Ageing reduces steadily but inexorably most important functions of the human organs. Even if brain capability seems to be less affected, cardiac, renal, and pulmonary functions decrease by 25 to 55% at the age of 80 years. Ageing acts on regulatory processes such as motor activities of central and peripheral system, hormone activities, immune defences, protein synthesis, food intake. This leads to sarcopenia which is also related to physical inactivity, and therefore weakness, disability, morbidity and mortality. A vicious circle starts with muscle wasting, cardio-vascular impairment and loss of performance. There are evidences showing that an active life during ageing is able to counteract these detrimental effects. The following lecturers of this session emphasized the description of the lack of exercise during ageing and the counter effects when staying physically active: Xavier Bigard (Grenoble, France) and Gillian Butler-Brown (Paris, France) on sarcopenia, Martine Duclos (Bordeaux, France) on hormone regulations, Jacques Duchateau (Brussels, Belgium) on neuro-muscular adaptations, Guy Cheron (Brussels, Belgium) on central nervous system, Helle Bruunsgaard (Copenhagen, Denmark) on immune system and Jantine Schuit (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) on food intake. The lecturers concluded on the benefit of a “physical pyramid”, as compared to the “food pyramid” in order to smoothen the effects of ageing and thereby to reduce the medical cost of the social security budget, as demonstrated in several countries.