At 93, he’s as fit as a 40-year-old. His body offers lessons on aging.

The human body maintains the ability to adapt to exercise at any age, showing that it’s never too late to start a fitness program.

By Gretchen ReynoldsJanuary 16, 2024

How well are you aging? How to discover your ‘fitness’ age.

A few simple health measures can estimate your “fitness age” -- whether your body is biologically older — or younger — than your chronological age.

By Gretchen ReynoldsJanuary 10, 2024

How to start indoor rock climbing

There are two types of climbing available to beginners: bouldering and top-rope.

By Teddy Amenabar and Alexa Juliana ArdJanuary 3, 2024

Are you fit for your age? Try our New Year’s tuneup to find out.

We asked exercise experts for easy ways to test fitness for balance, mobility, grip strength, stamina and more.

By Gretchen Reynolds, Chelsea Conrad and Carson TerBushJanuary 1, 2024

Try this low-impact winter workout for busy people

This simple scientific workout includes just three exercises and can fit into anyone’s holiday schedule.

By Gretchen Reynolds and Alexa Juliana ArdDecember 20, 2023

Our 7 best tips to build an exercise habit

These seven tips offer some surprisingly simple and practical ways to establish exercise habits that stick.

By Gretchen ReynoldsDecember 12, 2023

It’s never too late to lift weights: Older bodies can still build muscle

The new study of resistance exercise and the elderly found that even people in their 80s and 90s — who had never lifted weights before — showed significant gains

By Gretchen ReynoldsNovember 29, 2023

How exercise can curb your Thanksgiving appetite

High-intensity exercise can dull your appetite for a few hours. But regular moderate exercise can make you hungrier.

By Gretchen ReynoldsNovember 22, 2023

‘Psychological flexibility’ and other lessons from pro-athlete moms

Balancing motherhood with athletics is a challenge, but it can also lead to a new definition of well-being and a deeper sense of purpose.

By Yael SchonbrunNovember 8, 2023

What happens when runners cross a marathon finish line? We’ve got data.

We analyzed the behavior of runners who crossed the finish line at the Marine Corps Marathon. Here are the most common reactions to running 26.2 miles.

By Bonnie Berkowitz and Hanna ZakharenkoOctober 30, 2023

Running a fall marathon? Here are 26.2 tips to help you finish.

Fall marathon season is here, and readers offer their tips and lessons on marathon running.

By Kelyn SoongOctober 27, 2023

Slow is the new fast: Tips for marathoners at the back of the pack

Back-of-the-pack marathon runners often face extra challenges to complete a 26.2-mile race.

By Kelyn SoongOctober 25, 2023

The modern golf swing is powerful but can hurt your back. Here’s how to prevent injuries.

Try these stretches, reduce practice swings, strength train and warm up to keep both your back and handicap in good shape.

By Gretchen Reynolds, Teddy Amenabar and William NeffOctober 18, 2023

How much sunshine are you getting? Now your watch can keep track.

Daylight exposure has been shown to boost alertness, mood and the body’s production of vitamin D, mitigate eye strain and regulate a person’s circadian rhythm.

By Teddy AmenabarOctober 11, 2023

Sitting all day increases dementia risk — even if you exercise

The results underscore just how pervasive the consequences of sitting can be, and suggest that exercise by itself may not protect us.

By Gretchen ReynoldsSeptember 27, 2023

How to find your fat-burning zone

The key to finding your fat-burning zone is often to exercise far more gently than many of us might expect.

By Gretchen ReynoldsSeptember 20, 2023

‘Weekend warriors’ get heart benefits from just a few days of exercise

People who jammed almost all of their exercise into the weekends were much less likely to develop heart problems than people who rarely exercised.

By Gretchen ReynoldsSeptember 15, 2023

Losing weight on a diet or Ozempic? Here’s why you still need exercise.

People who combine exercise with dieting can double the metabolic health benefits of their weight loss, a new study shows.

By Gretchen ReynoldsSeptember 6, 2023

Planning surgery? High-intensity ‘prehab’ exercise can help recovery.

High-intensity interval training can help patients improve their fitness and may reduce postoperative complications, according to a new review.

By Kelyn SoongAugust 30, 2023

How heading a soccer ball can hurt the brain

A number of studies suggest that the powerful forces involved in heading a soccer ball may lead to thinking and memory problems, and possibly dementia

By Gretchen ReynoldsAugust 16, 2023