For many seniors, exercise may feel like a catch-22. They’re supposed to exercise to help their body feel better, but exercise often makes their body feel worse. Much of this sentiment stems from joint pain. As we age, our joints begin to feel the wear from decades of use, and movement may seem aggravate it. But the right exercises can change that.
As a personal trainer, you have the power to help seniors stay active and gain health benefits without discomfort by incorporating low-impact, joint-friendly workouts into their routine. By focusing on gentle movements, proper technique, and customized modifications, you can support their mobility, independence, and long-term health. Let’s explore the best workouts to keep your senior clients moving safely and pain-free.
Benefits of Exercise for Seniors
Staying active isn’t just about fitness—it’s about maintaining independence, preventing injuries, and enhancing quality of life. For seniors, joint-friendly workouts can help reduce stiffness, improve strength, and support heart health without unnecessary strain. With the right approach, exercise becomes a tool for longevity and pain-free movement.
Each of the exercises in this article benefit seniors in countless ways. By engaging seniors in joint-friendly exercise, you are helping them improve their cardiovascular health, maintain muscle strength, and reduce the risk of injury. The great news is that you do not need to reinvent the wheel to make exercise accessible and enjoyable for seniors. A 2021 study from the Journal of Clinical Medicine showed strength training as an effective tool in reducing fall risk and improving balance just as much as other more complex exercise routines (Claudino et al., 2021).
Trainer Tip: The key to success with any senior exercise program is using functional exercises that mimic daily movements to improve independence.
Getting Started with Low-Impact Exercises
Before jumping into a workout routine, it’s essential to understand your client’s mobility, strength, and joint health. A thoughtful approach ensures they build confidence, avoid discomfort, and progress safely. By starting with short, low-intensity sessions and gradually increasing intensity, seniors can enjoy the benefits of exercise without overexertion or strain.
Begin by assessing your client’s fitness level and joint health. Find out which joints typically feel good and which ones do not. Those experiencing regular or severe joint pain may be apprehensive at first when starting a new routine. This is completely normal is to be expected. We all shy away from things we anticipate may cause pain, and joint pain is no different.
As I have worked with clients experiencing such pain, I’ve found it easiest to start by focusing on the least painful joints and movements. This type of physical activity lets them build confidence and experience the feel-good hormones that come with exercise. Start with shorter, low-intensity sessions and gradually increase duration and intensity as your client is ready and willing. When you’re ready to start programming, check out How to Teach Fitness to Seniors for guidance on creating senior-specific fitness programs. Now let’s dive into some of the best joint-friendly exercises for seniors!
Aerobic Exercise Options for Seniors
If you think of aerobic exercise for seniors and imagine grandmas in a swimming pool, your horizons are about to be broadened. Seniors are capable of so many types of aerobic activity and it benefits them greatly.
When programming aerobic exercise for seniors, ability and enjoyment should be top priority. One mistake many trainers make is assuming that all seniors have similar capabilities. Seniors now, more than ever, are getting out and doing things that defy the norms of generations past.
If the seniors you work with are able (and willing), try hiking, gentle rowing, or stationary cycling. You can also incorporate more low-impact aerobic exercises like walking, swimming, and elliptical training. All of these exercises will improve their cardiovascular health and burn calories, and it does not need to be high-intensity to do so. Research from GeroScience reveals that brisk walking for 30 minutes, five days a week, reduces age-related disease risks and supports healthy aging (Ungvari et al., 2025).
Tailor your workouts to their needs, understanding that clients with joint pain or discomfort may need modifications such as a slower pace, shorter distance, or lower-impact activity.
Strengthening Exercises for Seniors
Strength training is paramount for seniors. It strengthens muscles and bones, reducing the risk of injury. It promotes independence and fosters self-sufficiency. When you program strength training exercises for seniors, break out your creativity and have some fun.
