Weight training builds bones, balance, and better health and can help older adults stay strong, mobile, and independent.
Lorraine C. Ladish didn’t start lifting weights to burn calories or look “ripped” in her favorite outfit. The 62-year-old fitness influencer wanted to stay strong, active, and independent as she aged.
Ladish goes to the gym three times per week, spending time in the weight room and taking “BodyPump” classes; she is also a yoga instructor and twists and bends into poses that require strength, stamina, and balance. Ladish documents her fitness journey on social media and her website, Viva Fifty.
“As we age, weightlifting, especially for women, becomes really important,” she says. “It’s something that should be part of every woman’s workout routine.”
Muscle mass starts to decrease with age. Starting at age 30, women lose 3% to 8% of their muscle mass per decade. Declines are even higher after age 60. The age-related loss of muscle mass and strength is called sarcopenia.
Decreased muscle mass increases the risk of falls and injuries. It’s also linked to higher fat mass, increased joint stiffness, and decreased bone density. Strength training can help.
The great thing about resistance training, says Alan Rozanski MD, a professor of medicine at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, is that it improves your health “at any age, and no matter what condition you are in.”
Regular weight training will decrease age-related muscle loss “very substantially,” he says.
Benefits of Building Muscle Mass
Strength training can help older adults build or preserve muscle mass, making it easier to climb stairs, lift groceries, or get up from a chair, Rozanski says. It also offers big health benefits such as:
Higher bone density. Strength training boosts bone density in women over 50 who lift weights. (In one study, women lifted at least twice a week for six months.) Higher bone density helps protect against osteoporosis and fractures.
Fewer falls: Falling is among the leading causes of accidental injuries, and older adults are at a higher risk. Strength training can improve muscle strength and balance and reduce the risk of falls.
Sharper thinking: Strength training benefits your brain. Resistance exercises are linked with improved memory and thinking skills and a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Better mental health: Doctors often prescribe exercise to treat depression, and strength training can be a very good way to ease depressive symptoms. Depression also increases the risk of other health issues, including diseases of the heart and blood vessels and cancer.
Increased metabolism: Strong muscles keep metabolism active, which can support a healthy weight and improve insulin sensitivity – an important factor in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and other metabolic conditions.
Building Your Routine
You can build strength with free weights or weight machines, but “weight training” doesn’t have to mean lifting weights. You can build muscle with resistance bands or medicine balls or exercises like pushups, planks, or squats. Much of this can be done at home – no equipment or gym membership required.
Ladish uses free weights and weight machines at the gym and also does pullups, handstands, and other weight-bearing exercises. She has been “super excited” about the results.
A recent bone scan showed a significant improvement in bone mineral density in her hips compared to two years ago. She says weight-bearing exercise was a big part of the improvement.
Lifting weights can make some older adults nervous – especially if they are new to strength training, says physical therapist Corey Podbielski, PT, DPT, OCS, a physical therapy supervisor at Gaylord Specialty Healthcare in Wallingford, Connecticut
“When done correctly, strength training is one of the safest and most effective ways to reduce pain, improve balance, and stay independent,” Podbielski says. “I would argue that strength training is much safer than not strength training.”
Rozanski suggests getting the green light from your doctor before starting a strength training routine, especially if it’s something new. If you can, work with a physical therapist or personal trainer to develop a program that is tailored to your needs, he says.
Good lifting technique is extremely important to help avoid injury, he adds.