WEBVTT
00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:05.919
A lot of people think aging means you just naturally are going to get weaker, softer, less flexible.
00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:12.720
The truth is, some physiologic changes do happen, but a huge amount of what people experience is not simply age.
00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:16.719
The 30s are where life load usually starts to compete with training load.
00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:20.879
In your 40s, this is often when the bill starts to come due, right?
00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:27.280
Recurrent back pain, tendon irritation, weight gain, and reduced tolerance for unplanned physical stress.
00:00:27.519 --> 00:00:31.120
In the 50s, I say muscle is not about strength and structure.
00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:33.039
It is really our metabolic engine.
00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:37.039
Aging well is not about trying to look 25 forever.
00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:42.159
It is about keeping the physical capacity to live fully in every decade.
00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:22.560
A lot of people think that aging means you just naturally are going to get weaker, softer, less flexible, and less capable.
00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:30.879
The truth is some physiologic changes do happen, but a huge amount of what people experience is not simply age.
00:01:31.040 --> 00:01:39.040
It is underloading, deconditioning, and poor recovery due to low muscle mass and loss of movement competency over time.
00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:44.879
Higher muscle strength is consistently associated with better function and lower mortality risk.
00:01:44.959 --> 00:01:50.480
And resistance training improves strength and physical function well into our older age.
00:01:50.799 --> 00:01:55.439
And this matters for both men and women, but not always in the same way.
00:01:55.680 --> 00:02:05.599
Hormones, body composition shifts, pregnancy history, menopause, bone health, metabolic health, and lifestyle patterns all change the picture.
00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:14.400
So today we want to break down what people should actually be thinking about in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and far beyond.
00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:20.080
Not just to look better, but to move better, tolerate life better, and stay independent longer.
00:02:20.400 --> 00:02:20.960
Exactly.
00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:32.400
We're going to define a few terms, then walk decade by decade and talk about what tends to change, what matters most, and what the training priority should be for men and women.
00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:40.080
Okay, so to start, let's define the three anchors for today: strength, body composition, and load tolerance.
00:02:40.400 --> 00:02:44.240
When I say strength, I do not just mean how much you can deadlift.
00:02:44.319 --> 00:02:48.400
I mean your ability to create force, control force, and absorb force.
00:02:48.639 --> 00:02:56.560
That includes maximal strength, strength endurance, and as people get older, it especially includes power and the ability to generate force quickly.
00:02:56.719 --> 00:03:02.400
Our rate of force development declines with aging, as is closely tied to functional performance.
00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:05.680
And body composition is not simply weight.
00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:10.639
The much better metric that we use for metabolic health is body composition.
00:03:10.800 --> 00:03:16.719
It is the relationship between lean mass, fat mass, and where that fat is distributed.
00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:23.680
So if you think about it, two people can weigh exactly the same, but have very different metabolic health and physical capacity.
00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:33.759
During aging, especially for women during the menopause transition, fat mass tends to rise and lean mass tends to fall, unless we are actively challenged.
00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:35.520
Then there is load tolerance.
00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:48.000
Clinically, this is your body's ability to handle the stress placed on it, whether that stress is a workout, carrying luggage, playing golf, getting up off the floor, picking up a grandchild, or reacting to a slip.
00:03:48.240 --> 00:03:58.400
If tissues, joints, tendons, bone, and the nervous system are underprepared, the same task that used to be easy becomes irritating, painful, or injury-prone.
00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:00.639
This is a key longevity point.
00:04:00.800 --> 00:04:02.879
We are not training just for the gym, right?
00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:09.120
We are training for the demands of everyday life and the way we want to be conducting it among our friends and family.
00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:23.759
And the research is very clear that multi-component exercise, combination of strength, aerobic work, balance, and functional movement is what improves physical function, frailty outcomes, and quality of life in older adults.
00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:25.839
So really thinking long-term is important here.
00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:28.800
In your 20s, the goal is to build your reserve.
00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:37.439
This is where a lot of people can accumulate muscle, build tending capacity, improve movement quality, and establish the habits that protect them later.
00:04:37.600 --> 00:04:41.040
The problem is that being young can hide bad training.
00:04:41.199 --> 00:04:46.959
You can get away with poor sleep, random programming, and no recovery until you cannot.
00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:49.360
So this is an important time to think ahead.
00:04:49.519 --> 00:05:02.800
For both sexes, the 20s are the time to build muscle mass, connective tissue tolerance, good movement mechanics, high aerobic capacity, and consistency with diet like high protein intake and training frequency.
00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:06.399
For men, the common issue is confusing intensity with quality.
00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:09.279
They choose loads that before they earn controls.
00:05:09.439 --> 00:05:14.800
For women, I often see the opposite: plenty of work capacity, but not enough progressive resistance loading.
00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:20.879
That matters because muscle mass and bone loading are protective assets later in life, especially for women.
00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:28.480
Resistance training in women, including postmenopausal women, improves strength, physical fitness, and body composition.
00:05:28.639 --> 00:05:33.439
Exercise training also benefits bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.
00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:36.879
So the message for the 20s is really simple and focused.
00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:40.399
Don't just stay active, get objectively stronger.
00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:56.000
So that means committing to two to four resistance sessions per week, enough protein, and a program that includes a variety of lower body strength, pulling strength, single leg stability, trunk control, and sprint or power exposure if appropriate.
00:05:56.240 --> 00:06:06.079
Consensus recommendations for adults and older adults consistently include regular resistance work for major muscle groups, plus balance and neuromotor training.
00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:08.639
All right, well, moving on now to the 30s.
00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:11.120
So this is where performance really meets real life.
00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:15.360
The 30s are where life load usually starts to compete with training load.
00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:22.560
Things such as career, family, kids, higher stress situations, sleep disruption.
00:06:22.720 --> 00:06:26.879
This is where many people don't stop caring, but they lose the ability to structure.
