Lift for Life: Stay Healthy in Your 70s and Beyond with Weightlifting

Abandon lawn bowling or leisurely swimming – seniors should consider taking up weightlifting for a healthier retirement, according to research.

Resistance training was discovered to provide lasting strength advantages well into retirement, making it an excellent choice for older adults.

As individuals age, they typically experience a decline in muscular functionality, which can be indicated by weakening grips and diminished leg strength. These factors are considered significant indicators of mortality in senior citizens.

Strength training, encompassing exercises with weights, using one’s own bodyweight, or utilizing resistance bands, has been demonstrated to aid in preventing such occurrences.

Scientists aimed to investigate the enduring impacts of a year-long guided strength-training regimen involving substantial loads.

Among participants with an average age of 71, 451 retirees were divided into three groups: one engaged in intense strength training for a year, another undertook moderate-intensity exercises, while the third group continued with their normal activities without adding extra workouts.

The participants who were assigned specific weights engaged in programs three times per week, whereas those involved in moderate-intensity training performed routines that included bodyweight exercises and resistance band workouts during the same duration.

Every workout in the strength training session consisted of three series with six to twelve reps, using a weight ranging from 70 percent to 85 percent of the individual’s peak lifting capacity for each rep.

At the beginning of the study, measurements were taken for bone and muscle strength as well as body fat percentages. These same metrics were reassessed after one year, two years, and four years.

After four years, individuals in the high-intensity weight training group managed to maintain their lower body strength, whereas those who did not exercise or engaged only in light workouts experienced a decline in strength during this period.

Publishing their findings in the journal BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine, the researchers determined that "for healthy seniors around retirement age, engaging in intensive strength training for twelve months can lead to enduring positive outcomes by maintaining muscular functionality."

None of the three groups showed variations in leg extensor power—the capacity to forcefully and swiftly push against a pedal—handgrip strength (an indicator of general muscular strength), or lean leg mass (the weight after subtracting body fat), as each of these measures decreased across the board.

The levels of visceral fat, located internally around organs, went up for individuals who did not engage in physical activity. However, these measurements remained unchanged among participants who were partaking in either of the two exercise programs.

The researchers, which included members from the University of Copenhagen, stated that participants in the study tended to be more physically active, accumulating approximately 10,000 steps daily on average, compared to the general public.

They included: "This research demonstrates that engaging in strength training using heavy weights even after retiring can yield benefits lasting for multiple years."

Consequently, these findings offer tools for professionals and policymakers to motivate senior citizens to participate in intense strength training sessions.