“Am I still able to do what I could do five years ago? Am I going to be able to stay in my house easily? I like being able to travel easily,” Cairine Coulis-Brown told The Globe and Mail.
That personal evaluation prompted Coulis-Brown, who is in her seventies, to start going to the gym for the first time last spring, training as part of the Bfit program at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario. The Globe and Mail reported that her $60-a-month routine focuses on balance, co-ordination, and muscle maintenance to stave off age-related decline.
Falls are the leading cause of hospitalization and death for people aged 65 and older, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Osteoporosis Canada notes that muscle mass decreases by roughly 3 to 8 per cent after age 30, with an even steeper drop past 60.
Health Canada recommends 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity a week for adults 65 and older. “for someone who isn't currently active, the most important thing is to get any type and amount of physical activity,” Kimberley Gammag, director of the master of professional kinesiology program and SeniorFit director at Brock, told The Globe and Mail.
Fitness Routines of Notable Canadians Over 60
Jane Barratt, a 70-year-old aging expert based in Toronto, aims for 10,000 steps a day and visits her local YMCA five days a week. Barratt spent more than 20 years as secretary-general for the International Federation on Ageing. Her 75-minute gym sessions split resistance training across her legs, chest, back, and arms, with a primary goal of lifting a suitcase into an overhead compartment during travel.
“My whole routine is geared around making sure I’m functionally able now and in 10 years,” Barratt told The Globe and Mail. “Mobility and cognitive function are the keys to a longer life. There's not a lot of value in having a longer life if you're in poor health and poor function,” Jane Barratt, a 70-year-old aging expert based in Toronto, told The Globe and Mail.
Susur Lee, a 67-year-old chef and restaurateur, manages the physical demands of his kitchens by scheduling daily workouts alongside his business travel. Lee starts mornings walking dogs, works with a trainer several times a week, and practises yoga six days a week for upwards of 90 minutes per session. He told The Globe and Mail that yoga provides mental calmness and physical longevity under kitchen pressure.
Molly Johnson, a 67-year-old jazz singer, avoids traditional gym settings after years of training at Canada’s National Ballet School. Preparing for a 2021 concert at Massey Hall, she used 22-minute online dance workout videos created by Anjelica Scannura to build endurance and strength. Johnson told The Globe and Mail that the routine helped with her sciatica and hand arthritis.
Managing Hip Replacement Recovery Through Strength
Peter Sellers, a 69-year-old author and bookstore owner in Toronto, underwent a hip replacement earlier this year. Sellers built a foundation of movement by taking up karate in his 40s and attending semi-private personal training sessions focused on strength and mobility in his 50s. Learning proper form for squats and deadlifts helped him complete post-surgery physical therapy without severe difficulty.
“Even though I hadn’t really workedout regularly for more than a year, doctors said compared to a lot of people who were coming in for hip surgery, I was in really good shape,” Sellers told The Globe and Mail.
Senior Fitness Questions
What kind of exercise helps prevent falls in older adults?
Programs focusing on balance, co-ordination, and muscle maintenance—such as the Bfit routine at Brock University—help maintain mobility and reduce the risk of slips and falls. The Public Health Agency of Canada tracks fall-related hospitalizations among adults aged 65 and older.
How much weekly physical activity do health authorities recommend for seniors?
Health Canada recommends 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity per week for individuals aged 65 and older. Exercise specialists emphasize that any physical activity is beneficial for those who are currently inactive.
Can home-based routines replace gym workouts for older adults?
Short home-based routines utilizing light dumbbells, aerobics, and balance exercises can effectively build strength and endurance without requiring specialized gym equipment, as demonstrated by performer Molly Johnson.
“I don’t want to let age define me,” Barratt told The Globe and Mail.