Exercise training studies have demonstrated that older men and women respond to physical training with significant gains in endurance, strength, flexibility, and balance. Regular activity improves a person's overall health and enhances quality of life.

Training studies in people 85 years and older suggest no age limit to muscle trainabilty. In spite of evidence that shows regular physical activity has many benefits, a majority of older men and women remain very inactive. Despite the fitness boom of the last 25 years, America remains a largely sedentary society. Only 24% of adult Americans engage in physical activity at the level recommended for health benefits in Healthy People 2000, our national health objectives.

About 22% of American people are completely inactive. Regular activity declines significantly in the older age groups. However, for the majority of older adults, physical activity is not only beneficial, but safe.

A physical evaluation is a critical component to a safe and beneficial exercise program. The goal is to identify those individuals who should not engage in a moderate exercise program, identify medical conditions that require further work up, and gain information to recommend a safe and beneficial regimen.

The American College of Sports Medicine and the centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued the following recommendation on physical activity and public health: Every adult should accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity over the course of most days of the week.

What is the best exercise for our aging population? Brisk walking, stationary biking, ballroom dancing, and playing with grandkids are good, but the best exercise is the one that will keep your attention and that you will do for the longest time. At least 50% of participants will drop out of an exercise program within the first three to six months. Therefore, it is important that you maintain an interest in order to achieve the benefits that physical activity can bring.

Remember, although 30 minutes of exercise is recommended, any amount is beneficial, and often if you start with five or ten minutes a day, you can build it up to 30 minutes in no time!