of a HIIT workout as I'm def getting my heart rate up and do three sets of each in pretty rapid succession.
Finish with 15 minutes of long hold yoga positions.

Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays:
Swim laps at YMCA. 1/4 mile
20 minutes dry sauna
finish with 10 minutes of deep stretching


Considering adding a Pilates class in new year....never tried it, but a studio opened up a couple blocks away.....

I probably walk on average 2 miles a day around the city; sometimes more, sometimes less

At 59, I've never felt better physically. Just did my annual physical and all of my numbers were deemed "exceptional" so happy about that.

I get plenty of sleep, low stress life and as you all know just not working allows time for all this and be at ease. Incredibly grateful.

 

[EastWest Gal]

I think this poll is skewed towards those who like to exercise and are proud of the time they put into it. Nevertheless, it is very encouraging. I was an exercise through college and medical school. Then marriage, pregnancy, working full time (60 hr/week as a physician), and menopause got in the way. Since retirement I've lost 30% of my weight with 15 lb to go to ideal weight, and went back to my favorite cardio (swimming), skiing, and resistance training. Discovered low carb/keto and sous vide.

If you haven't exercised, start, if you can. It's not about weight loss. It's about preventing bone loss and loss of muscle mass.