00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:30.720
And when training becomes random, body composition usually follows.
00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:38.720
So you start to lose lean mass momentum, daily activity drops, your stress rises, and people quietly become less resilient.
00:06:38.879 --> 00:06:40.879
Then they say, I'm just getting older.
00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:43.680
But no, often they are just getting less prepared.
00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:54.800
For women in the 30s, this may be a time that includes pregnancy, postpartum recovery, pelvic floor changes, changes in sleep, and a mismatch between effort and recovery.
00:06:55.040 --> 00:07:07.360
The answer is not avoiding load, it is just better planned out progression, trunk and hip integration, rebuilding pressure control at the pelvic musculature, and returning to strength with intention.
00:07:07.600 --> 00:07:16.879
So for men, the big problem is you often become less flexible, stiff, and your body fat starts to creep, especially around your midsection.
00:07:16.959 --> 00:07:22.560
You can't continue to train like you're 24 and think you're going to recover like you're 24 because you're not.
00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:30.480
And so this is where you st really need to start changing your framework of how you're working out and how you're managing those issues.
00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:44.800
A good goal to shoot for is in the 30s is three days of resistance training, two to three days of aerobic work, and at least one exposure to power, speed, or a faster intent, and daily movement minimums.
00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:50.800
We've talked a lot about incorporating steps, tracking them, try to make movement part of your regular routine.
00:07:51.040 --> 00:07:59.680
And also another tip that we've talked through is ensuring you have adequate protein distribution across the day to really complement this movement routine.
00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:05.680
Protein plus resistance in the end remains a clear strategy for preserving and building muscle.
00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:13.279
And higher physical activity doses in older adults we know are associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.
00:08:13.519 --> 00:08:19.600
So just adding to that in your 30s, you this is when you want to also start incorporating some mobility into your training.
00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:28.399
It's a good time to start maintaining and working on your flexibility and adding those functional movement exercises in between your exercises.
00:08:28.560 --> 00:08:32.159
That way you're not losing mobility as you get stronger.
00:08:32.480 --> 00:08:38.000
And I know you've told me this is really where the injury prevention comes in or makes the difference, right?
00:08:38.159 --> 00:08:40.000
In those people who are really doing the mobility.
00:08:40.399 --> 00:08:41.679
Definitely, definitely.
00:08:41.919 --> 00:08:50.000
And in your 40s, the this is the decade of, you know, whether you're going to drift or you're going to intentionally rebuild.
00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:59.440
So if you trained well and stayed consistent, you can still feel extremely capable in your 40s.
00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:03.120
If not, this is often when the bill starts to come due, right?
00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:11.759
Recurrent back pain, tendon irritation, weight gain, lower energy, loss of speed, and reduced tolerance for unplanned physical stress.
00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:18.240
So potentially, if you'd started in 20s, 30s, you've had 10 to 20 years of preparation for the 40s.
00:09:18.399 --> 00:09:22.799
This is the decade where body composition changes become more meaningful.
00:09:23.039 --> 00:09:39.440
A modest loss in lean mass combined with increasing visceral or central adipose or fat tissue can change everything about our metabolism, our insulin sensitivity, our joint loading, chronic inflammation and inflammatory levels and tone, and recovery quality.
00:09:39.759 --> 00:09:40.080
Yes.
00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:45.279
And this is where I tell patients stop using scale weight as your primary scorecard, right?
00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:55.039
You want to start looking at your strength trends, uh your waist circumference, your lean mass preservation, walking capacity, um, your aerobic fitness.
00:09:55.279 --> 00:10:08.480
One check your grip strength, make sure you're not losing your ability to, you know, keep a dead hang or carry heavy weight for periods of time, um, your sit-to-stand ability uh without using your hands, and how your body handles repeated effort.
00:10:08.639 --> 00:10:19.200
Grip strength is increasingly viewed as a useful biomarker of overall muscle function and low strength is central to modern sarcopenia screening frameworks.
00:10:19.679 --> 00:10:21.600
We definitely need to take that into context, right?
00:10:21.679 --> 00:10:24.960
Because we don't want you just sitting on the couch working on grip strength alone.
00:10:25.120 --> 00:10:28.240
Um it really reflects a bigger, a bigger strength status.
00:10:28.559 --> 00:10:40.080
For women in the 40s, this time may overlap with perimenopause, which potentially, again, can we're now understanding can start even in the 30s, but really um is most symptomatic in our 40s.
00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:44.799
And so this is when we see body composition can start changing even more rapidly.
00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:53.600
So data from the Swan study and related studies show that around the menopause transition, fat gain really accelerates and lean muscle declines.
00:10:53.679 --> 00:10:56.639
That's the concept of sarcopenia, our muscle loss that we've been mentioning.
00:10:56.960 --> 00:11:00.639
That's why, especially for women, the advice is not to do more cardio.
00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:05.600
Uh, the answer is usually keep strength training, increase training quality.
00:11:05.759 --> 00:11:12.879
You're really focusing on the quality of exercise and making it more functional and increasing um your load tolerance.
00:11:12.960 --> 00:11:29.200
Uh, you're protecting your sleep and making sure you're getting good sleep quality, prioritizing your protein in every meal, managing stress throughout the day, whether that's with deep breathing and or meditation, and keep loading your bones, your muscles, and your connective tissue.
00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:32.559
Um, stay functionally active for the activities that you want to do.
00:11:32.879 --> 00:11:43.679
And for men, the 40s are often when the absolute strength may still look decent, but mobility, tissue tolerance, and aerobic fitness are quietly changing or possibly degrading.
00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:50.159
Men can still move heavy loads, but often lose the ability to tolerate frequency and recover from volume.
00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:54.480
So a lot of 40-something men are still strong enough to hurt themselves.
