Why don’t you lift weights?

In My Humble Opinion
201

Huh?

The point they were making with the power lifter data was that periodization may in fact have little benefit over time … looking at the large dataset the same relative plateau after one year occurs:

I am completely with you on the importance of exercise for health across all age groups, that benefits are front loaded with a little giving lots of benefit. The evidence for those statements is overwhelming. You’ve linked to studies showing that doing BOTH some modest amount of strength training AND aerobic training does more for life and health expectancy than only one or the other.

202

Given this, this article may be a fun read for you and of interest to other interested in exercise. You’ve done a great job documenting how exercise and muscle matters, to life span and health span both, and how even a little bit can go a long way. This is a bit more in the weeds but some, especially the importance of neuromuscular adaptations to early strength gains, and the importance of hitting “momentary muscle failure” (and why), are relevant to the findings of that last study … and it discusses how some classic standard models of specificity are changing.

Some of what I see as the more interesting bits.

203

I have read a lot of scholarly books and articles on this topic and periodization in general. The upshot is that a mixture of strength, aerobic and flexibility training all provide benefits. Athletes participating in sports which benefit from increased strength, endurance or mass have different needs from someone just training to maximize strength or perceived aestheticism (hopefully without illegal substances).

Periodization takes into account these differences but differs depending on goals. At a basic level, one changes the proportion of strength, strength-speed, volume, endurance and ballistic work at different times, including when one will be actively competing. These blocks are sometimes given names like strength, hypertrophic, etc. which tend to simplify what is actually involved.

The literature on training to failure, how to vary sets and reps etc. is complex. If you have interest in this topic, I could recommend some detailed and modern discussions of these things by people who have trained many award winning athletes.

The benefits of exercise have become pretty clear at any age. It is not that important elderly non-athletes use periodization and avoid plateaus but these things can certainly be done. Unilateral exercise is particularly useful in rehab and injury but in general has less use outside these circumstances.

204

Would you mind checking my understanding of this article?

I was wondering how much of the strength gain in the older participants of that WP linked article may have been more neuromuscular adaptation, and not actually gaining muscle mass despite the sarcopenia trend. Okay to be honest I was thinking that’s what it likely was.

But if I understand the study linked (and I am not sure I do) it seems that in a 12 week protocol older men (average 70) gained about as much, or arguably more contractile mass (using an atomic cross section area, ACSA, as the proxy, and by percent of mass at start) as young men (average 25) did - depending on the muscle measured.

If I am reading right, that boggles my mind! My default has been to consider strength training exercise for those over 60, let alone those 70, as a means of staving off major withdrawals from the saved muscle mass bank … this article (not a huge n but still significant results) seems to show that muscle mass increases really can be achieved during the traditionally considered sarcopenia period, with a very modest protocol.

It is surprising enough to me that I really would appreciate your read to reassure me I am not simply confused. And my suspicion is that this finding is not only correct but old news to you.

Strength on specific lifts is nice, it may. Even translate to strength in the functional realm, which is very important. But muscle mass itself has positive metabolic impacts beyond the functionality it brings.

Thanks

205

You didn’t address your post to me, but I’ve encountered articles affirming that you can indeed gain muscle in your older years

In fact, if you are looking for an upper bound on muscle growth, I’m going to suggest it’s not until you reach your 80s.

https://www.mcknights.com/news/muscle-growth-appears-to-stop-after-80-new-research-suggests/

206

I exercise at the gym 3 times a week. I go for cardio and the machines. I could do weights, the trainers keep suggesting them, but I tend to like the various machines. Helps me focus the work on specific muscle groups. Weights are good though.

207

  1. Sarcopenia is generally defined as a loss of skeletal muscle. It can be caused by aging, disuse, starvation, several wasting diseases, or secondary to ischemia or neuropathy. Lean body mass can be quantified by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Similar to osteoporosis, amounts below two standard deviations from gender matched controls are considered significant. But clinical presentation matters more than a T-score.

  2. Intrinsic muscle aging is now thought to start around age fifty with losses about 1% per year. It initially affects 2B fibres, later all types. There is atrophy but no necrosis. For many, the loss is clinically significant once in their 70s or 80s. This loss is thought to be due to changes in muscle metabolism and the endocrine system, nutrition and levels of physical activity.

  3. Muscle loss - due to disuse, deconditioning, wasting due to diseases like cancer, AIDS, inflammatory conditions or chronic disease, protein malnutrition, or localized neural or cardiovascular disease - can be approximately 1% per day. The point is aging is a small factor compared to not doing enough activity, though even ten minutes of moderate intensity gives very significant benefits.

  4. Exercise can cause hypertrophy of muscle cells and increased function to compensate for the decrease in muscle cells and minimize the clinical impact of the loss of muscle over time.

  5. Exercise to increase muscle strength involves movements performed against resistance. While low loads are used at first, optimal results are obtained using 60-80% of lifting ability, also taking bone strength into account. Adequate muscle is essential for balance and gait.

