Never Too Late to Exercise

LARGO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- If you ask a Golden Ager if they exercise, most will say they walk. While walking is good, new research shows seniors need to "pump it up" a little more.

Fit, healthy and young? Not exactly. The fastest-growing age group in the United States is those older than 85. And many are finding the key to a healthy life is sweat.

"If you don't exercise, you'll become physically and mentally stagnate the older you get, and I'm not gonna get that way," says 70-year old Dee Purdue.

A new study shows you don't have to do much to see the benefits -- anything from sitting exercises to weight training machines. Just 45 minutes of strength training two times a week increases quality of life by 40 percent.

Bob Simons, Ph.D. a health and fitness expert at The Bonsai Spa and Fitness Center in Largo, Florida, says, "When you exercise even a minimal amount at the age of 85, you can make some phenomenal gains."

He led the study and saw the results firsthand. "After about the sixth or seventh week, they had a garage sale, and several walkers and canes were in that garage sale," Simmons tells Ivanhoe.

But convincing a senior to hit the gym is not easy. This is a generation that knows hard times and hard work, not necessarily healthy habits. Dr. Simons says you have to relate exercise to their everyday living. Once they feel the benefits, it's easy to get them coming back.

Dr. Simons says to talk to your doctor before starting to exercise, but 99 percent of the time, you can start some type of program at any age with any ailment. For some seniors, simple sitting exercises is where they need to start. Others are ready to do weight training on machines or more intense cardio workouts.

Never Too Late to Exercise