00:11:54.639 --> 00:12:00.639
What you really want to be doing are doing the things that protect you from the for the activities that you want to do.
00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:08.879
Maintaining jumping in your routines, um, light plyometrics, working on, again, increasing your mobility with every decade.
00:12:09.039 --> 00:12:16.480
So you're so my windows of time of spending doing active mobility before my training become longer and larger.
00:12:16.720 --> 00:12:23.120
And um, spending more time within those functional movements um becomes a bigger uh part of the plan.
00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:25.440
How do you address a lot of women in general?
00:12:25.600 --> 00:12:32.960
Sometimes a concern that has been uh voiced to me by patients is that they don't want to get bulky um by weight training.
00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:34.720
How do you offset that question?
00:12:34.960 --> 00:12:37.840
Yeah, honestly, we answer that one pretty straightforwardly.
00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:40.720
It's one, it's difficult to put on muscle.
00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:44.480
I wish it was uh a lot easier to put on muscle than it is.
00:12:44.559 --> 00:12:50.159
Um, but the reality is you're not gonna um build bulk from increasing load.
00:12:50.320 --> 00:12:55.759
You're gonna create, you know, uh greater capacity for your muscles, you're gonna create better recruitment.
00:12:55.840 --> 00:13:00.879
Um, but building large size, that's not, that should not be your worry or concern.
00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:08.639
Loading your bones, your tendons, and your muscles really are the goal for long-term health and wellness.
00:13:08.960 --> 00:13:10.480
And that brings us to the 50s.
00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:14.559
This is really where we see muscle steps up in the longevity role.
00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:18.399
In the 50s, I say muscle is not about strength and structure.
00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:22.879
It is really our metabolic engine and it becomes a major longevity tissue.
00:13:23.039 --> 00:13:29.120
And this is because it really affects how we use our glucose, dispose it, use it, store it.
00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:38.639
Our metabolic health in general is very influenced by our muscle, which is very dense with receptors for insulin, for anti-inflammatory markers for hormones.
00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:46.000
And so it's very involved in our overall metabolic function, and not to mention fall risk and just general independence and mobility.
00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:52.799
And this is a decade where many women go through or complete menopause, which changes the conversation significantly.
00:13:53.039 --> 00:14:01.279
So lower estrogen is associated with shifts towards higher fat mass, more central adipose deposits, and lower lean mass.
00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:03.679
Bone density is countered here.
00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:18.879
And we should really emphasize, and we want women in the 50s and above, to understand that you are not fragile at this point and you really should not stop loading, but do it with intention and progressive load, as we've talked about here before.
00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:24.240
You just may need also more intelligent recovery and individualized progression.
00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:30.960
So resistance training remains one of the most effective interventions for preserving function and body composition.
00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:40.480
Higher volume resistance training may produce even greater hypertrophy or growth of the muscle with responses in postmenopausal and older females.
00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:49.519
And then when we're speaking about men, uh the 50s are often where there's a mismatch between remembered capacity and current capacity.
00:14:49.679 --> 00:14:54.799
So they remember what they used to lift, but their tissues are operating with different recovery dynamics.
00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:58.240
This is where low tolerance needs to be trained systematically.
00:14:58.399 --> 00:15:07.039
So you want more gradual progressions at this stage, repeated exposure, lower spikes in workload, and better movement variability.
00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:20.879
You're gonna mix up your exercises, you're gonna try to become more dynamic, more functional, so that you're loading the tissue properly so that it can handle the stress again that you're putting it through at this stage and you're giving it proper recovery.
00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:48.320
To summarize, for both sexes, the training priorities in the 50s are strength training at least twice a week, ideally three times, keep or rebuild power safely, aerobic base work, balance and single leg control exercises, protein adequacy in the diet, and recovery discipline, especially personalized to your history, your progression, and your routines, and possibly injuries too, to incorporate into your routine.
00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:57.039
Exercise that includes resistance and balance components is especially effective for physical function and fall-related outcomes in older adults.
00:15:57.120 --> 00:15:59.600
So this is something you want to start working on decades ahead.
00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:04.399
So now when we get to our 60s and beyond, the conversation becomes very practical.
00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:06.240
Can you get up from the floor?
00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:07.919
Can you carry groceries?
00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:10.720
Can you climb stairs without using your arms?
00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:12.320
Can you react if you trip?
00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:16.000
Can you keep hiking, golfing, traveling, and playing with your grandkids?
00:16:16.480 --> 00:16:22.480
Now we start grading things on you know, keeping yourself functional and active and doing the things that you enjoy.
00:16:22.879 --> 00:16:26.799
And this is where people often will focus just on being careful.
00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:39.759
The evidence supports resistance training, multi-component exercise through these decades, and balance work, especially here for maintaining physical function and reduced frailty-related decline in older adults.
00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:44.480
And we have to emphasize power, not just force, but speed of force.
00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:51.120
A fall happens quickly, catching yourself happens quickly, and even crossing a street will need to happen quickly.
00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:57.120
The ability to produce force, fast declines with age and matters for functioning.
00:16:57.519 --> 00:17:02.240
So in the 60s, 70s and beyond, programming should still include the following.
00:17:02.320 --> 00:17:17.759
And you'll notice this is a lot of the same concepts, even in the younger decades: lower body strength, hinge and sit-to-stand patterns, carrying, pulling, step-up capacity, balance, and appropriate faster intent movements when one's safe.
00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:35.839
This means not reckless apply metrics for everyone, but appropriate speed, intent, and reaction that could be things like fast sit-to-stands, medicine ball throws, quick step drills, controlled power-based machines or cable work, brisk uphill walking, loaded carries.
00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:44.000
We do a lot of things to still maintain quick reaction, both in the feet and the hands, so that you're able to handle that stress.
00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:44.559
What happens?
00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:46.880
If you fall, you're able to get your hands up quickly.
