Why Strength Training Becomes More Important After 60

Getting older doesn't mean becoming weak.

But staying strong does require a little more intention.

​As we age, changes in muscle mass, strength and power can begin to affect everything from how easily we climb stairs to how confident we feel getting up from the floor.

That's why strength training becomes increasingly important as we get older. And no—you don't need to have spent your life in a gym to benefit from it.

​Whether you're 60, 70 or beyond, getting stronger can be one of the most valuable things you do for your long-term health and independence.

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We Naturally Lose Muscle and Strength as We Age
Muscle doesn't suddenly disappear when you turn 60.

Age-related changes actually begin much earlier. But the decline in muscle strength and power tends to become more noticeable later in life.

Research highlighted by the National Institute on Aging shows that muscle strength and performance generally peak around ages 30–35 and decline gradually afterward, with the decline accelerating later in life.

This age-related loss of muscle mass and strength is often associated with sarcopenia.

The good news? Getting older doesn't mean you're powerless against it.

Resistance training provides your body with a reason to maintain—and in many cases build—strength.

Strength Is About Much More Than Lifting Weights
When we talk about strength training after 60, we're not training simply to become better at squats or deadlifts. We're training for life.

Think about how many everyday activities require strength:

Getting out of a chair.
Climbing stairs.
Carrying groceries.
Picking something up from the floor.
Lifting a suitcase.
Gardening.
Getting down on the floor—and getting back up.
Playing with grandchildren.
Walking up a hill on vacation.

The National Institute on Aging notes that muscle-strengthening exercise can improve physical function and make everyday activities such as getting out of a chair, climbing stairs and carrying groceries easier.

Those are the outcomes that matter.

Muscle Is Part of Your Independence Strategy
One of the biggest reasons we encourage strength training as people age has nothing to do with appearance. It's about maintaining independence.

The CDC recommends that adults 65 and older include muscle-strengthening exercise at least two days each week, along with aerobic and balance activities.

Regular physical activity can help older adults maintain physical function and continue performing everyday activities independently.

That means your ability to remain active later in life isn't simply about cardiovascular fitness. You need strength too.

Balance Isn't Just About Standing on One Foot
Balance becomes increasingly important as we age, but balance training shouldn't exist in isolation. Strength matters.

Your legs, hips and trunk all help you control your body when you walk, change direction, climb stairs or catch yourself when you lose your balance.

The CDC recommends that older adults incorporate a combination of aerobic exercise, strength training and balance work. A well-designed program should address all three.

At Lemonade Fit, we don't think of balance training as simply standing on one leg for longer and longer periods.

We want to build a body that's stronger and better prepared to respond to real life.

Don't Forget About Power
Strength tells us how much force you can produce. Power is your ability to produce force quickly. And that matters more than you might think.

​Getting up quickly, stepping onto a curb, catching yourself when you stumble or moving your body out of the way of something all require the ability to generate force relatively quickly.

Power tends to decline with age, which is why appropriate power training can be valuable for older adults. That doesn't mean everyone needs to start jumping onto boxes.

Depending on the individual, power training might involve standing up from a chair more quickly, performing a controlled medicine-ball movement or progressing to more athletic movements when appropriate. The goal is always to meet you where you are and progress from there.

Walking Is Wonderful—but It Isn't Strength Training
We love walking. Walk your neighborhood. Walk with friends. Walk your dog. Walk when you travel.

Walking provides plenty of benefits.

But walking and strength training do different things.

If walking is your only form of exercise, you're missing an important piece of the puzzle. Your muscles need resistance that challenges them enough to adapt.

That resistance might come from dumbbells, machines, resistance bands, body weight or other forms of resistance. And eventually, that resistance should progress.

Using the same three-pound dumbbells for years simply because you're getting older isn't necessarily the answer. The goal is to find an appropriate challenge for you.

You Don't Need to Train Like You're 25
Strength training after 60 doesn't mean copying the workout of a 25-year-old. But it also doesn't mean treating your body as fragile.

Good training considers your current abilities, exercise history, health history, joint function, balance, goals and experience. For one person, that might mean learning how to confidently sit down and stand up while holding additional weight. For another, it might mean deadlifting, squatting, carrying heavy dumbbells and performing appropriately programmed power exercises.

Age alone doesn't tell us what someone is capable of doing. That's why individualized programming matters.

What If You've Never Strength Trained Before?
You can still start. You don't need decades of exercise experience behind you.

The National Institute on Aging notes that many older adults can increase their strength through exercise, helping support mobility and independence later in life.

The important thing is beginning at an appropriate level and progressing gradually. That might mean starting with body-weight exercises and resistance bands before moving to heavier resistance. Or you might discover that you're capable of more than you expected.

The starting point is different for everyone. The principle is the same:
Start where you are. Build from there.

What About After Physical Therapy?
Physical therapy and personal training serve different purposes. Physical therapy may help you recover function following an injury, surgery or medical issue. But completing physical therapy doesn't mean you should stop getting stronger.

Once you've been appropriately cleared for regular exercise, strength training can provide a way to continue building fitness over the months and years that follow.

A qualified personal trainer should stay within their professional scope and work alongside recommendations from your healthcare professionals when appropriate. Exercise isn't a replacement for medical treatment. But it can be an important part of what comes next.

How Often Should Adults Over 60 Strength Train?
There isn't one perfect program for everyone. However, current CDC recommendations call for adults 65 and older to perform muscle-strengthening activities involving the major muscle groups at least two days per week, in addition to aerobic and balance activities.
For many people, two or three well-designed strength sessions each week can be a practical place to start.

More isn't automatically better.

Consistency, appropriate resistance, progression and recovery matter.

The Goal Isn't to Exercise Forever. It's to Live Well for Longer.
​Strength training isn't about trying to look 30 when you're 70. It's about increasing your capacity for the life you want to live.

You want to travel? Carry your own suitcase.

​You want to garden? Be able to get down and back up.

You want to stay in your home? Maintain the strength required to navigate it.

You want to play with your grandchildren? Train your body so you can.

The exercises we perform in the gym—or in your living room—are simply tools.
The real goal is maintaining your ability to participate fully in your own life.

And that's why strength training doesn't become less important as we get older.
It becomes more important.

Strength Training at Home in Charlotte, NC
Lemonade Fit™ is preparing to launch Lemonade Fit at Home, our private in-home strength and mobility training service for older adults in Charlotte.

Our trainers will come directly to you for individualized strength, balance and mobility training designed around your abilities, goals and everyday life.

No home gym is required.

Whether you want to maintain your strength, improve your balance, feel more confident moving through everyday life or continue building strength after completing physical therapy, we'll meet you where you are.

Lemonade Fit at Home is currently accepting names for our Founding Client Waitlist.

Join the waitlist for priority access to scheduling when appointments become available.

Become A Founding Client

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Author

Candice Canace has been a NASM certified personal trainer since 2014.  She specializes in women's fitness, weight loss, functional anatomy and overall health and wellness. Candice offers one-on-one personal training and small group training to women in Charlotte, NC. She also provides home and gym workouts through her online training app and is a certified online trainer.