Hi Gscheeley, you're never too old to start. My mom is 81 years old and has started a new exercise regimen with my husband and me. She does all the same exercises but modifies them. For example, when we do regular pushups, she does them against the wall. When we sprint, she increases her walking pace for short bursts. At first she thought that it wasn't good enough or that she wasn't seeing any progress. I'm here to tell you that wall pushups are just as good. After a year of doing them that way, she gained enough strength to do a few push ups from her knees on the floor. Yay, mom. I'm so proud of her.

The moral of the story is:
- get started
- do a little more than what you do today
- it gets better

With pain, you will need to pace yourself and do what you can do. Even small steps make a difference. Maybe setting a timer to get up every 30 or 50 minutes and walk down the driveway is a place to start. Do something you enjoy. I bet @johnbishop @contentandwell and @rwinney have more ideas.

Gscheeley, what activities do you like to do?

Hi @gscheeley, @colleenyoung is right. You are never too old to start exercising. I think too many people have that no pain no gain thought in their minds when it comes to exercise. Exercise for us seniors should incorporate a little fun, something we enjoy doing. I think another thing to remember is not to over do the exercise when you start out.

If you have any senior centers close to where you live you might want to call them and see if they offer any seniors yoga or exercise classes. I'm 78 and try to exercise at least 30 minutes a day for at least 4 or 5 days a week. I have a Teeter FreeStep Cross Fit Trainer that is sort of an elliptical bike that I can use inside the house year around. I used to love to walk but can no longer walk very far due to my lower back. Here is a YouTube video that might give you some ideas of how to start. Just find something you really like doing and make it fun.

20 Min Exercise for Seniors, Elderly, & Older People - Seated Chair Exercise Senior Workout Routines

@gscheeley Hi there! I'm so glad you asked this question. As I see you have heard a resounding, no, it is never too late to begin exercising. I think the first step is understanding that exercise is not a one size fits all plan. Modification is the key word in finding what works for each persons unique situation, age and health needs.

I am 51 and have a chronic pain disorder which prohibits me from standard exercise. No problem! I got past that and realized it was time to do what my body can handle. I was lucky to attend Mayo's Pain Rehab Center and learn how to safely and effectively exercise.

I learned to incorporate low impact weights and began at 1 pound hand weights then gradually worked my way up to 5 pounds over 3 weeks. This is just one example. You might find something in your home to use as arm weights like a cans of food from your cabinet. Leg lifts from a chair or laying on a bed, hand squeezes, shoulder rotations...it can be very gentle and light, but still be effective.

The key is to start slow with whatever it is you're doing and gradually increase reps or pounds. Every few days increase until you plateau at you max comfort level.

gscheeley, do you stretch every day? That is a great place to begin.

Hi, @gscheeley Welcome to Connect!

Great advice from @johnbishop and @rwinney. There is no senior center close to me so I do my exercises at home. Of course if you can tolerate walking that is great exercise too. I was walking a lot but then realized that walking on pavement was giving too much of a pounding on my replaced knees. At my health club I walked on a track or treadmill which has less impact.

I am now 74 and exercise daily, generally between 45 - 60 minutes, sometimes a bit shorter, sometimes longer - I did 70 minutes a couple of days ago. I never exercised in my life except for doing fun activities like riding a bike and skiing but when I was in my late 60s I knew I had to do something so I started with pool aerobics. If you have a health club close to you where this is available I highly recommend it, not just as a way to get started but also to continue with it. I have not returned to my health club due to being high-risk to Covid but I really miss both the pool and the gym.

After using the pool for a while I got started with the gym. It's good to start with a few sessions with a personal trainer who understand the limitations of a senior getting started. I also had been in physical therapy so I continued to do some of the exercises from that in the gym at my club.

Of course the pandemic changed everything. As I said, I have not resumed my membership at my health club on the advice of my transplant team (liver transplant in 2016). Now I use a lot of videos to exercise. For me, I like using different people, they are all a bit different from each other. Here are some of my favorites:

Jenny McClenden is specifically for seniors and beginners.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHufaoaq1VqjHvnv8zvg9pQ
Shellea Fowler is also totally geared to people over 50 and there seem to be quite a few of us who are in our 60s and 70s
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=shellea+fabulous+50
Jane Fonda! She did some workouts for seniors somewhat recently. I think she was in her 70s at the time. The ones I have done have been walking workouts. I like her because she really understands possible limitations, for instance she has had both a hip and knee replacement herself. She is also surprisingly knowledgeable about the physical body and includes better cooldowns than many exercise gurus do.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=befit+jane+fonda
Senior Fitness with Meredith
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2BaKQ5vqal9yaC-VbpD5ZQ
These are just a few of the ones I use. If I'm looking for a short video to finish off with I generally go to Shellea Fowler, She has some very brief ones. If you do a video that does not have a cooldown my favorite is:

Such great advice by everyone. I will second @johnbishop about using the Teeter Freestep elliptical stationary bike. It's costly, but very gentle on the joints, plus the resistance can be adjusted. I use mine year round which is much needed in the great northeast.

@contentandwell touched on seeking guidance from a physical therapist or personal trainer, that's very helpful advice if you feel unsure about your physical abilities. I had reservations about using my body, due to increased pain. It was helpful to have a professional guide me with a safe plan. You may also wish to consult your general practitioner for suggestions or guidance.