Strength Training
Strength training is especially important as we grow older. It helps preserve muscle, improve balance, and maintain the strength needed for everyday activities.
The encouraging news is that people can become stronger even in their 80s and 90s. And getting started doesn't necessarily require a gym or expensive equipment.
What Counts as Strength Training?
Strength training means working muscles against resistance. This can include dumbbells, exercise machines, resistance bands, or your own body weight.
Unlike walking, which primarily provides aerobic exercise, resistance training challenges muscles to become stronger.
What Does Research Show?
Studies involving older adults have found that regular resistance training can:
Increase muscle strength and help preserve muscle mass.
Improve the ability to climb stairs and rise from a chair.
Improve mobility and everyday physical functioning.
Support bone and metabolic health.
Even people who have never lifted weights can benefit.
How Much Is Enough?
The CDC recommends muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week, involving all major muscle groups.
A practical starting approach is:
Two sessions weekly, preferably on nonconsecutive days.
One or two sets of 8–12 repetitions per exercise, using resistance appropriate to your abilities.
Gradually increase resistance as exercises become easier.
The final few repetitions should feel challenging without sacrificing proper technique.
Do You Need a Gym?
No. Several simple exercises can be effective:
Chair stands: Strengthen the legs and help maintain the ability to get up from a chair.
Wall push-ups: Strengthen the chest, shoulders, and arms.
Resistance bands: Provide adjustable resistance for many muscle groups.
Dumbbells: Help strengthen the arms, shoulders, and other muscles.
Step-ups: Strengthen the legs and improve functional mobility.
A gym can offer more equipment and supervision, but a well-designed home program can also be effective.
Is Strength Training Safe After 70 or 80?
For most older adults, appropriately designed strength training is safe and beneficial.
The important principles are to start gradually, use proper technique, and increase resistance progressively.
People with significant balance difficulties, recent fractures, or certain medical conditions should consider guidance from a physical therapist or qualified exercise professional.
The Bottom Line
Walking keeps us moving. Strength training helps keep us strong.
Both are important, and neither completely replaces the other.
Maintaining muscle strength can make the difference between needing assistance and continuing to manage everyday activities independently.
And it's never too late to begin.
Health & Safety Note
Strength training is beneficial for most older adults, but exercises should be adapted to individual abilities and medical conditions. If you have significant balance problems, recent fractures, heart conditions, or other physical limitations, consult your healthcare professional before beginning a new strength-training program. Start gradually and use proper technique.
Learn More
Videos
Dr. Mark Hyman explores the broader benefits of exercise for healthy aging and offers encouragement for making physical activity a regular part of life.
A short overview of the benefits of strength training for older adults, including maintaining muscle, improving balance, supporting bone health, and preserving independence.
Dr. Mark Hyman focuses on muscle as a key regulator of metabolism, explaining how resistance training can improve insulin sensitivity and help protect against age-related muscle loss.
Professor Maria Fiatarone Singh discusses pioneering research showing that even people in their 80s and 90s can substantially improve muscle strength through resistance training. She explains how building strength can improve mobility, physical function, and independence, challenging the belief that significant muscle loss is inevitable with aging.