  6. Exercise to increase endurance often involves 10-20 minutes of continuous exercise at 50-80% of an individuals maximal oxygen consumption to increase cardiopulmonary health. Exercise to increase flexibility are needed with some diseases like Parkinson’s. Going up and down stairs requires 90 degrees of knee flexion, reaching overhead 120-150 degrees of shoulder flexion (frozen shoulder = use it or lose it). . Exercises to improve balance reduce risks of falls. Task oriented exercises improve function.

The more interesting newer data…

  1. Many of the longevity genes that are turned on by exercise are also responsible for its health benefits, at the cellular level. Extending telomeres, growing new micro vessels to deliver oxygen and boosting the performance of mitochondria. These can be brought to youthful levels (equivalent to those in their 20s or 30s) in elderly patients who exercise. But only 10% of those older than 65 push themselves, and intensity matters somewhat. Those who run 4-5 miles a week (about fifteen minutes a day) can reduce death from a heart attack by 40% or from all causes by 45%. Even ten minutes of moderate exercise a day can add years to one’s life. (D. Lee, Leisure Time Running, JACC Cardiology, 54 no. 5 (August 2014), 472-481.)

  2. The longevity regulators - AMPK, mTOR and sirtuins - are all improved by exercise regardless of caloric intake. Exercise can improve telomere lengths by about ten years (NHANES, LA Tucker, Preventive Medicine 100 (July 2017). Cyclists between 55 and 79 had memory and metabolic profiles more closely resembling 30 year olds than sedentary peers (G. Reynolds, New York Times, March 14 2018).

(See also MM Robinson “Enhanced Protein Translation underlies Improved Metabolic and physical adaptations in old and young humans”, Cell Metabolism 25, no. 3 (March 7,2017).

In short, I agree with your conclusions. An increase in muscle area can occur at any age with proper exercise and diet, assuming one can eat and move and does not have other mitigating conditions. Mitochondrial efficacy can be boosted and new ones can form even in elderly people. Muscle Hypertrophy can occur and with increased strength can easily compensate for the age related sarcopenia in the absence of other causes of sarcopenia listed above and adequate nutrition including moderate protein intake.

To see how deficient med school geriatrics was and for recent important geriatric research, read Elderhood (Aronson). For a very interesting look at new aging and longevity research, including several provocative new studies greatly extending the health span of mice and possible breakthroughs in nutrition, read Lifespan (skeptically) by Harvard geneticist David A Sinclair (only slightly gung-ho, it references everything it discusses to recent studies in decent journals). To learn basic weightlifting, read Starting Strength (Rippetoe). For a more advanced but practical discussion of weightlifting including academic studies, basic periodization and effective routines, I recommend reading The Big Black Book of Training Secrets (Thibaudeau).

208

This is about all I have left to work with. I’ve managed to damage enough parts of my body that almost everything hurts when exercising. I just bought a mini cycling machine for under my office desk. I can’t get my heartbeat much over 115 before I fatigue. I’m hoping to work my way up to biking again. Foot neuropathy isn’t helping.

209

Perhaps, but keep it up. Remember ten minutes a day of moderately hard effort, divided into as many pieces as needed, gives most of the benefits of much longer and intense exercise. Even 20 second periods are hugely beneficial if you can do 10 minutes worth throughout the day.

210

(Reply to @DSeid )

As for your specific study, it is small numbers of people, but the conclusions are old hat. I agree with you - older people can gain muscle mass and strength since exercise effects (the recent article suggests 30-60% strength increase) can be much bigger than those lost due to age (1% per year from around age fifty, probably less in the 10-20% of more active people), and even these are small compared to disuse, etc. (up to 1% per day; numbers taken from Hazzard’s Textbook of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology).

What makes a muscle bigger? You can have the same number of bigger cells (hypertrophy), or more cells. Both factors matter, strength increases in both cases. The 1% loss in muscle cells per year after age fifty? Peanuts if you work at increasing hypertrophy and muscle mass; very significant disability in some sedentary people. And the time investment need not be much.

The really interesting new research is on new mitochondria formation, boosting mitochondrial efficacy, and how exercise affects longevity genes. Mitochondria have always been weird with their own DNA. More new research increasingly suggests they are even more important than mere producers of energy.

211

I suspect the age cutoff may be even higher. With specialized nutrition and coaching gains can also be bigger especially in individuals who have never lifted weights. A younger, new lifter on a proper program (e.g. Starting Strength) can get fairly fast initial gains. These slow down considerably after one to two years. But these gains still seem to be potentially available even to more elderly, naive lifters who have never experienced them, and are fit enough to eat and exercise enough.

212

I’m sorry but the OP’s question is silly to me. Why don’t you play chess? Why don’t you play guitar? Both are very good for people that are aging. Both are exercise for the mind.

Also, like strenuous physical exercise, I like exercise that takes you away from your daily tasks, and you get to focus on one thing for a while.

I like to play chess because it gives my mind a rest. Sound strange but is true. Things about work or household stuff disappear. It’s a respite.

