AARP: 10 Types of Exercise That Can Help You Live Longer

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There’s no doubt: Moving your body can help you live longer. If you move as much as experts suggest – the equivalent of at least 150 minutes of brisk walking or 75 minutes of running each week — you cut your risk of early death by about a third, according to the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.

But what if you like a little variety? Can your weekly pickleball game count? How about some weightlifting, tai chi, dancing, or even a round of golf?

While some forms of exercise are more directly linked with life extension than others, mixing it up is probably a good idea, researchers say.

“Ideally, you’re not just doing one thing,” says Dr. James O’Keefe, director of preventive cardiology at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute, Kansas City, Missouri. At 67, he says, he follows his own advice, fitting pickleball, swimming, yoga, weightlifting, and walks with his wife and dog into a typical week.

Read the full AARP article: 10 Types of Exercise That Can Help You Live Longer