Diversifying Your Workout Routine Could Be Key to Living Longer, Major Study Suggests

A comprehensive three-decade study of over 100,000 individuals reveals that varying physical activities may be more beneficial for longevity than simply increasing exercise volume. Research published in BMJ Medicine indicates that the relationship between exercise and lifespan levels off after reaching a certain threshold, pointing to an optimal activity range rather than endless accumulation.

The Research Behind the Findings

Investigators examined data from two landmark long-term studies conducted over 30 years: the Nurses' Health Study (tracking 121,700 female participants) and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (monitoring 51,529 male participants). Every two years, participants completed questionnaires detailing their exercise habits, lifestyle choices, and health history.

The analysis encompassed 111,467 participants and measured activity using MET scores—units that quantify how much energy an activity consumes compared to resting. Participants reported engagement in up to 13 different physical activities, ranging from walking and jogging to swimming, cycling, weight training, yoga, and various outdoor work activities. Walking emerged as the most frequently reported leisure activity.

Mortality Outcomes Over Three Decades

During the follow-up period, 38,847 participants died from various causes, including:

9,901 from cardiovascular disease
10,719 from cancer
3,159 from respiratory disease

Higher overall physical activity levels correlated with significantly reduced mortality risk. However, benefits appeared to plateau after approximately 20 weekly MET hours, suggesting diminishing returns beyond this threshold.

Which Activities Showed the Greatest Benefits

Walking demonstrated the strongest protective effect, with the most active walkers showing a 17% lower mortality risk compared to the least active. Other notable associations included:

Tennis, squash, or racquetball: 15% lower risk
Rowing or calisthenics: 14% lower risk
Weight training and running: 13% lower risk each
Jogging: 11% lower risk
Stair climbing: 10% lower risk
Cycling: 4% lower risk

The Power of Exercise Variety

The study revealed a particularly striking finding: activity diversity provided substantial additional benefits beyond total exercise volume alone. Participants engaging in the widest range of activities demonstrated a 19% lower risk of death from all causes.

When researchers compared those with minimal activity diversity to those with maximum variety, they found mortality reductions of:

13-41% lower risk of cardiovascular disease death
13-41% lower risk of cancer death
13-41% lower risk of respiratory disease death
13-41% lower risk of other causes of death

Study Limitations and Conclusions

Researchers acknowledged several constraints: the study was observational in nature, meaning causation cannot be definitively established. Physical activity was self-reported rather than directly measured, and MET calculations assumed full participant engagement in activities. Additionally, the study population consisted predominantly of White participants, potentially limiting generalizability.

Despite these limitations, researchers concluded:

"Overall, these data support the notion that long term engagement in multiple types of physical activity may help extend the lifespan."

Study published April 27, 2026, by BMJ Group

Diversifying Your Workout Routine Could Be Key to Living Longer, Major Study Suggests