Strength Training Rocks at Any Age, But Especially Over 40
It can protect you from a variety of age-related conditions, while improving your physical and mental health.
Use it or lose it.
Those five words sum up all of the clinical research in recent decades that has studied muscle mass, bone density, mobility, and aging.
The short version is this: If you want to stay healthy and active over age 40, you've got to engage in some form of strength training (a.k.a., resistance training).
Big Benefits of Strength Training Over 40
Strength training at least twice a week helps maintain muscle mass, bone density, and metabolic health, which are particularly important as you age.
According to the National Institute on Aging:
"Typically, muscle mass and strength increase steadily from birth and reach their peak at around 30 to 35 years of age. After that, muscle power and performance decline slowly and linearly at first, and then faster after age 65 for women and 70 for men."
This report went on to explain that regular strength training can help people over 40 in many ways. It can maintain muscle mass, improve mobility, and add healthy years onto your life.
And then we have this summary from the journal of Current Aging Science:
"Research has shown that resistance exercises can maintain normal blood glucose levels, lipids, and cholesterol, and hence the management of chronic conditions like cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus. Additionally, resistance exercises hinder the process of muscular (and neuromuscular) damage, improve bone health and psychological health and sleep."
Read that last paragraph again. Resistance training can help you manage blood sugar and cholesterol, while preventing neuromuscular damage and supporting your mental health.
And we're not talking about powerlifting here. You don't have to lift truck axles or bench press twice your body weight (and it's probably best if you don't).
Really, anything that challenges your muscles qualifies as "strength training." So start slow and don't overdo it. But by all means start.
How to Push Your Muscles at Home
Don't have a gym membership? No problem. Here are some strength training exercises you can do at home with little to no equipment.
Lower Body
Squats: A classic exercise that works your legs, core, and glutes.
Lunges: Target your quads, hamstrings, and glutes while improving balance.
Calf raises: Strengthen your calf muscles.
Glute bridges: Engage your glutes and hamstrings.
Step-ups: Work your legs and core.
Upper Body
Push-ups: A compound exercise that targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps.
Plank: A static exercise that strengthens your core, shoulders, and arms.
Triceps dips: Focus on your triceps (the back of your arm).
Dumbbell rows: Work your back muscles.
Dumbbell overhead press: Target your shoulders.
Core
Crunches: Engage your abdominal muscles.
Russian twists: Work your obliques (side of your abdomen).
Bird dogs: Improve core stability and balance.
Leg raises: Strengthen your lower abs.
In closing, a quote from the American Journal of Preventive Medicine:
"In addition, strength training also has the ability to reduce the risk of osteoporosis and the signs and symptoms of numerous chronic diseases such as heart disease, arthritis, and type 2 diabetes, while also improving sleep and reducing depression."