Developing a good exercise routine can be one of the best and easiest ways to get ahead of potential health issues as we age. However, creating a plan that works can also increase your chances of making it past your 100th birthday. Of course, everyone has their own preferences and limitations regarding what they can do—especially as we get older. But sometimes, it can help to take some workout cues from those who’ve managed to stick around for over a century. Read on for the fitness secrets that supercentenarians say have helped them live beyond the age of 100.
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1. They hit the pavement on a run.
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In the case of Roy Englert, a 100-year-old WWII veteran, getting in miles is an essential part of his fitness regimen. He says he’s also living proof that it’s almost never too late to get into the habit, only having started lacing up his running shoes at age 60.
“My thought as to why I’ve lived long is that I’ve been very active my entire life, having been a competitive runner for 40 years,” Englert told Travel + Leisure in an interview. “My doctors all say to me whatever you’re doing, keep on doing it.”
2. They do resistance training.
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Pumping iron isn’t just about building up those vanity muscles. Some people who’ve made it to their 100th birthday swear by lifting weights as a key to their longevity.
In a 2022 interview with Today.com, 100-year-old Les Savino says he hits the gym three days a week for a serious rotation of resistance training. His circuit involves using more than a dozen different weight machines, on which he completes at least 45 reps—clearing nearly 700 reps overall on each visit.
“It makes me feel good,” Savino told Today.com. “When I leave the gym in the morning after my three hours of exercising, I feel much better than when I arrived. I have more flexibility and I just feel more motivated with life.”
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3. They see the value in light cardio.
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It’s not just about curls and presses, but if running isn’t your vibe, rest assured that you can still see results with less intense options.
Savino told Today.com that he supplements his weightlifting with two days of cardio, riding upwards of eight miles on a stationary bike or walking roughly two miles on a treadmill.
While he admits genes and other lifestyle choices have helped him reach his 100th birthday, he also says he’s long known that focusing on his fitness routine would pay dividends.
“I know I am lucky. That’s why I keep on doing what I’m doing,” he told Today.com. “If I don’t feel like going to the gym, I go anyway because the gym has paid me back many times.”
4. They play golf.
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Retirement is great for many reasons, but it also means more time to pursue activities you might not have been able to fit into your schedule before. Golf is at the top of the list for many, and even as a slower-paced game, some centenarians say it’s a great way to stay active.
In addition to maintaining a healthy diet filled with plenty of fruits and vegetables, 100-year-old Bikram Singh Grewal said he stayed on his feet by playing golf until the age of 93, The Washington Post reported. In fact, he credited his longevity to this overall routine.
“I believe it is a combination of a good diet, exercise, and a fixed sleep schedule that can help anyone in reaching the age of 100,” he said in an interview.
5. They take walks.
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It’s not exactly a secret that getting in your steps can be one of the easiest ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle. And there may be something to it: The habit is commonly reported among supercentenarians.
As Louise Jean Signore grew older, she was forced to start winding down some of her longtime favorite physical activities that previously included everything from ballroom dancing to biking. However, the 112-year-old says she now prioritizes taking a daily walk—even if it’s just a quick stroll through her apartment building’s hallways, the New York Post reports.
Many incorporate their movement into daily activities. Treasure Zimmerman, a 103-year-old woman from California, walks her dog daily. “Even when you’re not feeling good, keep walking, keep moving,” she told The Post.
Your to-do list can even be a motivation to get up and go. Locals say Edith “Edie” Ceccarelli, a 116-year-old woman, has made it a point to stroll into town on errands.
“When I started at the city almost 20 years ago, she would walk from her home to city hall to pay her water bill,” Willits City Clerk Delores Pedersen told The New York Times
.