A critical component of healthy aging, physical activity has an important role in promoting good health, functional independence, and quality of life. Yet only about 71% of adults aged 65 and older participate in leisure-time physical activity, and only one-third achieve recommended physical activity levels (Hansen, 2010. The good news is that it is never too late to become physically active, and even a small amount of activity results in better health. For many adults, growing older seems to involve an inevitable loss of strength, stamina, energy, and fitness. But it does not need to be this way. When it comes to our muscles and physical fitness, the old adage applies: “use it or lose it” (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [AHRQ], 2002).
The benefits of a physically active lifestyle extend throughout life. There is increasing evidence to suggest that habitual aerobic exercise, such as circuit training, cycling, jogging, swimming, and walking, can improve strength and aerobic capacity. Significant physiological, psychological, social, and societal benefits accrue from participation in physical activity.
However, there is little agreement on the best content and type of physical activity program for older adults. This is due, in part, to the older population’s tremendous diversity. For physical activity programs to be effective, they need to be multidimensional, including a combination of cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination activities.
The human body is an amazing, complex entity with approximately 60 to 90 trillion cells (Arizona State University [ASU], 2010; Eliopoulos, 2004). It’s made to move; it’s that simple. From the high school coach who said sports builds character to the way you feel on the dance floor boogying with your friends to the fun of tossing a Frisbee at a park, moving feels good. Even as you sit and read these words, your heart pumps blood across miles of arteries and veins, your eyes move across the page, your lungs expand and contract, and neurons in your brain fire. Every time you move a muscle, your cells mobilize energy and remove waste products (Seaward, 2011).