Many athletes enhance their performance by integrating various exercises. New research suggests this cross-training may also contribute to a longer lifespan.

A comprehensive analysis of two studies following individuals for over 30 years revealed that those who participated in a diverse range of physical activities had a 19% lower risk of mortality compared to equally active individuals with less variety in their workouts.

“Maintaining the same total amount of physical activity while incorporating different exercises can lead to additional benefits,” states Han Han from Harvard University. However, as this type of research is observational, the results are indicative rather than definitive.

Most exercise studies tend to focus on either intensity or total volume of activity, often contrasting aerobic and strength training. In this research, Han and her team examined nine primary aerobic activities, including jogging (defined as a pace slower than 6.2 minutes per kilometer), running, outdoor and stationary cycling, stair climbing, swimming, rowing, bodyweight exercises (like squats and pull-ups), tennis, squash, racquetball, and weight training.

The researchers collected data on 70,000 women and 41,000 men from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study between 1986 and 2018. Study participants completed a physical activity questionnaire every two years.

The research team analyzed the link between participants’ activity levels and their mortality risk throughout the study duration. Individuals with health conditions that could skew their performance were excluded from the findings.

Results showed that engaging in multiple forms of exercise for several hours each week revealed diminishing returns regarding death risk reduction over the study timeline.

This highlights that diversifying workouts can provide enhanced benefits. As Han suggests, when one reaches diminishing returns with a specific exercise, it may be more advantageous to try different activities instead of repeating the same routine. Different forms of exercise may offer unique physiological advantages that can work together for greater benefits.

“Future research could explore potential synergies between various exercises,” Han notes. This optimal combination can evolve as people age.

Only a few studies have investigated how different types or combinations of exercise affect mortality rates, according to Lee Dak-chul from the University of Pittsburgh. He cautions that results should be approached with caution due to inherent research limitations—such as self-reported exercise, which may be inflated, and the likelihood that healthier individuals tend to participate in more physical activities.

Nevertheless, their findings are somewhat corroborated by the World Health Organization’s guidelines, advocating for both aerobic and resistance exercises as providing comprehensive health and mortality benefits compared to either alone, as Lee mentions.

In the future, this type of research could leverage data from wearable fitness devices instead of relying on self-reported data. “For now, we have to depend on surveys,” Han concludes.