Exercise is one of the most effective tools for men living with prostate cancer. The best exercises for prostate cancer patients help reduce treatment side effects, ease symptoms, improve mood, and may even slow down the disease.
The best results come from exercise plans that are personalised – taking into account your health, stage of cancer, treatment, and preferences.
Below is an easy guide to the most useful types of exercise, how hard to work, and how often to do it.
1. Types of exercise
Most men benefit from a mix of different exercises: aerobic, resistance, impact-loading, flexibility, and pelvic floor training.
- Aerobic Exercise
What it does: Strengthens the heart and lungs, improves stamina, balance, and reduces tiredness.
Examples: Walking, brisk walking, jogging, cycling (stationary or outdoor), swimming, rowing, tennis. - Resistance (Strength) Training
What it does: Builds and maintains muscle, prevents muscle loss, and improves body strength. This is especially important if you are recieving hormone therapy (ADT). It can also reduce fatigue and improve your quality of life.
Examples: Exercises that use weights or body weight, such as squats, shoulder presses, or rows. Aim to train all major muscle groups each week. - Impact-Loading Exercise
What it does: Protects bone health, which is often affected by ADT.
Examples: Heel drops, step-ups, small jumps.
Note: If you have severe osteoporosis or cancer that has spread to the bones, talk to your care team first. - Flexibility and Mobility Exercises
What they do: Keep muscles and joints moving well, improve comfort, and support daily activity. Light mobility work can help men who are very weak or nearing end of life. - Pelvic Floor Exercises
What they do: Help with urinary control and sexual function after surgery or treatment. Starting before surgery can improve recovery.
2. How hard should you exercise?
Most men with prostate cancer can usually work up to moderate or even high intensity exercise, unless your doctor advises otherwise.
- Moderate Intensity
Feels “somewhat hard.” You can still talk, but not easily.
Example: Brisk walking.
Good for: General health, mood, and energy. - Vigorous / High Intensity
Feels “hard.” Breathing is heavy, talking is difficult.
Examples: Running, swimming, tennis, cycling.
Why it matters: Research shows this level may slow cancer progression and improve survival when done regularly (e.g., 3 hours per week). - High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
Short bursts of near-maximum effort with rests in between.
Benefits: Improves heart fitness, lowers PSA growth, may slow cancer cell activity. Shown to be safe and enjoyable in supervised programs. - Strength Training Intensity
Use weights heavy enough that you can lift them only 6–12 times per set, without reaching total exhaustion. This builds strength and muscle safely. - Low Intensity
Gentle activity may be best during tough treatment days, especially if symptoms like nausea are strong.
3. How long and how often?
The key rule: Avoid sitting still for long periods. Do what you can most days of the week.
- Aerobic Exercise
Aim for 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. You can combine the two.
Tip: Start with short sessions (5–10 minutes) if needed, and build up to 20 minutes or more.
Evidence: Walking 90 minutes a week at a brisk pace lowered overall death risk by almost half. Vigorous activity 3+ hours per week lowered prostate cancer death risk by over 60%. - Resistance Training
Do strength training at least twice per week, resting 48 hours before working the same muscles again.
Format: 1–4 sets of 6–12 reps for 6–8 exercises covering all major muscle groups. - Impact Loading (if safe)
About 4 times per week, with 50 impacts per session (for example, 3–5 sets of 10–20 jumps or step-ups). - Consistency Matters
Exercise benefits don’t last forever after a single workout. Spread activity across most days of the week for the best results.
4. Important things to keep in mind
- Supervision Helps
Working with an exercise physiologist, physiotherapist, or personal trainer trained in cancer care is strongly recommended. They can design a safe, effective plan. - Flexibility
Energy and strength can vary day to day. It’s okay to adjust workouts depending on how you feel. - Bone Metastases
If cancer has spread to the bones, exercises must avoid putting stress on weak areas. Specialised guidance is needed. Talk to your care team. - Hormone Therapy (ADT)
Exercise is one of the best ways to fight side effects of ADT like muscle loss, bone thinning, fatigue, and heart problems. - Timing with Treatment
Doing light-to-moderate exercise before radiation sessions may improve blood flow to tumors and help treatment work better. - Motivation and Support
Sticking to exercise is easier when it fits your lifestyle and when you have support from family, friends, or group classes. Encouragement from your doctor or healthcare team also makes a difference.
Last word: Exercise is safe, effective, and essential for men with prostate cancer. The best plan combines aerobic, strength, and mobility training, done at the right level for your health and treatment stage. Regular, consistent movement can improve your quality of life and long-term outcomes. If you are unsure as to the best way to start, talk to your oncology team.
Keep moving.