Unlocking the Fountain of Youth: The Over-50 Strength Challenge You Need to Try
Are you doing strength training and your over 50? Hitting up those strength and conditioning yoga classes? Maybe throwing in some Pilates or Yoga Sculpt for good measure? Cheers to you! These workouts are fantastic, ticking the boxes for movement, community, and accountability.
Did you know that you lose around 8% of your lean muscle every decade post-40? And, post-menopause, that number drops even faster. It's a bummer because there's a clear link between lean muscle and a graceful aging process. The connection between lean muscle and dodging cognitive decline as the years roll on is equally apparent. In a nutshell, lean muscle is the key to a vibrant and healthy lifespan.
But here's the kicker: to prevent that muscle loss, you've got to do more than bodyweight or lightweight exercises. As much as we adore those Pilates and sculpt classes, physiologically, they fall short in building or maintaining lean muscle. I get it – it's frustrating!
Without diving too deep into the science, here's the scoop: muscles need to break down and repair with the help of testosterone, human growth hormone, estrogen, and insulin-like growth factor. While Pilates and sculpt might feel like muscle breakdown, they don't hit that deep level required for hormonal impact. You need a more significant load for the magic to happen on a hormonal level.
Now, let's talk about longevity. Examining cultures and communities thriving physically in their later years, we see they don’t do fitness like us, no group fitness, no Pilates Classes, no CrossFit, but can still show us a thing or two. Specific studies look at the lifestyles of these cultures, estimate their push-up count, and then compare it to how upper body strength significantly predicts healthspan.
So, here's the deal. If you're north of 50, can you knock out a push-up? If not, it might be time to reconsider your fitness game plan. All our clients, at some point, take our 2-minute AirForce Hand Release push-up assessment for upper body strength. Why? Because it's a massive predictor of cognitive function as we age and an overall gauge of healthspan. We've seen clients over 60 crushing more than 30 of these push-ups in two minutes. When they started, not a single push-up was in the cards. But with a well-thought-out, progressive plan and the wisdom to grasp the importance of strength, we've seen them get stronger.
And if the answer is no, don't fret. It's all about knowing where you stand and how to level up. Let's get you stronger for a healthier, happier future!
See you in the gym,
Aaron Leventhal CSCS, PN1