Learn
Getting Moving
Starting out, the many ways to be active, and fitting movement into your week.
Getting Started
- GuideWhat you need to start: shoes and gearYou need very little to start walking: comfortable, supportive shoes that don't rub are enough, and running shoes are fine. Fit matters most, so leave about a thumb's width beyond your longest toe and choose a fastening you can adjust. You don't need to buy anything else first.
- GuideFinding activities you enjoyChoose activities yourself, start gently, and try a few options in different places and for different lengths of time. People who enjoy an activity tend to do more of it, and pleasure tends to be highest at low to moderate effort, so notice what feels good while you move.
- GuideLow-impact optionsLow-impact activities put less jarring load on your joints. Walking, swimming and water exercise, cycling, tai chi, yoga, low-level weights and seated exercise are all options. Choose one that feels comfortable, start slowly and build up gradually.
- GuideListening to your bodyPay attention to how hard you're working and to what you feel. At a moderate effort you can talk but not sing. Some tiredness, breathlessness and soreness are normal at first, but sharp, new or worsening pain is a signal to stop or ease off.
- GuideBuilding up graduallyBuild up activity slowly: add a little time or effort every few weeks, not every few days. A common beginner plan is 10 minutes a day, then adding 5โ10 minutes every few weeks. Change one thing at a time, and go easier if soreness lasts.
- GuideStarting from where you areStart with something small you can do today, such as a short walk or taking the stairs, and build up slowly. Walking is usually a good first activity. A simple plan of where, which days and what time makes it easier to keep going.
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Activity Types: Walking to the Gym
- GuideRunning and joggingStart with short runs mixed with walking, about three times a week with rest days between. A free plan such as the NHS Couch to 5K builds up over 9 weeks or longer, at your own pace. parkrun is a free weekly 5km where walking is welcome.
- GuideGetting started at the gymBook an induction so an instructor can show you the equipment and guide your first workout, then start with light weights on machines two or three times a week. Feeling self-conscious is common and tends to ease with time. Fewer sessions still count.
- GuideCyclingCycling is a good way to start being more active. It's an aerobic activity that's easier on the joints than jogging, short rides count, and an e-bike is a lower-effort option that still counts as exercise for most people. Start small, somewhere flat and traffic-free.
- GuideGardening, housework and active choresGardening and housework count as physical activity, and activity at home counts towards your weekly amounts. If you can talk but not sing while you do a job, it's at a moderate effort. Start small, add little movements to chores you already do, and build up gradually.
- GuideSwimming and water exerciseWater exercise, such as aqua classes and water walking, is a gentle way to get moving, especially if your joints are sore. Benefits for joint pain tend to be small, and it isn't clearly better than the same exercise on land. You don't need to swim well; many classes let you keep a foot on the floor.
- GuideWalking and hikingWalking counts as real exercise, and walks of any length add up. Aim for a pace where you can talk but not sing, start small, and add time before speed. For hikes, begin with a short, easy, well-marked trail close to home.
- GuideStrength training basicsAim for strength activities on at least 2 days a week, working all the major muscle groups. You can start at home with your own body weight, using light effort and building up slowly over weeks. It helps at every age, and any strength work is better than none.
- QuestionHow brisk is a brisk walk?A brisk walk is moderate effort: you can talk but not sing. For most adults that's about 100 steps a minute or more, or roughly 2.5โ3 mph (4โ5 km/h) or faster. These are rough guides, so the right pace for you depends on your height, age, fitness and any disability.
- QuestionIs walking enough exercise?Walking can cover the aerobic part: 150โ300 minutes a week of moderate activity, in walks of any length. The guidelines also ask for muscle-strengthening on at least 2 days a week, and for balance and strength activity if you're 65 or over, so add those to reach the full recommendation.
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Everyday Movement
- GuideActive hobbies, weekends and holidaysWalking and dancing are good hobbies to start with. Plan weekends and trips around short, realistic blocks of activity you enjoy, put them in your calendar, and build up gradually. Activity of any length counts, and weekends can also hold longer or different activities.
- GuideMoving more at workMoving more at work can mean walking or standing meetings, workplace programmes and step challenges. Each can raise activity somewhat, but gains may fade, so pick what suits you and plan what you'll keep doing. Any activity counts, and starting small is fine.
