More and more studies are highlighting the benefits of resistance training (along with a bit of cardio) as we age. There is no age limit for getting started, either. The evidence is unanimous: exercise not only delays death, but also slows cognitive and physical decline better than anything else. Combined with good nutrition and quality sleep, it is the ultimate natural remedy for improving health and living both longer and better.
Moving from a sedentary lifestyle to regular physical activity is comparable to quitting smoking for a smoker, according to Carver Coleman in a study published in The British Journal of Sports Medicine.
After 50↗
Beyond the purely athletic aspect, strength training becomes increasingly important after the age of 50 to preserve the ability to perform everyday activities and maintain an active, independent lifestyle. I finally had this realization 3 years ago, thanks to Francesca, who had long understood the importance of resistance exercises.
Why did it take me so long to have this wake-up call? For two reasons.
First, I was never particularly interested in strength training or general physical conditioning. On the contrary, I was drawn to endurance sports such as trail running and road running, which I have practiced for many years.
Second, when you start reading about longevity, aging, exercise, or even biohacking—topics that Francesca and I are both passionate about—you quickly discover that after the age of 35 or 40, doing only cardio, or too much cardio, is not necessarily beneficial for long-term health. In fact, the opposite may be true if endurance training is your only form of exercise.
It took me some time to fully accept that idea, especially since I had regained a decent level of fitness in trail running during the autumn of 2022. I actually mentioned this transition in an article published in January, “Physical Activity and Its Benefits for Longevity.”
And then, somewhere around January, I fell into weight training the same way I had fallen into running and trail running about ten years earlier. I genuinely started enjoying it. For my health, my enjoyment, and my goal of aging well, my physical activity is now much more focused on resistance training than endurance.
In many ways, it is the only effective way to begin fighting sarcopenia—the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength caused by slower protein synthesis and accelerated muscle breakdown. A 2021 study conducted by a team of European researchers and published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that regular strength training significantly improves muscular strength, physical function, and body composition in older adults.
This shows that it is never too late to take control of your health by adding resistance training to your daily routine. Strength training can potentially reduce dependency as we age, naturally improve quality of life, and make everyday tasks easier—lifting grocery bags, climbing stairs, standing up independently, and so on.
Two to Four Sessions per Week↗
A relatively sedentary person will lose about a quarter of their muscular strength by the age of 70 and more than half by the age of 90, explains Dr. Robert Schreiber of Harvard Medical School. Fortunately, this trend can be significantly altered through strength training and resistance exercise.
When you know nothing about it, the idea of starting “weightlifting” can feel intimidating (I actually prefer the term weight training). But in reality, it is very simple. You do not necessarily need special equipment, nor do you need a gym nearby.
You can train perfectly well at home, either using your own body weight at first or by investing in one or two pairs of dumbbells—or, even better for beginners, a few kettlebells.
There is no need to spend hours training, either. In the beginning, just ten minutes per session can make a meaningful difference, especially if you are coming from a sedentary lifestyle.
The advice is broadly the same as when starting running or trail running: consistency and gradual progression matter most. It is far better to complete two or three 15–20 minute sessions each week than a single exhausting one-hour workout every week or two.
Francesca and I train every other day. It is simple, sustainable, and effective.
In fact, after the age of 40, it is generally recommended not to train intensely every day, allowing the body time to recover and rebuild muscle fibers. Of course, this depends on each person’s fitness level, training history, and goals.
There are many different reasons to lift weights, and therefore many different ways to train. Some people want to build strength, others seek hypertrophy (larger muscles), weight loss, longevity, athletic performance, or simply better overall fitness.
For us, the primary goal is health and, by extension, longevity—to live longer while maintaining a good quality of life and increasing our physical strength.
Our workouts usually last between 20 and 45 minutes, and we prefer training with weights rather than relying solely on bodyweight exercises. To do that, we have gradually built up a small collection of dumbbells and kettlebells over the months. It provides a solid starting point for anyone interested in getting started:
Our Equipment↗
- Dumbbells: 2 × 5 kg
- Dumbbells: 2 × 7.5 kg
- Dumbbells: 2 × 10 kg
- Dumbbells: 2 × 12.5 kg
- Dumbbell : 1 x 20 kg
- Kettlebell: 8 kg
- Kettlebell: 12 kg
- Kettlebell: 16 kg
We vary the weights depending on the exercise.
There is no need to start this heavy, either. Small fitness dumbbells are perfectly adequate if your goal is simply to stay active or if you are just getting started.
If, however, your goal is hypertrophy or increasing strength, you will eventually need to increase the weight progressively. In fact, I am beginning to realize that for some exercises I now need heavier weights myself.
Prevention remains our most powerful tool, and regular physical activity can—and should—be practiced at any age.
This is probably the second or third time I have mentioned it in this article, but there truly is no age limit for getting started.
Combined with a healthy diet and good-quality sleep, regular resistance training is one of the best ways to age comfortably and stay healthy. By contrast, inactivity, a sedentary lifestyle, and poor eating habits often cause more damage than aging itself.
This article is an update of a post I published on august 17th 2023.