Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity (such as brisk walking) for seniors of age 65 years and older. Older adults are further recommended to engage in activities that strengthen the muscles for 2 days a week and activities that improve the balance for about 3 days a week.
For older adults, regular physical activity delays many of the health problems that seem to come with age. There are countless online resources, video tutorials and free exercise apps for seniors to help them stay active and healthy.
10 Free Exercise Apps For Seniors
These are the top 10 free exercise apps for seniors that are available for iPhone and Android users and are being used and praised by millions of seniors. These apps cover all types of physical activities, from walking and running to yoga and full-body workout routines.
The apps have easy-to-use interfaces and do not require any type of exercise equipment, making them ideal for seniors.
Related Article: 15 Must have apps for seniors living alone
1. Yoga Down Dog
Yoga Down Dog is one the best yoga apps for beginners and seniors with over 60,000 different configurations to get you a new yoga practice every time you come to your yoga mat. You do not have to follow pre-recorded videos to get repetitive workout routines.
The highlights of this must-have exercise app for seniors are
- Senior Friendly: Start in the comfort of your home with beginner levels
- Relive the Back Pain: All practice types strengthen your back. The Boost feature specifically targets the lower back and backbends.
- Customize your Yoga Experience: I love the customization options in this app that enable you to tailor your experience to your needs. You have settings to focus on different muscle groups, music, time and poses.
- Different Voices and Multiple Languages: Choose from 6 different yoga teacher voices in English and 9 other languages.
There are multiple practice types for seniors with the “Boost Feature” that focuses on 20 different practice areas. The music rises and falls with your breathing.
Yoga Down Dog is the best exercise app for seniors who are looking for yoga routines for beginners and want to relieve back pain and access a huge library of yoga routines.
Get Yoga Down Dog for Android | iOS
2. J & J Official 7 Minute Workout
This app is designed by Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute to provide a science-based way to make every minute count during your workout routine. The app is being used by millions of users from 230+ countries.
The key features that make this app one of the must-have exercise apps for seniors include:
- Multiple Workout Routines: 22 preset workouts with varying intensity and durations. You can choose workout routines from 7 to 32 minutes. Varying intensity means you can choose variations from easy to hard.
- Customize Your Workout Routine: 72 exercises and 22 workouts mean you can create over 1000 variations. Smart Workout feature that creates workout routines specifically for you. You can target multiple focus areas.
- HD Video Tutorials: The best feature of this app is 72 HD video tutorials to teach you the exercises.
- Track/ Integrate/ Share Workouts: Workout and progress is tracked and integrated with the iPhone Health app. You can share your progress on social media (Facebook and Twitter)
You can set workout and inactivity reminders to help you stay on track and achieve your fitness goals.
This is the best exercise app for seniors who want to get the most out of short interval workouts and like following voice instructions and videos during their exercise times.
If you are tight on schedule and want to work out in the comfort of your own home with no equipment, this is the best exercise app for you.
Get J & J Official 7 Minute Workout for Android | iOS
3. Silver Sneakers GO
Silver Sneakers GO is one of the few fitness apps that are specifically designed for seniors to help them get fit, stay active and develop a healthy exercise routine.
More than 10,000 gyms post their workout videos and it is even covered by some Medicare plans.
This is one of the free exercise apps for seniors that comes with guided workout programs, national and community classes and fitness videos all in one app. You get
- Class finder with National and Community classes, virtual and in-person classes
- 200+ fitness and wellness videos
- Guided workout programs and meditations for all fitness levels
- Health and wellness articles
Whether you like to go to the gym or work out from home, you have access to classes and videos for all types of activities. General activities like walking, swimming and yoga are also covered. Find the best locations and virtual and in-person classes and connect with others in the community. Customize your workout routine for your fitness needs.
The best feature of the app is “Guided Workouts” which you should definitely check out.
Get Silver Sneakers GO for Android | iOS
4. Map My Walk
Running or walking (if running is no longer accessible) is a great way to maintain cardiovascular activity for seniors. Map My Walk has a complete set of tracking and training tools to help you to walk and run.
This app tracks distance, elevation, pace, duration and routes through GPS and maps and many other in-depth insights.
Other features that make Map My Walk an excellent exercise app for seniors include:
- Routes Feature: This unique feature shows popular walking routes in your surrounding areas that other community members enjoy regularly.
- Analyze Your Performance: In-depth feedback and stats to help you improve your performance. Audio feedback, GPS-tracked walking reports with the route on the map and stats about distance covered, duration of the walk, calories burned, elevation and much more
- A personal training plan that adapts to your fitness level as you improve your fitness. Monitor and analyze your heart rate to adjust your training.
Map My Walk is one of the most useful free exercise apps for seniors to discover new walking tracks in their surroundings and track and map their workouts and connect with an inspiring community of millions of users.
