The causal link is now very well established: In order to stay healthy while aging and sustain your brain health, your body needs to stay physically fit and active. As Dr. John Ratey, a professor of psychiatry at the Harvard Medical School has made clear, “exercise is… the No.1 weapon to prevent against brain erosion (including dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease), cancer, and inflammatory disorders.”

There are plenty of good sources of information about how to stay physically fit well into your later years, but when many of us enter a gym, we wonder which pieces of equipment, if any, are safe and appropriate for those of us not so athletic at this point in our lives? The answer? Almost any piece of equipment found in a conventional gym can be utilized by older individuals (but first have a conversation with your doctor, just to make sure and have an experienced person in the gym show you how to use them). Among the best options? Machines including rowers, ellipticals, treadmills, and recumbent stationary bikes. And what about free weights or cables? Those, too, can help you gain muscle, fight frailty and increase your bone density, all in easy-to-perform exercises. And have you ever seen someone swing a kettlebell? Take a look at this video that demonstrates seven kettlebell routines for seniors. Bottom line? No reason to avoid the gym even as the years advance. So put on those tee-shirts and tights, and read more about equipment options here.

And if you really just want to get up and move without needing to go to the gym? Your first stop should be to check out this no-gym workout guide from Groom and Style.  And then check out this new research that underscores the cardio and brain benefits of dancing!