8 Reasons Why It’s Never Too Late to Strength Train

Author: Julia Sullivan, CPT; Fact checked by Nick Blackmer

When most people think of anti-aging, they likely imagine pricey skincare or do-it-all supplements—but strength training may be one of the most powerful ways to keep your body and mind youthful. It can help preserve bone density, protect your heart, sharpen your brain, and even extend your lifespan.

And it’s never too late to start: Older adults who begin resistance training see major improvements in strength, mobility, and energy within just a few months.¹

1. Help maintain muscle.

Strength training is a first-line treatment for sarcopenia, or age-related muscle loss. Sarcopenia starts in your thirties and ticks up in your sixties and seventies.²

“Strength training can help maintain lean muscle in people who are aging,” said Jason Machowsky, RD, CSCS, an exercise physiologist and board-certified sports dietitian.

Having more muscle as you age can reduce your risk of falls and injuries. Research shows people with sarcopenia are significantly more likely to experience injury-inducing falls than those without it.

Extra muscle mass can also improve your posture, another key to avoiding injury as you age.³

2. Reduce bone loss.

Resistance training doesn’t just strengthen muscles—it’s also great for maintaining bone strength as you age.⁴ “Loading your bones helps reduce your rate of bone loss as you get older,” said Machowsky.

It can also kickstart bone formation. Research shows that just one year of heavy resistance training helped spur short-term bone formation in older adults.⁵

Mild impact activities—like hopping, running, or skipping—are best here, but those things take a good amount of balance, strength, and joint integrity. With strength training, older adults can reap those benefits with fewer risks, said Machowsky.

3. Boost heart health.

Cardio is important for heart health, but so is resistance training—it’s actually one of the best forms of movement to keep your cardiovascular system strong.

Strength training is associated with improved blood pressure and cholesterol. Research shows it may reduce risk of death from heart disease.^{6 7}

4. Support weight management.

Your metabolism slows as you age. You might gain weight (or have a harder time maintaining a steady weight).⁸

“Having more muscle and regularly [strength] training can help with overall daily calorie burn and weight management,” said Machowsky.

Strength training may also help regulate blood sugar levels. Research shows that the more muscle mass a person has, the better their insulin response.⁹ Insulin resistance, on the other hand, is linked to weight gain, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes.

5. Keep your brain sharp.

Your brain is a muscle, too. Research shows that regular strength training can help stave off cognitive impairment.

Specifically, resistance training can help protect the hippocampus (the part of your brain responsible for learning and memory) and precuneus (the part that fuels memory) against atrophy, while boosting white matter in adults with mild cognitive impairment.¹⁰

Plus, exercise of any kind can help promote blood flow to your brain, Machowsky noted, which might make you feel sharper overall.

6. Support longevity.

Aging often corresponds with cellular inflammation, which can lead to various age-induced conditions, like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

However, research shows that strength training can help reduce low-grade cellular inflammation and lower your cardiovascular disease risk.¹¹ Other research ties strength training to a reduced risk of cancer and dying from any disease.

7. Promote skin health.

As you age, your skin loses elasticity and some of the structure and thickness of the dermis, the middle layer of skin. There’s no cure-all cream or powder to reverse the hands of time, but strength training might carry some skin benefits.

Recent research shows that resistance training can “rejuvenate” skin, significantly improving elasticity, upper dermal structure, and dermal thickness.¹²

8. Boost energy.

Energy levels typically decrease with age due to a slower metabolism, reduced muscle mass, and age-related health conditions. But strength training could boost your energy.

“When you strength train, your energy is improved due to better circulation, a release of endorphins, and an increased metabolism,” said Machowsky.

Research also suggests that muscle strength can be a major predictor of a person’s ability to perform ADLs (activities of daily living), such as bathing, dressing, and controlling bladder and bowel function—tasks that become more challenging with age.¹³

It’s Never Too Late to Try Strength Training

Strength training isn’t just for bodybuilders and seasoned athletes. Whatever your age, it’s never too late to pick up a routine and start seeing improvements in your health.

Your best bet for starting a routine that sticks? Ease into it. “If people haven’t been exercising at all and are older or frailer, then it’s important to start with training for balance and flexibility/mobility and then moving on to strength,” said Hollis Day, M.D., MS, MHPE, Chief of Geriatrics at Boston Medical Center.

“Even starting as little as once a week can be helpful, and gradually build up [from there],” said Day. “And make sure you’re targeting your upper and lower body.”

The Bottom Line

While strength training can certainly help you live longer, it can also ensure those extra years are active, enjoyable, and spent doing what you love.

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