When Vincent "Vin" DiMonte decided to hit the gym in late December of 2014, he liked it so much, he worked out again the next day.
And the next day.
And the day after that.
More than 3,700 days later, he hasn't missed a single day of exercise, though he does take some easier days of light cardio to give his body a chance to recover.
The 74-year-old from Rhode Island said the regular routine of combining strength training with cardio has kept him energized, healthy, and strong over time.
"I am hardly ever sick, and I don't get headaches. I have maintained my drive, diligence, dedication, and determination all these years," DiMonte told Business Insider in an interview coordinated by Planet Fitness, his gym of choice.
DiMonte's current workout schedule is about an hour each day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. It's been this way for 10 years and counting, and he has no plans to slow down.
"I have treated exercise like a 'job' — Get up, dress up, show up, and don't give up," he said.
Here's what a typical workout looks like for DiMonte, and why science says it's so good for longevity.
Exercise machines help build muscle and prevent injury
The bulk of DiMonte's workouts, pun intended, is strength training to build muscle.
"The goal has been to become 'a lean mean, fighting machine,' as John Candy proclaimed in 'Stripes,'" DiMonte said.
He spends about 45 minutes of his workout, six days a week, on strength machines. Each focuses on a different muscle group, a strategy called a workout split that allows one muscle group to rest while you work on another.
One recent gym session included calf extensions, leg extensions, and bicep curls. Other go-to exercises include chest presses and cable pull-downs.
DiMonte said he prefers strength training machines to free weights because the movements are easier on his body.
Machine exercise can be great for building muscle, whether you're a beginner or an experienced athlete, since they help to isolate the target muscles. And healthy muscle mass is key to living longer, making the body more resilient, preventing illness, and bolstering the metabolism over time.
For older athletes exercising for longevity, gym machines can help prevent injury since they provide more support and stability, personal trainers previously told Business Insider.
Cardio protects your heart for a longer life
Over the years, DiMonte has added more time on the treadmill to his workout routine for aerobic exercise.
His current sessions include about 12 minutes of cardio daily, and Sundays are reserved for cardio-only, a type of active recovery so he can keep moving while his muscles rest.
Aerobic or cardio exercise can help extend lifespan and health by protecting your heart as you age, whether you're walking, biking, jogging, or doing other activities that get your heart rate up.
Walking also kept DiMonte active and exercising daily during COVID when gyms were closed.
DiMonte said the key to maintaining his health, and his decade-long habit, has been staying consistent. His advice is to do something active every day and find a community to build a lifelong habit. Having strong social connections and a sense of purpose is not only linked to better longevity — a workout buddy is one of the best ways to stay motivated at the gym too, according to science.
As DiMonte puts it: "Go one day, then go the next day, and soon you will have a routine. You will make friends with those who have the same goals. They will become your 'peeps!'"