The daily stuff just disappears. Work goes away, as do other things. My Wife and I play a lot of chess, and cribbage. We spend time together face to face and put on some music and play chess.

For my Wife and I, your focus is totally on your and your opponents moves. I believe such games helps keep your mind sharper.

Not a lot of day to day conversation goes on deep in a chess game, some of course. But it’s concentration, and strategy/planning. Something other than the strategy/planning about the day to day hassles that come with living.

I suspect lifting is the same.

After 26 years of marriage, my wife and I now know each other better than from 5 years of chess.

Sure we watch Seinfeld reruns or whatever when we are just beat, and really can’t concentrate or are too tired. But give me a mind exercise any day.

I’ve said this a number of times on this board, my Wife was an Iron Man. I was her sherpa. Lots of connection there of course. But Iron Mans are a thing of the past for my Wife.

Yes a healthy body is wonderful. But so is a healthy mind. Physical exercise just makes me think about the things I should be doing instead.

I suspect a dedicated writer would feel the same. It’s all the same. If you can do both more power to you.

Best friend has some sayings. “What every floats your boat” or " Or, whatever, trips your trigger".

213

I understand where you are coming from, and there are many roads to health. There are many reasonable alternatives to lifting weights. The thing about healthy minds and healthy bodies is they are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they are not at all independent. Why settle for just one or the other? Especially if it turns out you cannot?

214

I suspect that you are correct. Notwithstanding the cite I found, and listed above, I’ve seen lots of other information suggesting that people can develop muscle from exercising throughout their lifespan.

The body is an amazing thing, and its adaptation to environmental stress (in this case, in the form of exercise) seems to be inherent to its functioning.

215

I believe the body has similar responses to mental exercise as it does physical:

“Use it or lose it” applies, as does the capacity to improve no matter your age.

216

To @Moriarty and @Dr_Paprika - thank you both for that additional information and my ignorance has been more than marginally reduced! I was a believer before, but this stuff puts me into a completely new level.

@Dr_Paprika among the studies you have cited in this thread has been one that documented that strength training exercise and aerobic training provide independent benefits more than doing one alone. Do you feel as strongly about the aerobic component?

@enipala - piling on here. No dispute that brain exercise is key to reducing risks of cognitive declines with aging. (If I recall the research correctly, that impact is most for things like learning a new skill.) Unclear about the dose response curve for that but for exercise the point is how much even a little accomplishes, especially compared to being sedentary. The evidence for that is, as above, even more overwhelming and impressive than I had previously believed. The impact of having both strength training and aerobic components to the exercise is significant, and both can be done concurrently. Like @Dr_Paprika said, there are many alternatives to lifting weight (and many activities accomplish some strength training impacts and aerobic impacts at the same time).

FWIW I recall a study that found those who play racquet sports tend to have the best impacts, without dedicated aerobic and strength training sessions. My WAG was that it also included a social aspect that also has a major impact. That wasn’t enough for me to take up one of those sports now though!

I also want to emphasize that while the easy number to study is lifespan the bigger deal is healthspan. I don’t especially want to live longer, I want to live fully functional in mind and body longer.

A little strength training goes a long way to helping accomplish that fitness goal. Of course I want to do that.

217

Found it!

218

Ping Pong should be in there. Many think it’s not very cardiovascular. Depends on how you play. Total brain game though.

Volleyball gets a bit rough. Too much for me at 62yo.

219

I think exercise of any type is important, including aerobics. My interests lean to strength training, but any exercise one sticks with is helpful - even something low-impact like daily walking is hugely beneficial. Something social like tennis offers a number of additional benefits. That said, I think a short daily walk and two weekly sessions of strength training are enough for most people.

Traditionally, many weightlifters were strong but with poor conditioning. You are probably not in great shape as a young athlete if climbing a flight of stairs is difficult. Lifters were worried too much cardio would mean less muscle. But even this concern does not seem to apply to short bouts of intense exercise, which mostly burns fat.

I do not think the goal of most exercisers should be to “lose weight” as such. The ability to do forty pushups has been shown to decrease cardiac risk by something like 70% according to a fairly recent study. The goal should just be to exercise. Losing weight tends to mean losing a lot of muscle as well as fat - not always ideal.

I do think some aerobic exercise in addition to strength training is important. Team sports have a social benefit and may be more enjoyable. Even daily walking is now thought to be a great counterbalance for many powerlifters (and owning a dog seems to help with mood and energy too). I am less a fan of long distance jogging, but sprinting seems to encourage fat loss and running a mile a day has proven mortality benefits. The body is very adaptable and will get used to doing the same thing - I’ve read expert marathoners burn surprisingly few calories!

That said, the body uses different energy systems for short (<10s), intermediate (1-3 mins, or 5-8 mins) and longer periods (15+ minutes) of exercise. Thus, it may be most beneficial for serious athletes to do short sprints (80% effort, under 20 seconds), 400m runs (a few minutes) as well as occasional longer cardio efforts. Variety is good, but should be tailored to one’s goals and what you are willing to do.

220

Very few sports burn as many calories as a good game of squash. Fun sport too.