Staying active regularly is essential for good physical and mental health and wellbeing. This is true no matter how young or old you are. But the amount of activity varies, depending on your age.

  • Walk

    Short trip to the shops? Why not walk. Or get off the tram a few stops early to get a few more steps in.

  • Run

    Run, jog or sprint. Try parkrun - a free, community event where you can walk, jog, run 5km every Saturday in over 400 locations around Australia.

  • Swim

    Swimming is a great low-impact way to exercise. It provides a great all-body workout because you use nearly all your muscles against the resistance of the water, and helps to build endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness.

  • Yoga

    Yoga develops strength and flexibility, while soothing your nerves and calming your mind. Yoga can help to improve cardiovascular health, reduce muscle and joint tension and increase flexibility.

  • Sport

    Sport not only offers physical health benefits, but there are also social and wellbeing benefits. Sport improves our social connectivity and inclusion, builds communities, enables diversity through larger social networks and creates friends for life.

  • Cycling

    As an aerobic activity, cycling ensures that your heart, blood vessels and lungs all get a workout. It will help to improve cardiovascular fitness, improve posture and joint mobility and strengthen bones.

  • Pilates

    Pilates promotes mobility and strength of all the major muscle groups in a balanced way, whilst also having a key focus on the deep core muscles - something very important for dental practitioners. It can help to improve your posture, flexibility, strength and balance.

To help Australians understand how much activity they need, the Australian Government’s Department of Health has developed physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines for each age group and for pregnancy. Being active helps you stay physically and mentally healthy – the more active you are, the more you benefit. Being active regularly can also reduce the risk of, or help manage, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease; maintain or improve blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels; reduce the risk of some cancers; prevent unhealthy weight gain and help with weight loss; maintain strong muscles and bones; create opportunities for socialising and meeting new people; and help develop and maintain physical and mental wellbeing.

Adults should be active most days, preferably every day. Each week, try to do either:

  • 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate intensity physical activity – such as a brisk walk, golf, mowing the lawn or swimming

  • 1.25 to 2.5 hours of vigorous intensity physical activity – such as jogging, aerobics, fast cycling, soccer or netball

  • an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous activities.