Strength training is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle at any age. However, as we progress through the decades, our approach to lifting weights must evolve. In our 20s, we often chase big numbers on the barbell and focus on aesthetics. However, as we age, the priorities shift towards maintaining strength, muscle mass, and overall function to promote longevity and quality of life. In this article, we’ll explore how to adjust your strength training routine to meet your body’s changing needs as you age, ensuring that you continue to train effectively and safely.
The Importance of Adjusting Your Strength Training Routine
Strength training is not just about lifting heavy weights; it’s about improving your overall health, maintaining functional capacity, and reducing the risk of injury. Research has shown that resistance training can counteract the age-related decline in muscle mass and strength, a phenomenon known as sarcopenia. For example, one study examined muscle biopsies from both young and older adults, revealing that older individuals could lose up to 30 to 40 percent of their muscle mass by age 70. This loss underscores the importance of resistance training to mitigate these effects and maintain muscle function.
However, there is good news: Studies have shown that it’s possible to maintain and even gain muscle mass well into your 80s with the right training approach. Research on master athletes has demonstrated that consistent strength training can lead to significant muscle hypertrophy and strength gains, regardless of age. This article will guide you on how to adapt your training to continue building muscle and strength as you age, ensuring you stay strong and functional for years to come.
1. Adjust Your Rep Scheme: Incorporate a Variety of Rep Ranges
As we age, our strength training goals shift from simply lifting the heaviest weights possible to maintaining muscle mass, strength, and overall functionality. To achieve this, it’s essential to incorporate a variety of rep ranges in your training program. While traditional wisdom often emphasizes the six- to 12-rep range for hypertrophy, recent research and practical applications suggest that utilizing different rep ranges can optimize muscle growth and strength, especially as we age.
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One of the key insights from recent research is that muscle growth can occur across a wide range of intensities and repetitions, provided that the muscle is worked close to failure. For instance, one study showed that training at 20, 40, 60, and 80 percent of one-rep max (1RM) with equated volume load produced similar hypertrophic responses, as long as sets were taken near failure. This indicates that both low and high rep ranges can be effective for muscle growth, and varying your rep scheme can help you avoid plateaus and overuse injuries.
Based on this, a balanced training program for aging lifters should rotate through the following rep schemes, aiming to include at least two of the following per body part per week:
- Heavy Days (4-6 reps): Focus on compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses with heavier weights to maintain maximal strength and stimulate fast-twitch muscle fibers.
- Moderate Days (6-12 reps): This rep range remains highly effective for hypertrophy, as shown in numerous studies. These sessions should include both free-weight and machine-based compound movements to build muscle mass while minimizing joint strain.
- High-Rep Days (15-20+ reps): High-rep sets can enhance muscle endurance and metabolic stress, which also contribute to muscle growth. Research has demonstrated that very high-rep training, when performed to near failure, can still stimulate significant hypertrophy, particularly in slower-twitch muscle fibers.
In practice, that might look like doing a heavy lower-body day on Monday, a heavy upper-body day on Tuesday, and then a moderate lower day on Thursday, followed by a moderate upper day on Friday. The next week, you’d pick up with high-rep days and keep cycling through.
This varied approach not only promotes muscle growth across different fiber types but also reduces the risk of injury by alternating the demands placed on your muscles and joints.
2. Focus on Compound Movements Over Olympic Lifts
In our younger years, many of us are drawn to the allure of Olympic lifts like the snatch and clean and jerk. These movements are impressive, but they also come with a higher risk of injury due to their explosive nature and technical demands. As we age, it may be wise to shift our focus towards more controlled compound movements that still recruit multiple muscle groups but with less risk.
One meta-analysis of various strength training programs set out to determine the most effective exercises for building and maintaining muscle mass and strength. The researchers found that compound movements such as the squat, deadlift, and bench press are highly effective across all age groups. These exercises allow for the use of heavy weights, which is crucial for maintaining bone density and muscle mass as we age.
For those concerned about joint health or those who prefer machine-based exercises, compound machine movements can be an excellent alternative. Exercises like the leg press, machine chest press, and seated row provide the benefits of compound movements while offering more stability and reducing the risk of injury. These machines can help ensure that you continue to train effectively even if mobility or balance becomes a concern.
3. Prioritize Joint Health
Joint health becomes increasingly important as we age. The cartilage that cushions our joints wears down over time, and the risk of conditions like osteoarthritis increases. Incorporating mobility work into your routine can help maintain joint health and reduce the risk of injury.
In one 2011 study, researchers examined the effects of regular stretching on joint health and found that consistent flexibility and mobility exercises help maintain joint range of motion and reduce stiffness, particularly in older adults. Dynamic stretching such as leg kicks and lunges, and specific mobility drills such as hip and arm circles can help keep joints healthy and functional, allowing you to continue training effectively.
