How Do Astronauts Exercise in Space?

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station typically exercise for two hours each day. From running to cycling to weightlifting, learn how crew members complete fitness regimens in space and commit to staying healthy – even in microgravity. Credit: NASA Join NASA as we go forward to the Moon and on to Mars -- discover the latest on Earth, the Solar System and beyond with a weekly update in your inbox. Subscribe at: https://www.nasa.gov/subscribe

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Imagine exercising in space, something astronauts on the International Space Station do for a couple hours almost every day. There's little gravity, so you'd need to be strapped to your treadmill with a harness so you wouldn't float away. There's limited space, but that's fine since your treadmill could be attached to the ceiling or a wall. Every surface is a usable one when in microgravity. To keep your bones strong and safeguard your muscles and heart, you'd really need to stick to your exercise regiment, involving three pieces of exercise equipment.

The station's treadmill is like what you'd use on Earth, but it's got a specialized vibration isolation system to make sure that the force of your feet striking the treadmill won't shake the station's research experiments or even move the entire station. The station's spin class style exercise bike has similar vibration isolation. Finally, there's a machine which allows astronauts to mimic weight lifting in low gravity. It uses cylinders of air to provide resistance. Squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and more are all part of that space workout mix.

Instead of multiple workout machines, on future trips to the moon and Mars, astronauts will likely use a single rowing device. Spacecraft will be more compact than the space station and rowing movements, especially with the resistance turned up, will offer a full body workout, even allowing for weight lifting-like exercises. For astronauts, weight lifting, no matter what equipment you use, is needed to maintain the body's capabilities. So say you weigh 150 pounds on Earth. In space, you'd want to be able to squat at least that same weight.

Why? To maintain the muscle strength you need to carry yourself around when you come home. And really, what's a better workout motivator than that?

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