Get Map My Walk for Android | iOS
5. C25K
This is the official C25K (Couch to 5K) program app with millions of success stories. The program is aimed to turn beginners from couch potatoes to 5K distance runners in 8 weeks and more than 5 million people have successfully completed the challenge.
This app is ideal for seniors who are beginners and are just taking up running with an easy-to-follow 8-week-long plan.
C25K has been successful because it combines running and walking and gradually builds up strength and stamina for beginners.
- Easy for Beginners: 30 minutes/day, 3 days/week and 8 weeks in total to finish first 5K
- Audio coach, light and dark modes, health app and iPad integration for indoor treadmills
- Track your calories and distance and map your run routes
- Access to forums with thousands of veterans and newcomers
The app is featured by The New York Times, LA Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Forbes, Men’s Fitness, CBS News, NBC News, The Verge and many others.
Men’s Fitness called it “One of the Highest Rated Fitness and Health apps”.
C25K is a must-try exercise app for seniors. Even if you hate running, this app may change your mind.
6. Seven – 7 Minute Workout
Seven has scientific studies-based workouts to get you fitness results with 7 minutes of daily activities. If you want to get fit, lose weight or get strong in a fun way without equipment, this app has effective workout routines for you.
- 200+ Workouts that focus on different parts of your body. For example “Belly Burn” session has 12 exercises in 7 minutes that focus on your stomach and include crunches, heel touches, six-inch hold and elevated crunches etc
- Beginner-level Exercise Routines: “Fat Burn” workout blasts calories without exhausting you too fast.
- Workout anywhere, anytime without exercise equipment and create a habit with custom workout routines and tailored fitness plans
Join the community and earn the rewards. The fun instructors make sure you enjoy the workouts. Seven is one of the must-have free exercise apps for seniors who like intense workouts in a short time to achieve great results.
7. Daily Workouts – Home Trainer
Daily Workouts is the best exercise app for seniors who prefer quick and effective workouts and want their exercise app to work as a personal trainer. The proven workouts are demonstrated by a certified personal trainer and target all major muscles.
The key features of Daily Workouts include:
- 10 targeted workouts (5 to 10 minutes)
- Full body workouts (10 to 30 minutes)
- 100+ exercises with personal trainer videos showing how to do each exercise
- On-screen instructions and timer
- No equipment or internet connection required
Daily Workouts is developed by a certified personal trainer and has a simple interface with videos and a timer to easily follow the instructions. It is an ideal exercise app for seniors who prefer a simple interface and easy-to-follow instructions with beginner-level workout routines.
Get Daily Workout for Android | iOS
8. Mighty: Health Coach for 50+
Mighty is a fitness and wellness program designed specifically for 50 years and older to help them lose weight and improve mobility and balance to help them during the best years of their lives.
The award-winning customized program is designed by top doctors of Stanford and Columbia University and backed by NFL Hall of Famer Joe Montana. Well+Good considers Mighty “#1 fitness and wellness app for older adults”.
The best features that make Mighty one od the best free exercise apps for seniors include:
- Low-impact Exercise Videos by Expert Trainers: Aerobics, chair yoga, belly blaster, shoulder and knee stretcher, joint and back strengthening and more
- Videos by Expert Trainers: Unlimited access to over 100 low-impact and joint-friendly workout videos by expert trainers including cardio, yoga, aerobics, stretching and more
- Weight Loss and Weight Management: A personalized nutrition plan with a customized grocery list to help you lose or maintain the weight
- A community to help and support you. Science-based courses on healthy aging for older adults to sleep better and mindfulness
Try Mighty help for free for a complete health package including workout routines, a daily health plan and an expert coach to maintain your fitness.
9. Workout Trainer
Workout Trainer is an ideal exercise app for seniors who are looking for at-home bodyweight workouts. Thousands of free workouts and custom training programs by expert coaches involving your body weight or some essential weights.
The app comes with adjustable difficulty levels suitable for every stage of the fitness journey.
The unique feature of this app is certified trainers guiding you through exercises with step-by-step audio and video instructions.
Workout Trainer is like having a personal trainer in your pocket.
Get Workout Trainer for Android | iOS
10. Noom
Noom focuses on lifelong results and uses psychology and behavior changes to help you lose weight and keep it off.
A study by the Journal of Medicine Internet Research Diabetes followed 14,767 older adults who used Noom and were able to safely and effectively lose weight helping them lower the risk of diabetes and other health issues.
The app helps you eat better, drink water on time, reach your step goals and maintain your blood pressure and sugar levels. Noom is a must-have app for seniors to track their fitness and health routines.
The above 10 free exercise apps for seniors list has all types of exercise and workout programs and do not require any type of exercise equipment. Seniors can use these fitness apps to come up with a customized workout routine and track their progress.
Resources for Seniors to Get Started With Exercise
- How Older Adults Can Get Started With Exercise by National Institute of Aging
- Exercise and Seniors by Family Doctor
- A Guide To The Best Exercises For Seniors by Forbes
- 6 Best Exercises for Older Adults by GoodRx Health