Dynamic stretching should ideally be performed before workouts to prepare the joints and muscles for movement, helping to prevent injury by improving blood flow and increasing muscle temperature. Mobility drills, which target specific joints, can be incorporated both before and after workouts to maintain or improve joint function. If you didn’t schedule some space on either side of your workouts for dynamic stretching and mobility work in your younger years, it’s definitely worth doing as you advance through the years.
4. Incorporate Unilateral Movements for Balance and Stability
Balance and stability decline with age, increasing the risk of falls and other injuries. Incorporating unilateral movements (exercises performed one limb at a time) can help improve balance and coordination, which are crucial for maintaining independence as we age.
In an older study, participants who engaged in unilateral exercises such as single-leg deadlifts and Bulgarian split squats showed significant improvements in balance and proprioception (the sense of body position). These movements also help correct muscle imbalances that can lead to injury. I would suggest incorporating unilateral work on the days you lift in moderate rep ranges (going too heavy with these can be more risky than they’re worth).
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In addition to unilateral work, incorporating isolation exercises such as leg extensions, bicep curls, and tricep pushdowns can be beneficial. These movements allow you to target specific muscles that may require extra attention due to imbalances or weakness, helping to ensure that your body remains strong and functional across all muscle groups. Isolation work can be done on both moderate- and high-rep days, but should be avoided on heavy days.
5. Don’t Neglect Cardiovascular Health
While strength training is essential, it’s important not to neglect cardiovascular health as we age. Cardiovascular exercise supports heart health, aids in fat loss, and can improve recovery between strength training sessions.
Another 2011 study analyzed the effects of combining resistance and aerobic training in older adults and found that this combination is most effective for improving overall fitness and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Low-impact options like cycling, swimming, or brisk walking can complement your strength training routine without placing excessive strain on your joints.
In general, I recommend either a minimum of two high-intensity cardio sessions (think interval training alternating between one minute at a low intensity and one minute at a high intensity for 15 minutes) per week, or two to three moderate-intensity sessions (think 20 to 30 minutes at 60 percent of your max heart rate or max rate of perceived exertion) per week. In addition, aiming for at least 7,500 to 10,000 steps per day is a good move.
6. Listen to Your Body: Recovery and Flexible Periodization
As we age, the importance of recovery becomes paramount. Unlike in our younger years, when we might have pushed through back-to-back intense workouts, our bodies now require more time to recover and adapt. Overtraining can lead to injuries, stalled progress, and burnout, making it crucial to incorporate a more flexible approach to your training.
Flexible periodization is a strategy that allows you to adjust your training intensity and volume based on how you feel on any given day. Instead of following a rigid schedule that dictates specific exercises, sets, and reps regardless of your condition, flexible periodization enables you to modify your workout based on factors like your energy levels, soreness, or even stress.
For example, if you wake up feeling fatigued or notice lingering soreness from previous sessions, you might choose to reduce the intensity of your workout or focus on lighter exercises that promote active recovery. On days when you feel strong and well-rested, you can push yourself with heavier lifts or higher-intensity sessions.
7. Mind Your Nutrition: Protein Intake for Muscle Maintenance
As we age, maintaining muscle mass becomes more challenging, making nutrition—particularly protein intake—crucial. Protein helps repair and build muscle tissue, which is essential for maintaining strength and function. So, in addition to making the right strength training moves, consuming enough protein should be considered a vital part of your routine.
As we age, our muscles become less responsive to the anabolic signals that stimulate muscle growth, a condition known as anabolic resistance.
However, studies have shown that consuming at least 0.6 to one gram of protein per pound of body weight per day, with each meal containing over 20 grams of protein, can help overcome anabolic resistance, making it easier to maintain and build muscle mass even as you age. Additionally, research has demonstrated that higher protein intakes may raise metabolism and support muscle mass without leading to fat gain, making it beneficial to consume even more protein as part of your diet. If you have a hard time getting that much protein into your body in the form of chicken, ground beef, turkey, eggs, and other foods, grab a protein powder to keep handy.
Final Thoughts
Strength training is a lifelong pursuit that offers tremendous benefits at any age. However, as you get older, it’s important to adjust your approach to meet the changing needs of your body. By focusing on compound movements, prioritizing joint health, adjusting your rep scheme, incorporating unilateral movements, and paying attention to recovery and nutrition, you can continue to train effectively and safely for years to come. Remember, the goal is not just to stay strong but to enhance your quality of life, maintain independence, and enjoy the journey of aging gracefully.
Known as ‘The Muscle Ph.D.,’ Dr. Jacob Wilson has a knack for transforming challenging, complex concepts into understandable lessons that can support your body composition and health goals. A skeletal muscle physiologist and sports nutrition expert, Wilson is a leader in muscle sports nutrition. As the CEO of The Applied Science & Performance Institute, he researches supplementation, nutrition, and their impact on muscle size, strength, and power.