New Research: Mixing Different Exercises Could Add Years to Your Life
A recent study published in BMJ Medicine suggests that engaging in a wide range of physical activities — not just one type — may significantly extend life span. Researchers found that combining different forms of movement over time offers stronger protection against premature death than focusing on a single workout style.
Study Details and Participants:
The research analyzed long-term data from two major U.S. cohorts:
Nurses’ Health Study
Health Professionals Follow-Up Study
Together, these studies included more than 173,000 participants. The current analysis focused on over 111,000 adults whose physical activity patterns were tracked for more than 30 years.
Participants regularly reported their involvement in various activities, including:
Cardio exercises: walking, jogging, running, cycling, rowing, tennis, swimming
Lower-intensity workouts: yoga, stretching, toning
Weight and resistance training:
Vigorous household work: mowing the lawn
Moderate outdoor work: gardening
High-intensity outdoor tasks: digging and chopping
Researcher’s Perspective:
Lead author Yang Hu, ScD, research scientist in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, explained that physical activity is a modifiable lifestyle factor that can help prevent early death.
According to Hu, unlike genetics, exercise habits can be changed. He emphasized that growing evidence shows many chronic diseases can be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices, including consistent physical activity and proper diet.
Expert Reaction:
Zeeshan Khan, MD, chief of geriatrics at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, said the findings strongly reinforce what physicians have long advised.
He noted that while staying active has always been important, this study adds a key insight: exercise variety is just as important as exercise volume. For older adults especially, mixing cardio, strength, and flexibility activities can improve balance, muscle strength, and cardiovascular health — all crucial for healthy aging.
Why Exercise Variety Matters:
Each type of activity benefits the body differently:
Aerobic workouts strengthen the heart
Resistance training preserves muscle mass
Flexibility exercises improve mobility
Outdoor work builds functional strength
When combined, these activities create a more comprehensive health benefit, helping reduce the risk of chronic disease and supporting longer life expectancy.
