Most longevity scientists and doctors agree that one habit is better than any drug or supplement for healthy aging: Exercise.
Researchers are still piecing together exactly why exercise supports longevity. Still, it appears to benefit not only fitness and metabolism, but also improve how our cells operate.
Plus, exercise lowers a person’s risk of developing age-related diseases like cancer and dying early. It also boosts mental health.
How do you exercise for longevity?
In a groundbreaking clinical trial, researchers at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City are trying to answer this question in a simple, straightforward way.
They are testing a new home exercise routine for patients aged 60-85 that requires almost no equipment.
I tried it while visiting the Mount Sinai Physiolab, where researchers measure how your body shifts from burning fat to carbohydrates for fuel as workout intensity increases.
During my visit, I learned the six foundational moves of their evidence-based strength training routine. These exercises are intended to support what aging researchers call “activities of daily living,” which keep people independent and mobile as they get older.
Moves like getting out of your chair, climbing stairs, and picking things up off the floor should get easier over time as you repeat these exercises. The goal in this longevity trial is for people to work up to three sets of 10, three times a week.
The three lower body moves for longevity include squats — a trainer’s favorite
My longevity exercise session started with squats, a classic go-to strength-training move that targets the legs, lower back, and core.
Deadlifts strengthen the lower back and the butt, which is great for countering low back pain and maintaining good posture as we age.
Finally, the third lower body exercise was a lateral walk with a band around my upper calves. This sideways move targets the smaller glute muscles, the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus, which help improve balance and stability.
Exercise scientist and cardiometabolic disease expert Ryan Walker, who directs the Human Metabolism and Physiology Lab at Mount Sinai, said in this trial, as his patients have gotten fitter, he’s noticed they are also walking faster. A faster gait speed is consistently linked to healthier aging and less physical decline in older adults.
Participants are also getting noticeably stronger, needing tougher resistance bands over time. This training technique is sometimes referred to as progressive overload, the concept of increasing resistance and repetitions over time to build muscle and power.
“Some people in the study are doubling up bands because they’ve become too strong,” he said. “It’s actually working.”
The three upper-body moves include a modified push-up for any fitness level
Time to move on up and strengthen the upper body.
Bent-over rows were a challenging first move, targeting my back, core, and shoulders. This exercise is a perfect antidote for hunching over a screen all day. No wonder I felt the burn.
Shoulder presses with bands are a safer alternative to jumping into free weights, Walker said.
“A lot of people in their 60s and 70s have never really done a resistance training program, and a common mistake that trainers and coaches make is throwing them right into free weights,” he said. “That’s not only most likely not safe, but it certainly is not going to be sustainable and feasible for them in the long term.”
Colored bands with varying degrees of resistance allow study participants to progress on their own over time, without the hazards or hassle of heavy weights. By continually challenging themselves, participants can stimulate improvements in bone density, connective tissue strength, and heart health.
The last strength exercise we did was a push-up; no band was needed here. This one really challenges your entire core, arms, chest, shoulders, abs, and even your heart muscles.
There is no shame in elevating this move using a wall or a bench, or dropping to the knees for your presses.
Resistance training like this is “critically important for everyone after 35 to 40 for maintaining strength and balance and mobility,” Walker said.
If the trial yields favorable results, he hopes it can lay the foundation for a longevity exercise routine that could be delivered to hospitals, nursing homes, and anyone who wants to improve their fitness, strength, and bone health as they age.
“You can, at the very least, stop or slow that decline in muscle wasting and muscle loss that’s seen with aging and older adults,” he said.
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