The benefits of HEAVY resistance training, at retirement age

⭕️The benefits of HEAVY resistance training, at retirement age⭕️

As people age, it becomes much harder to maintain muscle mass, reducing independence and quality of life. However, as long as heavy resistamce training is kept as a practice—you may experience its benefits even years after cessation.

This new study found that doing supervised strength training using *heavy weights* [70-80% of 1RM] for one year, around retirement age, helped older adults maintain their muscle strength and body composition for several years afterward.

Even though the participants didn’t continue structured training after one year, they still enjoyed the benefits four years later, suggesting that starting intensive weight training earlier in older age can have meaningful and lasting positive impacts on health, independence, and well-being, including better preservation of lean muscle mass and lower visceral fat, which is linked to improved metabolic health and likely reflects positive lifestyle changes.

This suggests that starting intensive weight training earlier in older age can have meaningful and lasting positive impacts on overall health, independence, and well-being!

Reference: Bloch-­ Ibenfeldt M, Theil Gates A, Karlog K, et al.
Heavy resistance training at retirement age induces 4-­ year
lasting beneficial effects in muscle strength: a long-­ term
follow-­ up of an RCT. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine
2024;10:e001899. doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2024-001899