00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:50.079
If you trip, you're able to move your feet quickly enough to catch yourself.
00:17:50.400 --> 00:18:01.279
And for women, especially, bone and muscle need continued mechanical stimulus to remain at healthy levels of density and healthy levels of lean muscle mass.
00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:11.039
And don't forget, events like a hip fracture at this age can really lead to very high levels of morbidity and mortality that we see across the population.
00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:17.839
So muscle and bone health are tightly linked, and exercise remains one of the key shared interventions.
00:18:18.079 --> 00:18:19.200
Okay, moving on.
00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:23.759
So, really talking about a little bit more in depth how men and women differ.
00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:25.359
So, what really is different?
00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:27.039
We'll aim to make this simple.
00:18:27.279 --> 00:18:33.759
Men and women both need strength training, aerobic work, and good body composition management.
00:18:33.920 --> 00:18:40.079
The foundations are definitely the same, but the difference is in timing, physiology, and emphasis.
00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:45.359
For women, the major inflection point is often perimenopause to menopause.
00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:54.559
Lean mass becomes harder to maintain, fat distribution often shifts centrally, bone health becomes more important, and recovery may feel less predictable.
00:18:54.720 --> 00:18:58.559
Doing more cardio and less food can backfire in that way.
00:18:58.799 --> 00:19:05.599
For men, the issue is often less dramatic hormonally in the short term and more cumulative behaviorally.
00:19:05.759 --> 00:19:11.279
And this can be important, especially in a relationship, to understand these differences in partners.
00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:17.599
Sometimes it can be frustrating or hard to understand what your partner is going through, but just to keep in mind these differences.
00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:33.279
So for men, some of the behavioral changes that can lead to some of the declines are more around declining activity, underrecovered hard training, abdominal fat gain, mobility loss, and reduced tissue quality from inconsistent loading.
00:19:33.599 --> 00:19:38.880
Another important point: women are not small men, but they also should not be underloaded.
00:19:39.039 --> 00:19:51.359
In a large 2024 cohort analysis, women showed greater relative reductions in all cause and cardiovascular mortality from equivalent amounts of leisure time, physical activity than men.
00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:53.920
So the message is not that women need less.
00:19:54.079 --> 00:20:02.000
The message is that women often benefit tremendously from structured exercise, especially resistance training, and should not be steered away from it.
00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:11.519
If someone asks for the shortest practical prescription for longevity and function, mine would be strength training two to four times per week.
00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:14.160
Hit every major pattern weekly.
00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:20.880
So a squat, a hinge, push, your pulls, carry, rotation, and gait training.
00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:23.759
Keep at least one to two days of aerobic conditioning.
00:20:23.839 --> 00:20:30.640
And that could be zone two, that can be brisk walking or things of that nature, or and it can be a sport.
00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:32.400
You want to move daily, right?
00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:36.480
We have our 10,000 step goals, but the quality of those steps matter, right?
00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:43.119
So if you can do increased pace and then slow it down, it's all about that accumulation of quality movement.
00:20:43.359 --> 00:20:46.079
Eat enough proteins to support your mass, right?
00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:52.400
We're saying, you know, anywhere from 0.8 to 1.2 grams per pound of body weight.
00:20:52.640 --> 00:21:00.000
And you want to reassess your grip strength, your sit-to-stand, your carrying capacity, and your body composition periodically.
00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:07.599
We try to do this regularly with our clients so that we're never losing too much ground and we're always staying on track with our goals.
00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:13.200
And I would add to that, stop judging fitness only by body weight, the number on the scale.
00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:16.319
Body composition is far more important than body weight.
00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:23.039
And in addition, waist circumference, lean mass trends, strength, energy, and functional markers are also really important.
00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:33.839
And just like other labs and blood work that you get, measuring these metrics is also really important to understand your baseline, the changes that you're seeing over time.
00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:36.720
And so start recording these early and often.
00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:42.799
And as you continue your planning through your natural aging, think of your reserve.
00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:47.200
So how much capacity do you have above the daily demands of life?
00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:50.559
The reserve is what protects you when life gets hard.
00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:57.200
Make sure you're building that reserve and your body's ability to handle that stress is in that reserve time.
00:21:57.440 --> 00:22:02.400
So, in closing, aging well is not a About trying to look 25 forever.
00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:07.119
It is about keeping the physical capacity to live fully in every decade.
00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:08.799
And strength is central to that.
00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:18.799
Bodybuilding for its own sake, not ego lifting, but building and preserving the muscle, the force production, and the load tolerance that keep you capable, resilient, and independent.
00:22:19.039 --> 00:22:30.559
So whether you are in your 30s trying to rebuild after kids, your 50s, managing menopause or midlife body composition shifts, or your 70s, trying to stay strong and independent.
00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:33.279
The answer is usually not less movement.
00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:36.640
It's better movement, better loading and better progression.
00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:40.480
So here are some key takeaways that we hope you get from this episode.
00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:43.680
Strength is a longevity marker, not just a fitness metric.
00:22:43.920 --> 00:22:52.799
Higher muscular strength is associated with lower all-colored mortality, and resistance training improves function and quality of life.
00:22:53.039 --> 00:23:00.240
And as you're collecting your data, remember body composition matters more than weight on the scale.
00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:07.200
Lean mass preservation and limiting excess central fat matter more for function and metabolic health.
00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:12.240
To our females, remember you need more, not less, strategic loading through midlife.
00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:16.880
Menopause is associated with adverse shifts in lean mass and fat mass.
00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:19.759
And resistance training is one of the best countermeasures.
00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:21.680
Power matters with aging.
00:23:38.319 --> 00:23:44.559
So thank you for joining us for our episode on strength training at our podcast, the Everyday Longevity Collective.
00:23:44.880 --> 00:23:45.599
Thanks for joining us.
00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:47.839
We look forward to the next conversation.
