The Best Exercise for Someone Close to 50

As you approach the age of 50, you may have new concerns about the way your body looks and feels. The lean, healthy body you want to see in the mirror requires you to commit to the best exercises and routines. We all know exercise helps you lose weight and improves self-esteem, but it can also relieve pain in your low back and help you live longer. Exploring different types of exercise can also help to alleviate boredom with your current fitness routine. Establishing a fitness goal and committing to exercises that you enjoy will ensure the best possible result.

  1. Swimming

    • Swimming is an excellent choice for men and women approaching 50 who are looking for a full-body exercise. Swimming is as beneficial as running but avoids the joint impact and pain that runners experience from footfalls. Two and a half hours of swimming every week leads to improved health for people with diabetes by decreasing blood sugar levels and improving the body's use of insulin; it also helps to prevent heart disease by lowering blood pressure. Swimming has also been shown to improve mental health, especially for older adults, by improving the quality of life and decreasing disability.

    Other Types of Cardio Training

    • Grab your athletic shoes! Many exceptional forms of aerobic exercise only require a good pair of shoes to participate. Running, walking, aerobic dancing -- just to name a few -- all result in a decreased risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2009, men who increased their physical activity at 50 reduced their mortality rate by a rate similar to those who quit smoking. After 10 years of increased activity, these men had the same mortality rate as men who had been exercising their whole lives. One hour of aerobic activity a week is helpful but three to four hours is ideal.

    Resistance Training

    • The only proven type of exercise to slow and even reverse the decline of muscle mass and bone density is strength training. People who begin resistance training programs before 50 can prevent the average half-pound loss of muscle mass per year after 50. Resistance training also improves balance, mobility and coordination -- significantly reducing your risk of falling as you age. These benefits are achieved by adding two to three days of strength training of all the major muscle groups. Take note that resistance training requires at least one day of rest in-between workout days for muscular recovery.

    Flexibility Training

    • Many people nearing 50 have pain in their lower back or neck. Fortunately, yoga may help to alleviate some of that pain. In 2013, a study published in the Clinical Journal of Pain found that yoga is very effective for short-term relief of lower back pain with evidence for long-term effectiveness as well. Evidence also supports that Pilates has a role in reducing disability and pain in the neck and lower back. Yoga and Pilates may be performed daily, but you should allow sore muscle groups a day of rest before training again.