Self-Tests • Benefits • Nutriti on
E x e r c i s e :
A G u i d e f r o m
t h e N a t i o n a l
I n s t i t u t e
o n A g i n g
Exer cises • Motivati on • Safety
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Public Health Service
National Institutes of Health
National Institute on Aging
800-222-2225
http://www.nih.gov/nia
NIH Publication No. 01-4258
Reprinted April 2004
EXERCISE:AGuidefrom the National Institute on Aging
Designed by Levine and Associates, Washington DC
Dear Friends:
You are never too old to get in shape. I am often asked what I’ve done over the years to
stay in shape. At different times, I have engaged in many different activities. When I was
in school I played football and basketball. The Marine Corps provided its own unique
brand of physical training or PT. While in the space program and for many years after-
wards, I jogged to stay in shape. And my wife Annie and I have enjoyed hiking and skiing
over the years. Most of all, I have always valued staying active in one way or another.
From my involvement with NASA, both in the Mercury program and with the Shuttle
Mission STS-95, I have become keenly aware of the effect that weightlessness can have
on the human body. Without the effect of gravity, astronauts’ muscles and bones begin
to deteriorate while they’re in space. A number of other changes occur to the astronauts in
orbit — from which they recover upon their return — that also happen as part of the natural
aging process right here on Earth. For one, osteoporosis sets in. These same things can
happen to us if we maintain a sedentary lifestyle. This is especially true as we get older.
The good news is that exercise is just a step away. I am pleased to recommend
Exercise: A Guide from the National Institute on Aging as an excellent manual for anyone
who wants to take those first steps toward an active lifestyle. The scientists and doctors at
the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health collaborated to produce
this top-notch book. This guide conta