Machines certainly have their place, but so do resistance bands, free weights and suspension trainers. Get a group together and try some low-intensity, low-impact interval training. Focus on compound movements that engage the upper and lower body, like sit-to-stand with an overhead arm raise or a lightweight farmer’s carry through an obstacle course.
Because senior bodies are often more prone to injury and overuse, be sure to coach your clients on proper form to ensure their safety. For more expert tips, read Teach Proper Form to Seniors.
Tai Chi and Yoga for Balance and Flexibility
An understated and under-practiced component of fitness is balance and flexibility training. Not everyone enjoys a good stretch, and that’s okay. Many people think of flexibility exercise as static stretching and calisthenics from school, which sounds less than appealing to most. Enter more fluid, enjoyable forms of flexibility. Tai Chi and yoga bridge the gap between strength and flexibility training, combining elements of mindfulness and breathwork to improve the exercise experience.
These activities are ideal for clients who benefit from low-impact, full body movement. Incorporating them into a regular part of senior exercise routines improves flexibility, balance, and range of motion. It also encourages independence by reducing fall risk. A study published in Mater Sociomed found that practicing Tai Chi three times a week for at least eight weeks reduced the risk of falls in older adults by 44% and decreased their fear of falling (Mortazavi et al., 2018). Fear is often half the fight, and if you can give seniors that confidence back, it’s a big win on all fronts.
Exercise Machines for Seniors
A top concern for seniors exercising in a gym is not knowing how to use machines safely and effectively. While not all gym equipment is inherently senior-friendly, the right machines can enhance strength, endurance, and mobility without putting excess stress on the joints. Low-impact cardio options like elliptical trainers, stationary bikes, and rowing machines allow seniors to stay active while minimizing discomfort. Strength machines including a seated leg press, triceps press, and seated row can all strengthen muscles in the upper and lower body without substantial joint strain. Focus on machines that allow for fluid motion and natural movement patterns. With proper adjustments to resistance and intensity, these machines can be tailored to suit nearly any fitness level.
Managing Joint Pain Through Exercise
For seniors with arthritis or joint stiffness, movement may seem daunting – but the right exercises can reduce pain, improve flexibility, and prevent further degeneration. By focusing on moderate, low-impact movements, trainers can help clients stay active while protecting their joints. The key is finding the balance between staying mobile and avoiding strain, ensuring long-term joint health.
While joint-friendly exercise may seem a bit like walking the tightrope between just enough and too much exercise, it is not as complex as people may often believe. Start with low-impact, low-intensity compound exercises. These help strengthen the body without tiring or overworking a single joint in the beginning. Transition to moderate intensity exercises as clients develop a strength base that allows them to do more without pain.
Repetitive or high-impact movement can aggravate joint pain, and can be replaced by more gentle, more fluid exercises. Choose activity that clients can and want to do regularly, as consistent physical activity best helps alleviate pain and discomfort and prevents further joint degeneration. For insights on discussing joint pain with your clients, read Effective Communication in Personal Training.
Tips for Personal Trainers Working with Seniors
Training senior clients requires more than just modifying exercises—it’s about understanding their unique needs, limitations, and goals. A safe and effective approach involves starting slow, gradually increasing intensity, and prioritizing recovery. By listening to client feedback and making thoughtful adjustments, trainers can create sustainable routines that keep seniors active without discomfort.
Start slowly and increase intensity gradually to avoid overexertion and limit post-exercise muscle soreness. During your sessions, listen to your client’s feedback and adapt plans accordingly. Some seniors may enjoy an invigorating workout and not mind a little soreness and fatigue after, but for others, it can discourage them from coming back. Learn about their exercise likes and dislikes and tailor their program to make it as enjoyable as reasonably possible both during and after your sessions together. Emphasize the importance of rest and recovery to reduce joint stress and discomfort.
As a personal trainer, you play a vital role in helping seniors stay active and independent. By incorporating joint-friendly workouts like tai chi, strength training, and low-impact cardio, you can empower your clients to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. Prioritize safety, adaptability, and encouragement in every session.
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