New Research Shows Lifting Weights, Even at Retirement Age, Has Benefits for Years After
Increasing evidence suggests that strength training is one of the closest things we have to a real-world fountain of youth. Recent research shows incredible associations between resistance training and a reduced risk of all-cause mortality, including lower risks of cardiovascular disease and cancers.
Now, a new study reveals that it’s never too late to start strength training. The research highlights that the benefits of lifting weights, even when begun in older age, can persist for up to four years after just one year of training
The Study
Published in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, researchers investigated the effects of strength training on hundreds of participants aged in their 60s and 70s. The participants were split into three groups, with each group respectively taking part in:
One year of heavy resistance training
One year of moderate-intensity training
A non-exercising control group
The outcomes measured were leg extensor power, isometric leg strength, and body composition. Participants were tested at the beginning of the study (pre-training) to establish a baseline, then again after the year-long training intervention, and then two and four years after the study.
The Results
Incredibly, even after three years with no further training, the high-intensity resistance training group had still maintained strength levels well above their original baseline. The moderate-intensity training group did not maintain as much strength as the heavy training group. However, they still maintained some strength versus baseline. This highlights the fact that hard training is necessary if we want to see long-lasting strength gains, even into old age.
Lean body mass, or muscle, was not maintained quite as well as strength levels in either group, but it’s key to remember that both of the training groups had stopped lifting altogether, so the fact they maintained any muscle at all is a testament to the power of heavy resistance training.
What Does This Mean For Us?
The link between strength, muscle mass, and longevity is clear. Beyond the internal, physiological benefits of going into old age with a decent degree of strength and muscle, there are also the easy-to-overlook lifestyle benefits of being stronger and more capable. The longer we can maintain a strength-boosting regime, the more we can improve our quality of life as we age.
What this study importantly demonstrates is that it’s never too late to get started on this journey, and that an investment in hard training can pay off for years to come, even if you're already in your 60s or 70s.
That being said, the sooner you start, the more strength you’ll be taking into retirement with you. So grab those dumbbells and get to work...
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