Recently, I was reminded about a quote by Dick Van Dyke:
“At 30, I exercised to look good. In my 50s, to stay fit. In my 70s, to stay ambulatory. In my 80s, to avoid assisted living. Now in my 90s, I’m just doing it out of pure defiance.”
We are lucky enough to train members of all ages here in the gym. From their early 20’s all the way up to 80’s! We have seen this exact perspective firsthand: the “why” behind strength training evolves as we move through different decades of life.
If you’re in the 30s, 40s, 50s or beyond, lifting and exercise isn’t really just all about aesthetics anymore. It’s about keeping your body durable, capable, and resilient for the long haul. You only get one go at this life, and your body is your one and only vessel. You have to take care of it if you want the ride to be enjoyable.
That quote inspired me to talk about a few reasons why strength training is so important as we age---
Strength training protects bone density and reduces injury risk
Bone loss speeds up dramatically in midlife, especially after 30 and especially for women (love that for us). After menopause, women can lose up to 20% of their bone density thanks to declining estrogen.
Beatrice Edwards, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor of medicine and director of the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Center at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine says about bone density: “We lose so much muscle as we age that by the time we’re 70, we only have about 50 to 55 percent of our muscle mass left… that explains why we feel weak and tired as we age, and we can prevent some of that with weight training.” Studies have shown that weight lifting can prevent bone loss and may even help build new bone. Like our client Marianne; who, after about 2 years of consistently training 3x a week with us, managed to reverse osteopenia in her spine at the age of 69!
With bone loss (aka osteopenia, osteoporosis) comes an increased chance of injury. Hip fractures, for example, later in life can be devastating. Here’s a scary statistic: women aged 65-70 who experience a hip fracture are 5x more likely to die within a year than those who don’t. That means if Linda is 68 and Betty is 68 and one of them falls and breaks a hip, let's say it’s Linda (sorry Linda), then she is 5 times more likely to die than Betty before they turn 69. The empowering part is that we CAN prevent that bone loss by strength training.
In one study, postmenopausal women who strength trained for a year saw significant increases in bone density in the spine and hip (the two highest-risk areas).
This is why we program:
Hip Dominant movements
Core stability
Balance and unilateral movements (single arm, single leg)
Progressive loading
With strength training, you are just strengthening your muscles, you are strengthening the frame that carries your vessel.
Strength Training Supports Hormones and Energy (Including Testosterone)
As we age, our hormones change. This goes for men and women. One of the most talked about hormones is Testosterone. It’s important for men, yes. But it is equally important for women! We have testosterone too. Regular lifting can naturally support a healthy level. Testosterone helps build lean mass (muscles). The more lean mass you have, the more metabolic activity you have. Metabolic activity means energy aka CALORIES. Think of your muscles like firewood and the energy they produce like the fire...
Lean muscle = high quality, dry wood = BURNS HOT
Low amounts of muscle = damp wood = lots of smoke, little heat. Not great for smores.
Training helps keep that internal fire burning strong.
Strength Training Helps You Keep Playing ... At Every Age
Another great quote by a smart person:
“We don’t quit playing because we age, we age because we quit playing.” -George Bernard Shaw
Strength training keeps you:
Playing
Hiking
Able to keep up with the kids or grandkids
Traveling
Getting up and down off the ground
Living independently
Adventurous
Movement is youth. And strength keeps you moving.
Strength Training Builds Mental Resilience (my favorite reason)
Life gets heavy as we get older. We deal with aging parents, finances, careers, relationships, loss. Strength training teaches you how to lift heavy things inside the gym so you can handle heavy things outside of it.
As I am sure most of you know, there is something so grounding about picking up steel, moving with intention, and proving to yourself that you CAN DO THE HARD THINGS.
After you read this email or maybe next time you're in the gym, I want you to ask yourself the question: “Why am I training for the decade I am in, and who am I becoming for the decades ahead?”
Are you training to feel strong now? to age well? to stay independent? to feel confident? or to live in a little “pure defiance” like Dick Van Dyke?
Your workouts today are shaping the life you’ll be able to live tomorrow.
Keep showing up for yourself.