Why You Need To Lift Heavy Things

The role of resistance training for functional longevity.

Physical activity is arguably the best metric for predicting longevity¹.

The majority of this effect is driven by the impact of aerobic fitness.

But think of aerobic fitness, likely the power output of a mechanical excavator.

Necessary, but if the joints and limbs of the machine cannot transmit that power, then it is of limited use.

The same is true of humans.

Even if you managed to maintain high levels of aerobic fitness into old age, without the muscle mass or strength to transmit that power, its impact would be limited.

To maintain functional longevity as you age, you will need to prioritise two activities:

1. Aerobic training to optimise V02 max and aerobic fitness.

2. Resistance training to optimise muscle mass and muscle strength.

When both of these parameters are optimised, you will be in the best position to use your aerobic (power) to your desired mechanical effect.

This is not about looking good on the beach.

This is about being able to throw grandkids in the air or your bag into an aeroplane's overhead locker.

This is not just about being alive: Longevity.

This is about being alive and being able to do the things you want to do: Functional Longevity.

This means you need to do resistance training.

Of course, this is in addition to aerobic training, which likely has a greater impact on longevity, but if you want functional longevity, you will need to do both.

The problem is if you don't do resistance training, you are on a slippery slope.

Over your lifetime, you will lose significant amounts of muscle mass and muscle strength.

These are key factors for future performance.

On average, most adults will lose 3 to 5% of their muscle mass per decade after age 30.

After age 70, this accelerates to 15% per decade².

An ICU admission will set you back a whopping 2% PER DAY³.

Those in the low muscle mass categories are 57% more likely to die of any cause over a 14-year period when compared to those in high muscle mass categories.

Muscle and Strength.

Even more concerning is the loss of muscle strength.

Grip strength, an excellent proxy for overall body strength, falls precipitously after age 40⁴.

The impact on longevity is even more significant than muscle mass loss, with a linear reduction in risk over time.

Higher levels of strength not only translate into being able to do more later in life, but they also mean that you are much more likely to BE AROUND later in life.

Remember: This is about functional longevity.

Training For Life.

So, how do we avoid or at least minimise the inexorable drops in muscle strength and muscle mass?

The answer is:

We lift heavy things.

It is a good metaphor for life in general, but in this instance, it means engaging in resistance training.

The problem is that very few people actually do sufficient resistance training.

Only 24% of adults meet weekly resistance training and aerobic training recommendations⁵.

6.8% of the population meet resistance training alone recommendations.

This is not good for a population that is rapidly ageing.

Benefits Of Resistance Training.

The downsides of reduced muscle mass and strength are very clear.

And anyone aspiring to be active into old age should view that data with significant concern.

But does resistance training mitigate the risks of the impact of ageing?

Yes.

It very clearly does.

With just 60 minutes per week of resistance training:

• The chances of dying from anything (All Cause Mortality) decrease by 15%.

• Cardiovascular mortality decreases by 19%.

• Cancer mortality drops by 14%.

• If you do more than 60 minutes per week, all-cause mortality drops by 27%⁶.

For a sixty-minute weekly investment, this is a big return.

Aerobic recommendations suggest between 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate activity.

This might seem like a lot, but remember, walking is considered a moderate activity, and so is gardening, dancing, and an easy pace on a bike.

So, over a week, it is easy to combine these to meet your goals.

The question is, will you also include resistance training?

Resistance Training Does Not Automatically Mean A Gym Membership.

I do two to three resistance training sessions per week.

I have not had a gym membership in over ten years.

I have slowly added to my collection of home weights, and as my ability to lift them grew, so did my weight collection.

Now, I know you are thinking that it’s all well and good for me with a home gym.

But for most of those ten years, my weights were stored underneath and behind the couch in my living room. The main living room floor doubled as my exercise space, which also involved moving a coffee table out of the way.

You do not even need weights at the start.

Body weight exercises will be adequate to begin.

How To Do Resistance Training.

The key is to start where you are.

If that means sitting on your living room floor with no weights and watching YouTube videos titled “30 Minute Beginner Home Strength Training,” then that is where you start.

Even if you stayed there, you would be far ahead of most people.

As your strength grows, so will your need to load yourself against greater resistance.

This will typically mean the addition of weights.

It is at this point that I think you should work with a trainer.

The probability of injuring yourself when you move into this phase is high.

Get guidance.

It doesn't mean you have to have a personal trainer who works with you for every session, but you need someone to give you instructions on how to lift weights with the proper form.

For me, I work with a personal trainer who sets my sessions.

However, I only meet with him in person every two to three weeks.

These sessions are pure gold, though.

Lift Heavy Things.

If your goal is to be able to do the things you want to do later in life, you will need the strength to do so.

Resistance training is key to achieving that goal and also ensuring you live long enough to meet that goal.

I used to say that I didn’t have time for resistance training.

But as the saying goes, “If you don’t make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for illness.”

Making that time does not guarantee the absence of illness.

But it sure as hell sets the odds in your favour.

Time to roll the dice.

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1. Association of Cardiorespiratory Fitness With Long-term Mortality Among Adults Undergoing Exercise Treadmill Testing. JAMA Netw Open. 2018;1(6):e183605.

2

1. Cruz-Jentoft A, Sayer A. 2019. Sarcopenia. The Lancet. 393(10191): 2636-2646.

3. The rate and assessment of muscle wasting during critical illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Crit Care 27, 2 (2023).

4. The Changes of Muscle Strength and Functional Activities During Aging in Male and Female Populations. International Journal of Gerontology Volume 8, Issue 4, December 2014, Pages 197-202

5. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db443.htm

6. Resistance Training and Mortality Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Am J Prev Med. 2022 Aug;63(2):277-285.