- GuideActive commutingYou don't have to walk or cycle the whole way to work. Walk the last stretch, park further away or get off public transport a stop early, and build up gradually. Activity on the way to work counts towards your weekly amount, and an e-bike can be an easier way into cycling.
- GuideIncidental movement and errandsYou can add activity without setting aside exercise time: take the stairs, walk part of a trip, and put some effort into chores. Replacing sitting with movement of any intensity helps, and starting small and building up is enough.
- GuideActivity snacks and short boutsActivity of any length counts, so a few minutes here and there is a real start. Activity snacks are short bursts of movement, usually 1 to 5 minutes, fitted into your day. Start with small amounts, build up gradually, and split activity into whatever pieces suit you.
- GuideSitting lessThere's no set number of hours to aim for. Break up long stretches of sitting with short moves, about every 30 minutes if that suits you, and choose one or two specific changes. A desk or an app can help, but both are optional.
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Planning Your Week
- GuideTraining for an event (5K, hike, ride)Start slowly and build up at your own pace. The NHS Couch to 5K plan runs 3 times a week and can take 9 weeks or longer. For a hike, long walks are the best training. Easing off before an event is a general idea, not a strict rule.
- GuideVariety and cross-trainingMixing activities is a sensible habit, but it isn't clear yet that it prevents overuse injuries in inactive adults. Build up slowly, keep some lighter days, and when exercise gets boring, change one thing and choose activity you enjoy.
- GuideMaking your health a priorityStart with a small amount of activity you can manage this week, plan when you'll do it, and protect that time kindly but firmly. Ask family and friends for one specific kind of support. The biggest health gains come from the first steps, and staying active over the years adds more.
- GuideMixing cardio, strength, balance and flexibilityA balanced week combines aerobic activity such as walking with muscle-strengthening on at least 2 days, with balance and flexibility work alongside. You don't need all four at once: doing less than the targets still helps, so add one kind at a time.
- GuideBuilding a weekly routineStart with an amount of activity you can manage now, then choose the days, times and places for the week ahead. Build towards about 150โ300 minutes of moderate activity a week plus strength exercises on two days, and treat your plan as a flexible draft you can change.
- GuideFinding timeYou can fit activity into a busy week by planning when, where and how, using short bursts, and building it around things you already do. Activity of any length counts, and the time of day matters less than doing it regularly. Start small and build up gradually.
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Technique & Injury Prevention
- GuideGood form and common mistakesGood form mainly lowers your chance of injury. The common mistakes are doing too much too soon, skipping the warm-up, holding your breath, swinging weights and not resting. Get the movement right with light weights first, and ask a qualified professional to watch you if you're new to strength training or unsure.
- GuideOvertraining and overuseSigns you may be overdoing it include workouts feeling harder than usual, soreness or tiredness that won't clear, poor sleep, low mood and losing the drive to exercise. No single test confirms it, so treat these as clues and take a break if several appear together.
- GuideExercising safely in heat, cold and outdoorsOn hot days, stay out of the sun between 11am and 3pm, wear light, loose clothing and ease in over 10 to 14 days. Drink enough to replace what you lose, not as much as you can. If you feel unwell in the heat, stop, cool down and drink fluids.
- GuideAdapting exercise to your bodyYou can adapt exercise by doing strength work seated, choosing a different exercise for the same muscles, lowering the effort or using a smaller movement. Start at a comfortable level, build up gradually, and avoid movements that put pressure on a painful joint.
- GuideFirst aid for minor exercise injuriesFor a minor sprain or strain, protect and rest the area for the first 2 to 3 days. Use ice and a snug bandage, and raise it. Don't rest for long: a few days later, start moving again gently, and ease off if pain increases.
- GuideStretchingFor more flexibility, slow, gentle static stretches (holding a stretch) are the best choice. Before a walk or workout, keep holds short or use slow, controlled movements. Move smoothly, don't bounce, and stop at mild discomfort, never pain.
- GuideWarm-ups and cool-downsStart slowly for at least 6 minutes so your heart rate rises gradually, and warm up every time you exercise. A cool-down is a comfortable way to finish rather than a must-do for recovery; about 5 minutes of gentle stretching or slow walking is enough.
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