00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:05.919
A lot of people think aging means you just naturally are going to get weaker, softer, less flexible.
00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:12.720
The truth is, some physiologic changes do happen, but a huge amount of what people experience is not simply age.
00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:16.719
The 30s are where life load usually starts to compete with training load.
00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:20.879
In your 40s, this is often when the bill starts to come due, right?
00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:27.280
Recurrent back pain, tendon irritation, weight gain, and reduced tolerance for unplanned physical stress.
00:00:27.519 --> 00:00:31.120
In the 50s, I say muscle is not about strength and structure.
00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:33.039
It is really our metabolic engine.
00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:37.039
Aging well is not about trying to look 25 forever.
00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:42.159
It is about keeping the physical capacity to live fully in every decade.
00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:22.560
A lot of people think that aging means you just naturally are going to get weaker, softer, less flexible, and less capable.
00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:30.879
The truth is some physiologic changes do happen, but a huge amount of what people experience is not simply age.
00:01:31.040 --> 00:01:39.040
It is underloading, deconditioning, and poor recovery due to low muscle mass and loss of movement competency over time.
00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:44.879
Higher muscle strength is consistently associated with better function and lower mortality risk.
00:01:44.959 --> 00:01:50.480
And resistance training improves strength and physical function well into our older age.
00:01:50.799 --> 00:01:55.439
And this matters for both men and women, but not always in the same way.
00:01:55.680 --> 00:02:05.599
Hormones, body composition shifts, pregnancy history, menopause, bone health, metabolic health, and lifestyle patterns all change the picture.
00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:14.400
So today we want to break down what people should actually be thinking about in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and far beyond.
00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:20.080
Not just to look better, but to move better, tolerate life better, and stay independent longer.
00:02:20.400 --> 00:02:20.960
Exactly.
00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:32.400
We're going to define a few terms, then walk decade by decade and talk about what tends to change, what matters most, and what the training priority should be for men and women.
00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:40.080
Okay, so to start, let's define the three anchors for today: strength, body composition, and load tolerance.
00:02:40.400 --> 00:02:44.240
When I say strength, I do not just mean how much you can deadlift.
00:02:44.319 --> 00:02:48.400
I mean your ability to create force, control force, and absorb force.
00:02:48.639 --> 00:02:56.560
That includes maximal strength, strength endurance, and as people get older, it especially includes power and the ability to generate force quickly.
00:02:56.719 --> 00:03:02.400
Our rate of force development declines with aging, as is closely tied to functional performance.
00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:05.680
And body composition is not simply weight.
00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:10.639
The much better metric that we use for metabolic health is body composition.
00:03:10.800 --> 00:03:16.719
It is the relationship between lean mass, fat mass, and where that fat is distributed.
00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:23.680
So if you think about it, two people can weigh exactly the same, but have very different metabolic health and physical capacity.
00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:33.759
During aging, especially for women during the menopause transition, fat mass tends to rise and lean mass tends to fall, unless we are actively challenged.
00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:35.520
Then there is load tolerance.
00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:48.000
Clinically, this is your body's ability to handle the stress placed on it, whether that stress is a workout, carrying luggage, playing golf, getting up off the floor, picking up a grandchild, or reacting to a slip.
00:03:48.240 --> 00:03:58.400
If tissues, joints, tendons, bone, and the nervous system are underprepared, the same task that used to be easy becomes irritating, painful, or injury-prone.
00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:00.639
This is a key longevity point.
00:04:00.800 --> 00:04:02.879
We are not training just for the gym, right?
00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:09.120
We are training for the demands of everyday life and the way we want to be conducting it among our friends and family.
00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:23.759
And the research is very clear that multi-component exercise, combination of strength, aerobic work, balance, and functional movement is what improves physical function, frailty outcomes, and quality of life in older adults.
00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:25.839
So really thinking long-term is important here.
00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:28.800
In your 20s, the goal is to build your reserve.
00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:37.439
This is where a lot of people can accumulate muscle, build tending capacity, improve movement quality, and establish the habits that protect them later.
00:04:37.600 --> 00:04:41.040
The problem is that being young can hide bad training.
00:04:41.199 --> 00:04:46.959
You can get away with poor sleep, random programming, and no recovery until you cannot.
00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:49.360
So this is an important time to think ahead.
00:04:49.519 --> 00:05:02.800
For both sexes, the 20s are the time to build muscle mass, connective tissue tolerance, good movement mechanics, high aerobic capacity, and consistency with diet like high protein intake and training frequency.
00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:06.399
For men, the common issue is confusing intensity with quality.
00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:09.279
They choose loads that before they earn controls.
00:05:09.439 --> 00:05:14.800
For women, I often see the opposite: plenty of work capacity, but not enough progressive resistance loading.
00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:20.879
That matters because muscle mass and bone loading are protective assets later in life, especially for women.
00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:28.480
Resistance training in women, including postmenopausal women, improves strength, physical fitness, and body composition.
00:05:28.639 --> 00:05:33.439
Exercise training also benefits bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.
00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:36.879
So the message for the 20s is really simple and focused.
00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:40.399
Don't just stay active, get objectively stronger.
00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:56.000
So that means committing to two to four resistance sessions per week, enough protein, and a program that includes a variety of lower body strength, pulling strength, single leg stability, trunk control, and sprint or power exposure if appropriate.
00:05:56.240 --> 00:06:06.079
Consensus recommendations for adults and older adults consistently include regular resistance work for major muscle groups, plus balance and neuromotor training.
00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:08.639
All right, well, moving on now to the 30s.
00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:11.120
So this is where performance really meets real life.
00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:15.360
The 30s are where life load usually starts to compete with training load.
00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:22.560
Things such as career, family, kids, higher stress situations, sleep disruption.
00:06:22.720 --> 00:06:26.879
This is where many people don't stop caring, but they lose the ability to structure.
