Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity for seniors of age 65 years and older.
Regular physical activity delays many of the age related health problems. There are countless online resources, video tutorials and free exercise apps for seniors to help them stay active and healthy.
Here are 9 apps covering all types of physical activities including walking, running, yoga and full-body workouts. 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 seniors with over 60,000 different configurations to get you a new yoga practice every time you come to your yoga mat.
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.
- Different Voices and Multiple Languages: Choose from 6 different yoga teacher voices in English and 9 other languages.
Yoga Down Dog is one of the best yoga apps for beginners and older adults.
Get Yoga Down Dog for Android | iOS
2. 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.
10,000+ gyms post their workout videos and it is even covered by some Medicare plans.
The app has
- Class finder with National and Community classes, virtual and in-person classes
- 200+ fitness and wellness videos and guided workout programs
- 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.
Get Silver Sneakers GO for Android | iOS
3. Map My Walk
Running or walking 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 a great fitness app 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 including stats about distance covered, duration of the walk, calories burned and 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 useful exercise app to discover new walking tracks in your surroundings, track your workouts, and connect with a community of millions of users.
Get Map My Walk for Android | iOS
4. C25K
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.
More than 5 million people have successfully completed the challenge.
This app is ideal for seniors who are just taking up running with an easy-to-follow 8-week-long plan.
- Easy for Beginners: 30 minutes/day, 3 days/week and 8 weeks in total to finish first 5K
- Track your calories and distance and map your run routes
- Access to forums with thousands of veterans and newcomers
C25K has been successful because it combines running and walking and gradually builds up strength and stamina for beginners.
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.
5. 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 with focus on different parts of your body. For example “Belly Burn” session has 12 exercises in 7 minutes that focus on your stomach.
- 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
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.
6. Daily Workouts – Home Trainer
Daily Workouts is ideal exercise app for older adults 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 has a simple interface with videos and easy to follow instructions.
Get Daily Workout for Android | iOS
7. 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.
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 of the app 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: 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
- Community Support: Science-based courses on healthy aging for older adults to sleep better and mindfulness
Mighty offers a complete health package including workout routines, a daily health plan and an expert coach to maintain your fitness.
8. Workout Trainer
Workout Trainer is an ideal app for seniors looking for at-home bodyweight workouts.
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
9. 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 list of the above 9 free exercise apps includes all types of exercise and workout programs and does not require any exercise equipment.
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
They are all asking to sign up for money and I don’t see any way to sign up without paying and providing card info.