Cost and access

How can you be active without spending much?

Walking is the clearest free place to start, because it needs no equipment and brisk walking counts as moderate-intensity activity¹. Even 1 minute of brisk walking counts as exercise².

The usual recommendation is at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, which is around 20 to 30 minutes a day². But every minute counts, so start gradually and build up from there⁵. Adults who can't or don't want to reach the recommended amounts still benefit from doing less⁶.

A few ways to make this practical:

• Use the talk test. If you can still talk but not sing, you're working at a moderate level⁵.
• Try other low-cost activities that raise your heart rate and make you breathe faster and feel warmer, such as dancing, riding a bike or pushing a lawnmower⁵.
• Break up long spells of sitting with short bouts of standing and moving about⁶.

What if you don't have access to a gym or equipment?

You don't need a gym. Walking from your own door needs no equipment¹, and you don't need fancy gym gear or a lot of space to get active³.

For strength, exercises can be done at home to improve your health and mobility. They are described as gentle and easy to follow, even if you haven't done much for a while⁴. Use your body weight, or a pair of filled water bottles as light weights, for example for biceps curls⁴. You can also clear some space and follow a free home workout routine that needs no equipment².

A simple home session can follow one pattern: a warm-up of light joint movements (about 5 minutes), body-weight strength exercises (about 20 minutes), then a cooldown (about 5 minutes)⁷. That pattern was designed for older adults, so it may not suit everyone in their 40s to 70s. Shorter sessions are fine.

If standing or space is a problem, seated exercise is an option. Chair-based strength exercises can improve mobility and strength in older adults with limited mobility, and can progress to standing as strength, balance and function improve⁸. For wheelchair users and people with low mobility, activity done while seated can help reduce sitting time⁹.

When to check with a health professional

If you're starting exercise after a long break, it's always a good idea to see your doctor first.

For an injury or a health condition, see a health professional, such as your doctor or a physio. They can help you choose the type and amount of activity that suits you⁹.

Start gently and increase activity gradually. The risks of being inactive are markedly higher than the short-term risks of a bout of exercise^10,11.

If new symptoms appear as you do more, see a doctor or other health professional. A sore muscle or joint, or soreness a day or two later, is a reason to ease off. Get advice if it persists or gets worse.

Call your local emergency number for chest pain or pressure (or pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back, especially with sweating or feeling sick), severe breathlessness, fainting or collapse, signs of a stroke, a serious injury, or someone who isn't safe.