00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:30.720
And when training becomes random, body composition usually follows.
00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:38.720
So you start to lose lean mass momentum, daily activity drops, your stress rises, and people quietly become less resilient.
00:06:38.879 --> 00:06:40.879
Then they say, I'm just getting older.
00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:43.680
But no, often they are just getting less prepared.
00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:54.800
For women in the 30s, this may be a time that includes pregnancy, postpartum recovery, pelvic floor changes, changes in sleep, and a mismatch between effort and recovery.
00:06:55.040 --> 00:07:07.360
The answer is not avoiding load, it is just better planned out progression, trunk and hip integration, rebuilding pressure control at the pelvic musculature, and returning to strength with intention.
00:07:07.600 --> 00:07:16.879
So for men, the big problem is you often become less flexible, stiff, and your body fat starts to creep, especially around your midsection.
00:07:16.959 --> 00:07:22.560
You can't continue to train like you're 24 and think you're going to recover like you're 24 because you're not.
00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:30.480
And so this is where you st really need to start changing your framework of how you're working out and how you're managing those issues.
00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:44.800
A good goal to shoot for is in the 30s is three days of resistance training, two to three days of aerobic work, and at least one exposure to power, speed, or a faster intent, and daily movement minimums.
00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:50.800
We've talked a lot about incorporating steps, tracking them, try to make movement part of your regular routine.
00:07:51.040 --> 00:07:59.680
And also another tip that we've talked through is ensuring you have adequate protein distribution across the day to really complement this movement routine.
00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:05.680
Protein plus resistance in the end remains a clear strategy for preserving and building muscle.
00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:13.279
And higher physical activity doses in older adults we know are associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.
00:08:13.519 --> 00:08:19.600
So just adding to that in your 30s, you this is when you want to also start incorporating some mobility into your training.
00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:28.399
It's a good time to start maintaining and working on your flexibility and adding those functional movement exercises in between your exercises.
00:08:28.560 --> 00:08:32.159
That way you're not losing mobility as you get stronger.
00:08:32.480 --> 00:08:38.000
And I know you've told me this is really where the injury prevention comes in or makes the difference, right?
00:08:38.159 --> 00:08:40.000
In those people who are really doing the mobility.
00:08:40.399 --> 00:08:41.679
Definitely, definitely.
00:08:41.919 --> 00:08:50.000
And in your 40s, the this is the decade of, you know, whether you're going to drift or you're going to intentionally rebuild.
00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:59.440
So if you trained well and stayed consistent, you can still feel extremely capable in your 40s.
00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:03.120
If not, this is often when the bill starts to come due, right?
00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:11.759
Recurrent back pain, tendon irritation, weight gain, lower energy, loss of speed, and reduced tolerance for unplanned physical stress.
00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:18.240
So potentially, if you'd started in 20s, 30s, you've had 10 to 20 years of preparation for the 40s.
00:09:18.399 --> 00:09:22.799
This is the decade where body composition changes become more meaningful.
00:09:23.039 --> 00:09:39.440
A modest loss in lean mass combined with increasing visceral or central adipose or fat tissue can change everything about our metabolism, our insulin sensitivity, our joint loading, chronic inflammation and inflammatory levels and tone, and recovery quality.
00:09:39.759 --> 00:09:40.080
Yes.
00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:45.279
And this is where I tell patients stop using scale weight as your primary scorecard, right?
00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:55.039
You want to start looking at your strength trends, uh your waist circumference, your lean mass preservation, walking capacity, um, your aerobic fitness.
00:09:55.279 --> 00:10:08.480
One check your grip strength, make sure you're not losing your ability to, you know, keep a dead hang or carry heavy weight for periods of time, um, your sit-to-stand ability uh without using your hands, and how your body handles repeated effort.
00:10:08.639 --> 00:10:19.200
Grip strength is increasingly viewed as a useful biomarker of overall muscle function and low strength is central to modern sarcopenia screening frameworks.
00:10:19.679 --> 00:10:21.600
We definitely need to take that into context, right?
00:10:21.679 --> 00:10:24.960
Because we don't want you just sitting on the couch working on grip strength alone.
00:10:25.120 --> 00:10:28.240
Um it really reflects a bigger, a bigger strength status.
00:10:28.559 --> 00:10:40.080
For women in the 40s, this time may overlap with perimenopause, which potentially, again, can we're now understanding can start even in the 30s, but really um is most symptomatic in our 40s.
00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:44.799
And so this is when we see body composition can start changing even more rapidly.
00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:53.600
So data from the Swan study and related studies show that around the menopause transition, fat gain really accelerates and lean muscle declines.
00:10:53.679 --> 00:10:56.639
That's the concept of sarcopenia, our muscle loss that we've been mentioning.
00:10:56.960 --> 00:11:00.639
That's why, especially for women, the advice is not to do more cardio.
00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:05.600
Uh, the answer is usually keep strength training, increase training quality.
00:11:05.759 --> 00:11:12.879
You're really focusing on the quality of exercise and making it more functional and increasing um your load tolerance.
00:11:12.960 --> 00:11:29.200
Uh, you're protecting your sleep and making sure you're getting good sleep quality, prioritizing your protein in every meal, managing stress throughout the day, whether that's with deep breathing and or meditation, and keep loading your bones, your muscles, and your connective tissue.
00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:32.559
Um, stay functionally active for the activities that you want to do.
00:11:32.879 --> 00:11:43.679
And for men, the 40s are often when the absolute strength may still look decent, but mobility, tissue tolerance, and aerobic fitness are quietly changing or possibly degrading.
00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:50.159
Men can still move heavy loads, but often lose the ability to tolerate frequency and recover from volume.
00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:54.480
So a lot of 40-something men are still strong enough to hurt themselves.
