Trainer José Ruiz says exercise goals in later adulthood should focus on everyday capability rather than an idealized physique.
Ruiz, the chief executive of Malagaentrena, says strength, movement control and balance matter because they help people climb stairs, carry shopping and stand up from a chair without assistance. In his age-based examples, people in their 50s should find routine tasks comfortably manageable. In their 60s, balance and leg strength deserve attention. In their 70s, he says, people should preserve the ability to bend and straighten with ease.
He recommends regular walking and resistance exercise. World Health Organization guidance calls for 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week for adults and muscle-strengthening activity on at least two days. For older adults, WHO also recommends balance-focused activity on three or more days a week.
Ruiz says people new to exercise can begin with walks of 10 or 15 minutes. He argues that 10,000 steps is not a universal threshold and suggests 6,000 to 8,000 steps as a useful improvement over inactivity. Those step targets are his coaching advice, not a WHO standard.