Strength Training After 50

Why Strength Training After 50 Is Essential for Longevity

Muscle mass decreases up to 8% per decade after the age of 30. This is why building a strong base of muscle mass in your 20’s and 30’s is so important, but if you didn’t quite fit it in, don’t worry! It is never too late to strength train and even more imperative to start now. Resistance training will mitigate the steady decline of muscle mass and strength. As we age, bone density decreases, joints become achy and stiff and our hormones shift dramatically. All of these changes have one thing in common: strength training will reduce these symptoms. Approximately 40 in 100 women will experience one or more fractures after age 50, and one in four men will break a bone due to osteoporosis; this can be prevented.  Lean muscle mass plays a crucial role in regulating blood sugar, which in turn helps us prevent diabetes, heart disease and much more. Lean muscle is also correlated with cognitive function and neuroplasticity, that’s because as we exercise our body produces more BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), which is a protein that helps regulate mood, increase in memory and crucial for learning. If I haven’t convinced you how important resistance training is for your mind and body yet, well, sit back there’s more. Weight-Loss and Metabolism: two words that dominate as fitness industry buzzwords and two processes greatly affected by exercise. I’m sure you remember learning “mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell”, and therefore understand the importance of mitochondria to cellular function. Exercise increases mitochondrial number, density and function which in turn enhance human longevity. I could go on and on, but instead I will give you a few tangible ways to incorporate strength training into your routine if you haven’t already. The first step in the right direction: schedule 30 minutes of exercise into your calendar for four days each week. You can increase your time by 5-10 minutes per week, distributed however works best for your schedule until you feel like exercising for an hour is no sweat…but not literally-sweating is encouraged. Secondly, you will need some equipment. You don’t need much, but a little goes a long way. You can use bands, suspension trainers (TRX, being my favorite) or dumbbells for example. Now focus on the basics. Squats, chest press, rows, curls and planks are all very effective and modifiable exercises. These five exercises are great for functional fitness and can be easily scaled for your experience. If you are already beyond the basics and you’ve just felt a little stagnant, this is your sign to get the ball rolling again! If you have any questions, I’m always here to help!