00:11:54.639 --> 00:12:00.639
What you really want to be doing are doing the things that protect you from the for the activities that you want to do.
00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:08.879
Maintaining jumping in your routines, um, light plyometrics, working on, again, increasing your mobility with every decade.
00:12:09.039 --> 00:12:16.480
So you're so my windows of time of spending doing active mobility before my training become longer and larger.
00:12:16.720 --> 00:12:23.120
And um, spending more time within those functional movements um becomes a bigger uh part of the plan.
00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:25.440
How do you address a lot of women in general?
00:12:25.600 --> 00:12:32.960
Sometimes a concern that has been uh voiced to me by patients is that they don't want to get bulky um by weight training.
00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:34.720
How do you offset that question?
00:12:34.960 --> 00:12:37.840
Yeah, honestly, we answer that one pretty straightforwardly.
00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:40.720
It's one, it's difficult to put on muscle.
00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:44.480
I wish it was uh a lot easier to put on muscle than it is.
00:12:44.559 --> 00:12:50.159
Um, but the reality is you're not gonna um build bulk from increasing load.
00:12:50.320 --> 00:12:55.759
You're gonna create, you know, uh greater capacity for your muscles, you're gonna create better recruitment.
00:12:55.840 --> 00:13:00.879
Um, but building large size, that's not, that should not be your worry or concern.
00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:08.639
Loading your bones, your tendons, and your muscles really are the goal for long-term health and wellness.
00:13:08.960 --> 00:13:10.480
And that brings us to the 50s.
00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:14.559
This is really where we see muscle steps up in the longevity role.
00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:18.399
In the 50s, I say muscle is not about strength and structure.
00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:22.879
It is really our metabolic engine and it becomes a major longevity tissue.
00:13:23.039 --> 00:13:29.120
And this is because it really affects how we use our glucose, dispose it, use it, store it.
00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:38.639
Our metabolic health in general is very influenced by our muscle, which is very dense with receptors for insulin, for anti-inflammatory markers for hormones.
00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:46.000
And so it's very involved in our overall metabolic function, and not to mention fall risk and just general independence and mobility.
00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:52.799
And this is a decade where many women go through or complete menopause, which changes the conversation significantly.
00:13:53.039 --> 00:14:01.279
So lower estrogen is associated with shifts towards higher fat mass, more central adipose deposits, and lower lean mass.
00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:03.679
Bone density is countered here.
00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:18.879
And we should really emphasize, and we want women in the 50s and above, to understand that you are not fragile at this point and you really should not stop loading, but do it with intention and progressive load, as we've talked about here before.
00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:24.240
You just may need also more intelligent recovery and individualized progression.
00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:30.960
So resistance training remains one of the most effective interventions for preserving function and body composition.
00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:40.480
Higher volume resistance training may produce even greater hypertrophy or growth of the muscle with responses in postmenopausal and older females.
00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:49.519
And then when we're speaking about men, uh the 50s are often where there's a mismatch between remembered capacity and current capacity.
00:14:49.679 --> 00:14:54.799
So they remember what they used to lift, but their tissues are operating with different recovery dynamics.
00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:58.240
This is where low tolerance needs to be trained systematically.
00:14:58.399 --> 00:15:07.039
So you want more gradual progressions at this stage, repeated exposure, lower spikes in workload, and better movement variability.
00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:20.879
You're gonna mix up your exercises, you're gonna try to become more dynamic, more functional, so that you're loading the tissue properly so that it can handle the stress again that you're putting it through at this stage and you're giving it proper recovery.
00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:48.320
To summarize, for both sexes, the training priorities in the 50s are strength training at least twice a week, ideally three times, keep or rebuild power safely, aerobic base work, balance and single leg control exercises, protein adequacy in the diet, and recovery discipline, especially personalized to your history, your progression, and your routines, and possibly injuries too, to incorporate into your routine.
00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:57.039
Exercise that includes resistance and balance components is especially effective for physical function and fall-related outcomes in older adults.
00:15:57.120 --> 00:15:59.600
So this is something you want to start working on decades ahead.
00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:04.399
So now when we get to our 60s and beyond, the conversation becomes very practical.
00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:06.240
Can you get up from the floor?
00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:07.919
Can you carry groceries?
00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:10.720
Can you climb stairs without using your arms?
00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:12.320
Can you react if you trip?
00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:16.000
Can you keep hiking, golfing, traveling, and playing with your grandkids?
00:16:16.480 --> 00:16:22.480
Now we start grading things on you know, keeping yourself functional and active and doing the things that you enjoy.
00:16:22.879 --> 00:16:26.799
And this is where people often will focus just on being careful.
00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:39.759
The evidence supports resistance training, multi-component exercise through these decades, and balance work, especially here for maintaining physical function and reduced frailty-related decline in older adults.
00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:44.480
And we have to emphasize power, not just force, but speed of force.
00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:51.120
A fall happens quickly, catching yourself happens quickly, and even crossing a street will need to happen quickly.
00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:57.120
The ability to produce force, fast declines with age and matters for functioning.
00:16:57.519 --> 00:17:02.240
So in the 60s, 70s and beyond, programming should still include the following.
00:17:02.320 --> 00:17:17.759
And you'll notice this is a lot of the same concepts, even in the younger decades: lower body strength, hinge and sit-to-stand patterns, carrying, pulling, step-up capacity, balance, and appropriate faster intent movements when one's safe.
00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:35.839
This means not reckless apply metrics for everyone, but appropriate speed, intent, and reaction that could be things like fast sit-to-stands, medicine ball throws, quick step drills, controlled power-based machines or cable work, brisk uphill walking, loaded carries.
00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:44.000
We do a lot of things to still maintain quick reaction, both in the feet and the hands, so that you're able to handle that stress.
00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:44.559
What happens?
00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:46.880
If you fall, you're able to get your hands up quickly.
