# Mixing cardio, strength, balance and flexibility > A 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. - Type: Guide - Topic: Getting Moving › Planning Your Week - Status: test content, not reviewed yet - URL: https://twikka.com/learn/mixing-cardio-strength-balance-and-flexibility - Updated: 2026-10-21 - **The core is aerobic activity plus strength:** at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week (or 75 minutes of vigorous), and strengthening on at least 2 days [1]. - **Strength time doesn't count towards your aerobic minutes,** but walking and cycling do [2]. - **Balance and flexibility sit alongside the core,** and they are part of what a full routine includes [3]. - **You don't need all four at once:** doing less than the targets still helps, so add one kind at a time [3]. ## What should a balanced week of activity include? A balanced week has two core parts: aerobic activity, such as walking or cycling, and activities that strengthen your muscles. For aerobic activity, aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, or an equivalent mix [1]. US guidance gives 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity [4]. These amounts are a minimum to aim for, and going beyond them is fine. At moderate effort you can talk but not sing. For strength, do activities that work all the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) on at least 2 days a week [1]. The WHO says this brings additional health benefits beyond aerobic activity [5]. Strength sessions are done as well as your aerobic minutes, and they can fall on the same days as aerobic activity or on different days, whichever suits you [1]. Balance and flexibility fit around these. The American College of Sports Medicine suggests balance, agility and coordination exercises on 2 to 3 days a week, and flexibility exercises for each major muscle-tendon group (a total of 60 seconds per exercise) on at least 2 days a week [3]. If those amounts feel far off, start with what you can manage. Doing less than the targets still helps [3]. > **Try this:** Pick two days this week and add a few strength exercises after your usual walk. ## Do you need all four kinds of exercise? No. Doing less than the recommended amounts still helps [3], and any exercise is better than none [6]. People who do the least gain the most from even modest increases [4]. Everyday movement counts too, including walking, housework, gardening and dancing [7]. A mix is still the standard advice. The American College of Sports Medicine considers regular aerobic, strength, flexibility and balance-type training essential for most adults [3]. Strength activity is linked with a lower risk of early death, heart disease, some cancers and diabetes, and combining it with aerobic activity may give more benefit than either alone [8]. These are links, not proof that strength work is the cause. So you can build up in steps: - **Start with what feels manageable.** If you only have the energy for one kind of activity at first, begin with that. Walking is a fine way in. - **Add the others gradually,** one at a time, as each starts to feel easy. - **Count everyday movement.** It all adds up. It's never too late to make a start [9]. ## How do you fit strength and balance around walking? Treat strength and balance as add-ons to your walking. Do muscle-strengthening on at least 2 days a week, on the same days as walking or on different ones [1]. Your walking minutes count towards the 150 minutes of aerobic activity, but strength work doesn't [2]. For each strength exercise, work until you need a short rest before repeating it [10]. The effects of strength work are limited to the muscles doing the work, so over the week aim to cover legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms [4]. Strength work on at least 2 days a week helps keep muscles, bones and joints strong, and lowers the chance of frailty and falls [9]. Balance matters more with age. Older adults should be as active as their abilities allow. Adults aged 65 and over should aim for varied activity that emphasises balance and strength on at least 3 days a week, and older adults with poor mobility are advised to do balance-focused activity on 3 or more days a week [7]. Exercise lowers the rate of falls in older adults, and programmes that mix balance and strength probably do so most [11]. Choose activities you enjoy. Doing them at home is fine, and home-based programmes for older adults work as well as centre-based ones [12]. ## 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 balance and strength work that suits you. 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. If you feel sick, sweaty or unwell, have unexplained discomfort, or have breathlessness or dizziness that doesn't settle during or after activity, don't push on. Use the emergency advice above, or see a doctor if it is mild and passing. A sore muscle or joint, or soreness a day or two later, is a reason to ease off, and to get advice if it persists or gets worse. In pregnancy and after birth, bleeding, fluid leaking, regular painful contractions, the baby moving less, calf pain or swelling, or a bad headache or changes in vision need the midwife, doctor or maternity unit straight away. A midwife or doctor can advise on the right type and amount of activity. ## Quick answers ### Does walking count as cardio? Yes. Walking counts towards your weekly aerobic minutes, and so does cycling. Brisk walking is moderate effort: you can talk but not sing. Easier walking is still activity, and it all adds up towards your week. ### What if I can only manage 10 minutes at a time? Activity of any length counts towards your weekly amounts. There is no minimum of 10 minutes at a time. Several short bouts through the day add up, so start with what fits and build how often and how long over time. ### Is it too late to start strength training in my 60s or 70s? No. It's never too late to make a start. Begin with small amounts and build up how often, how hard and how long over time. Any strength activity is better than none, so doing less than the target isn't wasted. ### How do I make a routine last this time? Choose activities you enjoy, and consider guidance from an experienced instructor, as both can make it easier to start and keep going. Add one new thing at a time. Coming back after a break is normal, and a missed week doesn't undo your progress. ## Sources 1. NHS. Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults-aged-19-to-64 2. NHS. How to improve your strength and flexibility. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/how-to-improve-strength-flexibility 3. Garber CE et al. (2011). American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults: guidance for prescribing exercise. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e318213fefb 4. Piercy KL et al. (2018). The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. JAMA. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2018.14854 5. Bull FC et al. (2020). World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955 6. Healthdirect Australia (2026). Cardiovascular exercise. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/cardiovascular-exercise 7. World Health Organization. Physical activity. https://www.who.int/health-topics/ageing/physical-activity 8. Momma H et al. (2022). Muscle-strengthening activities are associated with lower risk and mortality in major non-communicable diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2021-105061 9. CMO physical activity guidelines - adults and older adults. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a4fab9da6586e258d371bde/cmo-physical-activity-guidelines-adults-older-adults-july-2026.pdf 10. NHS. Physical activity guidelines for older adults. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-older-adults/ 11. Sherrington C et al. (2019). Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30703272/ 12. Sirikul W et al. (2024). Impact of multicomponent exercise and nutritional supplement interventions for improving physical frailty in community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Geriatrics. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11571505/ --- Source: Twikka (https://twikka.com/learn/mixing-cardio-strength-balance-and-flexibility). General information about physical activity, not medical advice.