Getting Stronger as You Age: Why Strength Training Matters
Many people believe that it's not possible to get fit and strong after a certain age. But getting older doesn't mean you have to accept becoming weaker, less mobile or less capable.
For many years, strength training wasn't widely promoted to women, and it was often presented as something mainly for men.
And for a long time, the fitness industry seemed to have one main message for women: get fit while you're young, then spend the rest of your life trying to look 25 again.
Thankfully, things are changing.
What happens to our bodies as we age?
As we get older, we naturally lose some muscle mass, strength and physical capacity. This loss of muscle is known as sarcopenia, and it can become more noticeable as we age.
This matters because muscle isn't just about how much weight you can lift. Strength helps us with everyday activities, balance, mobility and maintaining our independence.
Strength training is one of the key tools we have for maintaining muscle and physical function as we age.
What changes for women as we age?
For women, there's another important piece of the puzzle: perimenopause and menopause.
The hormonal changes that happen during the menopause transition can affect things such as bone health, muscle mass, body composition and cardiovascular health.
That doesn't mean your body suddenly stops responding to exercise. Quite the opposite. This is one reason strength training becomes particularly valuable during this stage of life.
Strength training, cardio, good nutrition, sleep and recovery all become valuable tools for supporting your health as you move through this stage of life.
I'm 40+. Is It Too Late to Get Stronger?
Absolutely not.
It would be great if we'd all started strength training earlier. But life doesn't always work that way.
Maybe you never enjoyed exercise. Maybe you were busy raising a family. Maybe nobody ever taught you how to strength train. Or maybe you were simply not ready to start until now.
Whatever your reason, just know that you can get stronger, fitter and more capable at any age.
You may not respond to training in exactly the same way you did at 20, but your body is still adaptable.
Regular exercise, particularly strength training, can help you:
maintain and build muscle
improve strength and physical capacity
support bone health
support cardiovascular health
manage stress and support better sleep
make everyday movement easier
Can we cheat ageing?
Not quite. Unless one of you happens to be a mad scientist with a breakthrough to share with me. 😂
But we can do a lot to support our health and physical function as we age.
So, what should you actually do?
Whether you've been active your whole life or you're just getting started, it’s never too late to start strength training. If you're not sure where to begin, this beginner's guide to strength training will walk you through the basics.
If your goal is to maintain or build muscle and strength as you age, strength training deserves a place in your routine. You can also add cardio and other forms of movement to support your overall health.
First, choose something you enjoy. It doesn't have to be the exercise your neighbor swears by or the workout that happens to be trending on Instagram. If you enjoy it, you're much more likely to keep doing it.
Second, keep it simple. You don't need to overhaul your entire lifestyle overnight.
Here’s an idea to get started:
Strength training: aim for two sessions a week and build from there. How much strength training you need explains more about frequency, sets, reps, effort and progression.
Cardio: keep walking, dancing, cycling, swimming or doing whatever gets you moving and raises your heart rate.
Daily movement: look for opportunities to walk more and sit less.
Sleep and recovery: give your body time to recover from the things you're asking it to do.
Rest: remember that recovery is part of training, not the opposite of it.
We're not trying to stop getting older. We're trying to get older while staying strong enough to enjoy our lives.