00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:50.079
If you trip, you're able to move your feet quickly enough to catch yourself.
00:17:50.400 --> 00:18:01.279
And for women, especially, bone and muscle need continued mechanical stimulus to remain at healthy levels of density and healthy levels of lean muscle mass.
00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:11.039
And don't forget, events like a hip fracture at this age can really lead to very high levels of morbidity and mortality that we see across the population.
00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:17.839
So muscle and bone health are tightly linked, and exercise remains one of the key shared interventions.
00:18:18.079 --> 00:18:19.200
Okay, moving on.
00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:23.759
So, really talking about a little bit more in depth how men and women differ.
00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:25.359
So, what really is different?
00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:27.039
We'll aim to make this simple.
00:18:27.279 --> 00:18:33.759
Men and women both need strength training, aerobic work, and good body composition management.
00:18:33.920 --> 00:18:40.079
The foundations are definitely the same, but the difference is in timing, physiology, and emphasis.
00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:45.359
For women, the major inflection point is often perimenopause to menopause.
00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:54.559
Lean mass becomes harder to maintain, fat distribution often shifts centrally, bone health becomes more important, and recovery may feel less predictable.
00:18:54.720 --> 00:18:58.559
Doing more cardio and less food can backfire in that way.
00:18:58.799 --> 00:19:05.599
For men, the issue is often less dramatic hormonally in the short term and more cumulative behaviorally.
00:19:05.759 --> 00:19:11.279
And this can be important, especially in a relationship, to understand these differences in partners.
00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:17.599
Sometimes it can be frustrating or hard to understand what your partner is going through, but just to keep in mind these differences.
00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:33.279
So for men, some of the behavioral changes that can lead to some of the declines are more around declining activity, underrecovered hard training, abdominal fat gain, mobility loss, and reduced tissue quality from inconsistent loading.
00:19:33.599 --> 00:19:38.880
Another important point: women are not small men, but they also should not be underloaded.
00:19:39.039 --> 00:19:51.359
In a large 2024 cohort analysis, women showed greater relative reductions in all cause and cardiovascular mortality from equivalent amounts of leisure time, physical activity than men.
00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:53.920
So the message is not that women need less.
00:19:54.079 --> 00:20:02.000
The message is that women often benefit tremendously from structured exercise, especially resistance training, and should not be steered away from it.
00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:11.519
If someone asks for the shortest practical prescription for longevity and function, mine would be strength training two to four times per week.
00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:14.160
Hit every major pattern weekly.
00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:20.880
So a squat, a hinge, push, your pulls, carry, rotation, and gait training.
00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:23.759
Keep at least one to two days of aerobic conditioning.
00:20:23.839 --> 00:20:30.640
And that could be zone two, that can be brisk walking or things of that nature, or and it can be a sport.
00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:32.400
You want to move daily, right?
00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:36.480
We have our 10,000 step goals, but the quality of those steps matter, right?
00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:43.119
So if you can do increased pace and then slow it down, it's all about that accumulation of quality movement.
00:20:43.359 --> 00:20:46.079
Eat enough proteins to support your mass, right?
00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:52.400
We're saying, you know, anywhere from 0.8 to 1.2 grams per pound of body weight.
00:20:52.640 --> 00:21:00.000
And you want to reassess your grip strength, your sit-to-stand, your carrying capacity, and your body composition periodically.
00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:07.599
We try to do this regularly with our clients so that we're never losing too much ground and we're always staying on track with our goals.
00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:13.200
And I would add to that, stop judging fitness only by body weight, the number on the scale.
00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:16.319
Body composition is far more important than body weight.
00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:23.039
And in addition, waist circumference, lean mass trends, strength, energy, and functional markers are also really important.
00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:33.839
And just like other labs and blood work that you get, measuring these metrics is also really important to understand your baseline, the changes that you're seeing over time.
00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:36.720
And so start recording these early and often.
00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:42.799
And as you continue your planning through your natural aging, think of your reserve.
00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:47.200
So how much capacity do you have above the daily demands of life?
00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:50.559
The reserve is what protects you when life gets hard.
00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:57.200
Make sure you're building that reserve and your body's ability to handle that stress is in that reserve time.
00:21:57.440 --> 00:22:02.400
So, in closing, aging well is not a About trying to look 25 forever.
00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:07.119
It is about keeping the physical capacity to live fully in every decade.
00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:08.799
And strength is central to that.
00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:18.799
Bodybuilding for its own sake, not ego lifting, but building and preserving the muscle, the force production, and the load tolerance that keep you capable, resilient, and independent.
00:22:19.039 --> 00:22:30.559
So whether you are in your 30s trying to rebuild after kids, your 50s, managing menopause or midlife body composition shifts, or your 70s, trying to stay strong and independent.
00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:33.279
The answer is usually not less movement.
00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:36.640
It's better movement, better loading and better progression.
00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:40.480
So here are some key takeaways that we hope you get from this episode.
00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:43.680
Strength is a longevity marker, not just a fitness metric.
00:22:43.920 --> 00:22:52.799
Higher muscular strength is associated with lower all-colored mortality, and resistance training improves function and quality of life.
00:22:53.039 --> 00:23:00.240
And as you're collecting your data, remember body composition matters more than weight on the scale.
00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:07.200
Lean mass preservation and limiting excess central fat matter more for function and metabolic health.
00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:12.240
To our females, remember you need more, not less, strategic loading through midlife.
00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:16.880
Menopause is associated with adverse shifts in lean mass and fat mass.
00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:19.759
And resistance training is one of the best countermeasures.
00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:21.680
Power matters with aging.
00:23:38.319 --> 00:23:44.559
So thank you for joining us for our episode on strength training at our podcast, the Everyday Longevity Collective.
00:23:44.880 --> 00:23:45.599
Thanks for joining us.
00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:47.839
We look forward to the next conversation.
