Strength training, often overlooked in favour of cardio, offers significant benefits for healthy ageing, according to experts. While aerobic exercise helps you live longer, resistance training ensures a better quality of life as you age. Stuart Phillips, a muscle physiology researcher at McMaster University in Canada, describes strength as 'the neglected sibling at the health dinner table'.
Jess Gorzelitz, an epidemiologist at the University of Iowa, emphasises that the biggest health gains come from starting strength training compared to doing nothing. 'The riskiest group are those who do nothing,' she says. Beginners should aim for two 20- to 30-minute sessions per week, focusing on exercises like wall push-ups, rowing movements, and planks. Household items such as cans of food or bottles of water can be used for resistance, and no gym membership is required.
For those who do go to the gym, Gorzelitz recommends targeting the 'big three' movements: squats, deadlifts, and bench presses, along with shoulder presses for back strength. As you progress, gradually increase resistance, repetitions, or sets. 'Small increments repeated over months are where the magic lives,' says Phillips, who advises against overexertion: 'You do not need to crawl out of the gym like a wounded animal.'
Research supports the longevity benefits of strength training. A large review found that 30-60 minutes per week of muscle strengthening activities reduces the risk of all-cause mortality by 10-17%. Another study showed that 90 minutes to two hours per week lowers early death risk by 13%, and combining resistance training with cardio yields a 58% lower risk. 'Aerobic fitness likely helps you live longer, but muscle strength helps you live better while you are here,' Phillips summarises.
