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How to start exercising at 50

By the fitvee team · Last updated

Four small moves and a first week that is easy to keep: a brisk walk, a weight shift, calf raises and a hip hinge.

Seen from the side, a woman walks briskly, heel first, her arms swinging.
Brisk walk, from the plan

Starting at 50 is not late. The hardest part is the first week, so this page keeps it small. You need four moves, a wall or counter, and about as long as it takes to walk round the block.

The public guidelines say any amount of activity is better than none, and that all of it counts. So the plan below begins with whatever you can do comfortably, and grows from there at your pace, not ours.

The moves, one by one

Learn these four first. They are the base the rest builds on.

  1. Brisk walk

    5 minStanding

    Seen from the side, a woman walks briskly, heel first, her arms swinging.

    Use the talk test: you can talk, but you could not sing. That is the pace to aim for.

    1. Wear supportive, non-slip shoes. Choose a flat, clear path indoors or out.
    2. Start with 1 minute at an easy pace. Let your arms swing naturally.
    3. Quicken your pace a little. Check: can you say a full sentence? Can you sing a song? If you can talk but not sing, you are in the right place.
    4. Hold that pace for the time on your page. Slow down if you cannot talk.
    5. Finish with 1 minute of easy walking.
    Easier

    Walk at a pace where you could sing, and make it a little quicker over several days.

    Take care
    • Balance: choose a clear path and good light. Walk with a friend or near a bench if you wish.
    • Sensitive knees: shorten your stride and walk on a smooth surface.
    • On hot days, walk indoors or in the shade, and drink water if you like, unless a doctor has limited your fluids.

    The full page for Brisk walk

  2. Weight shift

    8 repsStanding

    Seen from behind, a woman faces the wall with both hands flat on it at shoulder height, feet a little wider than hip-width, knees soft.

    Rock from foot to foot at a wall. It is the simplest balance practice there is.

    1. Face the wall, about a forearm's length away, both hands flat on the wall at shoulder height. Or use a kitchen counter. Feet hip-width apart, knees soft.
    2. Breathe out and slowly move your weight onto your right foot, until it carries most of you.
    3. Keep your head over your hips and your chest tall.
    4. Breathe in and pour your weight back through the middle to your left foot.
    5. Rock side to side 8 times, slowly.
    Easier

    Shift only an inch or two, with both hands on the support.

    Take care
    • Balance: keep at least one hand on the wall, counter or chair back.
    • Sensitive knees: keep the standing knee soft.
    • Sensitive hips: shift a smaller way.

    The full page for Weight shift

  3. Supported calf raise

    6 repsStanding

    Facing the wall with both hands on it, a woman rises onto the balls of her feet.

    Rise onto the balls of your feet with a hand on the wall. It prepares your legs for walking further.

    1. Face the wall, about a forearm's length away, both hands flat on the wall at shoulder height. Or use a kitchen counter.
    2. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees soft.
    3. Breathe out and slowly rise onto the balls of your feet, as if lifting a string from the top of your head.
    4. Pause for 1 breath at the top.
    5. Breathe in and lower slowly. Do 6 reps.
    Easier

    Rise only a small way, with both hands firmly on the support.

    Take care
    • Balance: keep at least one hand on the wall, counter or chair back. Stand up slowly.
    • Sensitive knees: keep your knees soft.
    • Ankle or foot trouble: choose the seated version.

    The full page for Supported calf raise

  4. Hip hinge

    6 repsStanding

    Seen from the side, a woman faces the wall with both hands on it and pushes her hips back, her back long and flat.

    Learn to bend from the hips with a long back. It is useful far beyond exercise.

    1. Face the wall, about a forearm's length away, both hands flat on the wall at shoulder height. Or use a kitchen counter. Knees soft.
    2. Breathe in and stand tall. Gently draw your belly in.
    3. Breathe out and push your hips straight back, as if closing a door behind you with your bottom.
    4. Slide your hands down the wall, keeping your back long.
    5. Breathe in at the bottom. Breathe out and press your feet down to stand. Do 6 reps.
    Easier

    Go back only a short way, and keep both hands on the support.

    Take care
    • Sensitive back: keep the hinge small and your back long.
    • Sensitive hips and knees: use a smaller range.
    • Low bone density: hinge only a short way with a flat back.
    • Hip replacement: hinge only as far as your surgeon or therapist allows. The seated version is a smaller bend.

    The full page for Hip hinge

Your first week

  • Day 1, 3 and 5: the four moves once through, and a short walk.
  • Day 2 and 4: just the walk, at a pace where you can talk but not sing.
  • Day 6 and 7: rest, or walk if you want to. Next week, add a minute to the walk.

Take your first week further with a 28-day walking plan

Short daily sessions at home, a step harder as you get stronger.

See the walking plan

More to read and try

What the guidelines say

Stop if anything hurts, or if you feel dizzy, short of breath or chest pressure.

Stop signs

General information, not medical advice.

How we write and check our pages

28-day walking planSee the plan