For many people affected by cancer, the recommendation to “exercise regularly” can sound much easier than it is. Cancer treatment may leave patients dealing with fatigue, muscle loss, reduced cardiovascular fitness, balance problems, neuropathy, pain, or simply uncertainty about what they can safely do.
A new patient-focused guide from MD Anderson Cancer Center offers an important message: exercise does not have to begin with an ambitious workout program. It can begin with small, manageable amounts of movement that gradually become part of everyday life.
Start Where You Are
MD Anderson recommends working toward 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week, along with muscle-strengthening exercise at least two days per week. But those numbers are goals, not necessarily starting points.
For someone who has been inactive, particularly following cancer diagnosis or treatment, beginning slowly is often the more sustainable approach. A brisk walk may be an excellent starting point. Ten minutes of activity is better than waiting until you feel capable of completing a 30- or 60-minute workout.
The principle is simple:
Start low. Progress gradually. Build consistency.
Exercise Is More Than Walking
An effective fitness program ultimately addresses several components of physical function:
- Aerobic fitness: walking, cycling, dancing or other activities that increase heart rate and breathing.
- Muscular strength: resistance bands, weights, machines or body-weight exercises.
- Balance and stability: particularly important for people experiencing weakness, neuropathy or age-related changes.
- Flexibility and mobility: helping preserve the ability to perform everyday activities.
Strength training deserves particular attention in Exercise Oncology. Cancer and its treatments can contribute to loss of muscle mass and strength. MD Anderson recommends beginning resistance exercise at an appropriate level. For example, a resistance that allows approximately 10–12 repetitions while maintaining proper form.
For Cancer Patients, Exercise Must Be Individualized
One of the most important points in the MD Anderson article is that people returning to exercise after cancer may be starting from a very different place than they were before diagnosis.
Treatment-related fatigue and other side effects can influence how much exercise is appropriate on any day. Patients with significant health conditions should discuss exercise with their medical team before beginning more demanding activity.
This is where Exercise Oncology goes beyond simply telling patients to “exercise more.”
A well-designed Exercise Oncology program evaluates the individual and develops an exercise prescription based upon the patient’s current physical condition, cancer diagnosis, treatments, symptoms, functional limitations and goals. The program can then be progressed as the patient’s capabilities improve.
Consistency May Matter More Than Perfection
Perhaps the most practical message from MD Anderson is the importance of turning exercise into a habit.
If the planned workout isn’t possible, substitute something smaller. Take a 10-minute walk. Get up and move periodically during the day. Connect movement with an activity you already perform regularly.
The objective is to make physical activity part of daily life rather than an occasional event.
This is especially relevant to cancer survivors. The benefits of exercise are not created by one exceptional workout; they accumulate through repeated physical activity over weeks, months and years.
The CancerFitness.org Perspective
At CancerFitness.org, we believe the larger message is important: exercise should increasingly become an organized component of cancer care.
Patients should not simply be handed general exercise recommendations and expected to determine the rest themselves. Whenever possible, cancer programs should develop pathways that allow patients to be assessed, referred and connected with appropriately trained exercise professionals.
The progression can be straightforward:
Assess → Prescribe → Start → Progress → Reassess
The goal is not athletic performance. The goal is to help everyone become stronger, more functional and more physically active at a level appropriate for where they are today.
Call to Action: Start Moving and Then Keep Moving
If you are undergoing cancer treatment or living beyond cancer, don’t wait until you feel capable of completing the “perfect” exercise program.
Begin with what you can safely do today.
Ask your oncology team about physical activity. If you have treatment-related limitations, significant deconditioning or other medical concerns, ask whether referral to an Exercise Oncology, cancer rehabilitation, physical therapy or appropriately qualified exercise professional is available.
Start slowly. Build gradually. Include aerobic activity, resistance exercise, balance and flexibility as appropriate.
Most importantly, make movement a regular part of your cancer journey.
Exercise is no longer simply a lifestyle recommendation for people affected by cancer. Increasingly, it should be viewed as an important component of comprehensive cancer care.
Source: MD Anderson Cancer Center, “How to start working out: A beginner’s guide,” medically reviewed August 21, 2026.
