Think weight training, and you can be forgiven for picturing muscle-bound 20-somethings pumping iron in the gym. But, as you age, strength training is incredibly important for your health, and your mental wellbeing, too.

Whether you’re 55 or 85, building strength can help you move more easily, feel more confident, and stay independent for longer. Here’s why it’s never too late to start – and how you can begin safely and effectively.

According to statistics from the ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) almost 20% of people who regularly strength train in Australia are aged 55-64,¹ and there’s a good reason for that – with countless studies showing the benefits of strength training as you age.

The physical benefits of strength training

As you get older, mobility can become more difficult. Studies have shown that around 30% of adults aged over 70 have difficulty walking, getting up out of a chair or climbing stairs.² This lack of mobility has been linked to increased rates of falls, chronic diseases, being admitted into nursing homes and mortality.³

There are numerous reasons for this, including the fact that as we age, we naturally lose muscle. Muscle mass decreases by 3-8% every decade from the age of 30⁴ – which can lead to a condition called sarcopenia⁵ – and this loss ramps up in our 60s and 70s.

The good news is this decline can be slowed down by maintaining an active lifestyle and increasing muscle strength with exercise.

A study published in the British Medical Journal showed that strength training, combined with aerobic exercise, reduced mortality rates by 40% and contributed to a wide range of physical health benefits.

The study showed that:

• muscle-strengthening activities were associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, diabetes, and all-cause mortality among adults
• the optimal risk reduction for all-cause mortality, CVD and total cancer was obtained at approximately 30–60 min/week of muscle‑strengthening activities
• the risk of diabetes sharply decreased until 60 min/week of muscle-strengthening activities, followed by a gradual decrease.⁶

Another study, meanwhile, demonstrated that strength training helped improve balance and reduce falls in older people⁷, while the LIFTMOR trial⁸ found that postmenopausal women who practised high‑intensity resistance training experienced improved bone density at the spine and hip, which are common fracture sites. The same study also highlighted the importance of heavy lifting for people with osteoporosis or low bone mass.

Strength training can help keep the weight off, too, with an increased muscle mass boosting metabolism and burning off more calories at rest.⁹ A regular weights session also helps you control blood sugar levels¹⁰ and improve heart health.¹¹

All of this, of course, combines to help us enjoy a better quality of life for as long as possible. From lifting groceries to playing with grandchildren, there are a whole host of everyday activities that rely on us being fit and healthy, and it’s important to preserve and nurture that.

The mental benefits of strength training

As well as physical benefits, strength training has been shown to offer several mental health benefits, too. Regular strength training can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, while it may also help boost cognitive function.

A study by the University of Sydney, meanwhile, found that six months of strength training can help look after the areas of the brain that are vulnerable to Alzheimer’s.¹³ The clinical trial for older people at high risk of Alzheimer’s due to a mild cognitive impairment showed weight training could slow, or even halt, cognitive degeneration.

Getting started with weight training

If you’ve never stepped foot inside a gym, it’s never too late to start. Regardless of whether you’re a complete novice or a lapsed regular, it’s important to take things slowly and gradually – small, achievable goals are key here.

It’s also proven that supervised sessions at a gym are more effective doing your own thing at home. In the US, research in 2020 found that older adults that took supervised resistance training experienced significantly less bone loss than those following a home exercise program.¹⁴

A great way to get started is to work with a personal trainer. They will be able to put together a strength training program for you that is manageable and will ensure that you’re performing every exercise correctly – the last thing you want to do in this situation is do too much too soon or injure yourself by not getting the basic form right.

By incorporating strength training into your weekly routine, you can realise a host of mental and physical benefits, which can have a ripple effect through to your general wellbeing and everyday activities, too.