Prioritizing fitness as you age is critical if you want to promote longevity and maintain your overall well-being. But workouts don’t have to take forever: A simple 20-minute treadmill routine, done regularly during the week, can help you reach your health and fitness goals.

The current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise a week, and it’s a good cue to follow. Cognition declines as we get older, but keeping up with your exercise routine can help you stay sharp.

This quick treadmill workout will improve your cardiovascular fitness, strengthen your core, and activate your posterior chain of muscles (those at the back of your body). To make it more challenging, we’ve included dumbbell exercises that build upper-body strength and coordination.

Engaging your mind while you’re on the treadmill is also a good idea. Studies have long shown that doing cognitive exercises at an older age has brain-boosting benefits, and mental multitasking during a workout could amplify these. You could test this theory by listening to an educational audiobook or memorizing new vocabulary words while you exercise. Of course, the challenge of learning a new routine, as you are doing here, has its own neurological rewards.

Here’s the outline of our 20-minute workout and its associated dumbbell exercises.

The 20-Minute Treadmill Workout

1. Warm-up: Set the treadmill at a 1 percent incline and walk briskly (at around 3 mph for beginners and 4 mph for intermediate exercisers) for five minutes.
2. Increase the treadmill’s incline to 3 percent. Change your speed to 3.5 to 4.5 mph (if walking) or 4.5 to 5.5 mph (if jogging). Continue for two minutes.
3. Stop the treadmill and move carefully down to the floor. Do 10 reps of each of the upper-body strength exercises below, then safely return to the treadmill.
4. Increase the treadmill’s incline to 4 percent. Return to the same speed you used in the last round, or add a bit more speed if desired. Walk or jog for two minutes.
5. Stop the treadmill and move again to the floor. Do another 10 reps of each of the included upper-body exercises. Safely return to the treadmill.
6. Increase the treadmill’s incline to 5 percent. Walk or jog at the same speed as the previous round, or increase your speed as needed. Continue for two minutes.
7. Cool down: Lower the treadmill’s incline to 1 percent. Walk briskly at the pace you chose in step 1. Continue for three minutes.

20-Minute Workout Instructions  

Source: Brittany Hammond

Treadmill Tips

• When you increase the incline on your machine, use your arms to help propel you through the exercise as much as possible. Drive your elbows straight back at a 90-degree angle.
• Avoid holding onto the treadmill’s rails for support, which can throw off your posture. Instead, slow the machine down until you can manage the incline on its own
• Always listen to your body. You should feel challenged, but in control. Use a heart rate monitor or a scale like the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) to guide your efforts.
• Bring the treadmill to a complete stop before moving to the floor exercises.

Dumbbell Exercises

These strength moves are part of the treadmill routine. They work one side of the body at a time, which helps to bolster your core and increase balance and coordination.

1. Alternating Biceps Curl

Body part it works: Arms

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Keeping your body still, bend your right elbow, bringing the dumbbell up to your right shoulder.
3. Release your right arm back down to your side. This is 1 rep.
4. Repeat with your left arm.
5. Continue alternating until you complete 10 reps total.

Tip

Engage your core as you work. The weight imbalance that occurs with each curl will challenge you to keep your body in a straight line. This is where stability and coordination come into play.

2. Chest Press

Body part it works: Chest

1. Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your chest with your elbows bent and touching the floor.
3. Push your right arm up toward the ceiling.
4. Bend your right elbow and bring your arm back down to the starting position. This is 1 rep.
5. Repeat with your left arm.
6. Continue alternating until you complete 10 reps total.

Tip

Keep your elbows at about 45 degrees from your shoulders on the ground to avoid putting extra pressure on your shoulder joints. As you press the dumbbell above your chest, brace your core and push your back into the floor to help push the weight up.

If this position bothers your shoulders, try a neutral grip with your palms facing each other.

3. Bird Dog

Body part it works: Abs

1. Start on all fours with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Keep your back flat.
2. With control, simultaneously lift your right arm and your left leg until they are parallel to the floor.
3. Return your hand and knee to the ground. This is 1 rep.
4. Repeat with your left arm and your right leg.
5. Continue alternating until you complete 10 reps total.

Tip

To engage your core in this exercise, try to balance your supporting arm and leg.

4. Bent-Over Row

Body part it works: Back

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Slightly bend your knees and push your hips back. Hinge at the hips until your back is flat.
3. With your arms straight and your palms facing each other, squeeze your shoulder blade and pull the right dumbbell up to the side of your chest.
4. Let the dumbbell descend again. This is 1 rep.
5. Repeat the move with your left arm.
6. Continue alternating until you have completed 10 reps total.

Tip

Brace your core as you drive your elbow up. Your body will naturally want to rotate, but keeping your core tight can help prevent that.

5. Shoulder Press

Body part it works: Shoulders

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Raise your hands to shoulder level, palms facing forward.
2. Press your right arm overhead until your biceps are by your ears, then bring it back down. This is 1 rep.
3. Repeat on the left side.
4. Continue alternating until you have completed 10 reps total.

Tip

While doing this move, brace your core to keep the pressure off your lower back. Also avoid leaning when you press the weight overhead. If it’s easier, you can switch to a neutral grip with your palms facing each other.