Resuming an exercise regimen after weeks, months, or even years of inactivity can be physically and mentally daunting, particularly following illness or injury. The prospect of getting moving may seem even more intimidating as you age, but Arnold Schwarzenegger wants you to give it a go.
The seven-time Mr. Olympia champion, the 38th governor of California, the Terminator himself is on a crusade to help people—particularly those 65 and older like him—lead physically active lifestyles. Schwarzenegger is doing so formally as the inaugural chief movement officer of Fortune 500 medical technology company Zimmer Biomet.
“This is like a marriage made in heaven,” Schwarzenegger, 77, tells Fortune of the partnership that launched Nov. 13. “I’ve dealt my whole life with fitness and with making people exercise and feel good, physically and psychologically, and feel healthy and strong and energetic.”
Exercise isn’t supposed to be a luxury for older adults; it’s recommended by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. The agency’s Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends adults 65 and older complete these activities weekly:
Especially if you have an injury or medical condition that impacts your mobility, be sure to first discuss your exercise goals and options with your health care provider. Once you’ve gotten the OK to amp up your physical activity, consider the following three fitness tips Schwarzenegger shares with Fortune.
1. Get your exercise in early
Any time of day you can get your exercise in is the best time, but the “Governator” recommends knocking it out in the morning. (In fact, the day he spoke with Fortune he mentioned he’d already hit the gym bright and early.)
“First thing when you get up, you should jump on the bike, or you should go out and walk or run or do your exercise,” Schwarzenegger says. “Later on in the day, everyone wants to grab your time…if it’s the kids, if it is your partner, if it is your work, there’s an endless amount of reasons why you cannot get it done later on in the day.”
He adds, “Get up in the morning and don’t think. Don’t think, just get going with the exercise.”
2. Embrace casual recreation
Schwarzenegger still lifts weights—“I’m a creature of habit”—but low-impact recreation including swimming and bike riding now bring their own enjoyment. And a 2006 skiing incident resulting in a fractured right femur did nothing to hamper his love of the slopes, which he looks forward to hitting this winter.
You don’t need to be a big-screen action star or ex-professional bodybuilder to be physically fit and active later in life. Continuing to move is what matters, Schwarzenegger says, stressing that simply taking regular walks is beneficial to your health.
“I recommend [exercise] to anybody,” he says. “I’m talking about people that are not competitive athletes.”
3. Once you get moving, pass on your motivation
To Schwarzenegger, the self-made man is a myth; he didn’t arrive where he is alone.
“I might as well use the power of influence for something good,” he tells Fortune. “I was created by inspiration and I want to give this kind of inspiration to other people and make them do the same thing. That’s what it’s all about.”
An A-list platform isn’t needed to motivate others to get active. If you’re able to encourage a loved one, coworker, or neighbor to improve their physical fitness by even a fraction, you’ll be helping safeguard the health of your family and community.
“It’s really crucial to inspire people,” Schwarzenegger says. “Movement is extremely crucial, and the longer we can move, the longer we can live.”
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