A chapter title in one of my favorite health books is "Now's the Time to Lift Heavy Sh*t." The book is Next Level: Your Guide to Kicking Ass, Feeling Great, and Crushing Goals Through Menopause and Beyond, by Stacy Sims, PhD. Finally! A research-backed proclamation that is long overdue. A concept that I've taken advantage of for 40 years with great benefits.
Sims is speaking specifically to menopausal women, but I think that no matter what your sex is, if you are getting up there in years, lifting weights or even doing bodyweight resistance exercises makes for a happier, longer life.
As a physical therapist, when I tell my older patients that now it's even more important to do resistance and flexibility training, many look puzzled. Some don't even know they can get stronger. When you can use your muscles, you can make them stronger, as many studies show that put people in their 80's and 90's on a resistance training program. They gained muscle mass, became more stable with activities of daily living, had better balance, and less arthritis pain. And, it helps to manage your weight.
We lose up to 8 percent of our strength each decade after age 30. This loss accelerates after our 60th birthday. You can prevent up to 25% of your strength loss by age 60 if you do resistance training. And ladies - this doesn't mean lifting the light weights like 5# dumbbells! You need to do heavy lifting, which is the amount where you have to put the weight down after 6 repetitions. Of course, you would have to build up to this ability by starting with moderate loads. It may take months to build up to heavy loads.
Sims is speaking specifically to menopausal women, but I think that no matter what your sex is, if you are getting up there in years, lifting weights or even doing bodyweight resistance exercises makes for a happier, longer life.
As a physical therapist, when I tell my older patients that now it's even more important to do resistance and flexibility training, many look puzzled. Some don't even know they can get stronger. When you can use your muscles, you can make them stronger, as many studies show that put people in their 80's and 90's on a resistance training program. They gained muscle mass, became more stable with activities of daily living, had better balance, and less arthritis pain. And, it helps to manage your weight.
We lose up to 8 percent of our strength each decade after age 30. This loss accelerates after our 60th birthday. You can prevent up to 25% of your strength loss by age 60 if you do resistance training. And ladies - this doesn't mean lifting the light weights like 5# dumbbells! You need to do heavy lifting, which is the amount where you have to put the weight down after 6 repetitions. Of course, you would have to build up to this ability by starting with moderate loads. It may take months to build up to heavy loads.
Older but Stronger:
New studies show that weight training can protect the brain against dementia by stimulating a protein for the growth of neurons and by reducing inflammation in the body.
February 2026
A chapter title in one of my favorite health books is "Now's the Time to Lift Heavy Sh*t." The book is Next Level: Your Guide to Kicking Ass, Feeling Great, and Crushing Goals Through Menopause and Beyond, by Stacy Sims, PhD.
Each morning I look forward to reading Arnold Schwarzenegger's Pump Club Newsletter, whose tagline is "Lift Up the World." Since he won Mr. Universe in 1980, I've been a fan. This morning's news included a section "The Workouts that Build (and Protect) Your Brain." I scrolled right to it, as I have been enjoying the benefits of resistance training for 40 years.
A chapter title in one of my favorite health books is "Now's the Time to Lift Heavy Sh*t." The book is Next Level: Your Guide to Kicking Ass, Feeling Great, and Crushing Goals Through Menopause and Beyond, by Stacy Sims, PhD.
Each morning I look forward to reading Arnold Schwarzenegger's Pump Club Newsletter, whose tagline is "Lift Up the World." Since he won Mr. Universe in 1980, I've been a fan. This morning's news included a section "The Workouts that Build (and Protect) Your Brain." I scrolled right to it, as I have been enjoying the benefits of resistance training for 40 years.
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Results from Exercise and Brain Performance Studies:
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Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor - a protein that acts as a growth factor in the brain, and is crucial for synaptic plasticity which is needed fifor memroy .
helps to avoid neuro
Deficiencies in BDNF are strongly associated with neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's, Parkinson’s) and neuropsychiatric disorders like depression.
'neurotrophin involved in the repair of neural tissue
BDNF expression indirectly associated with lactate.
The expression of serum BDNF is likely reliant on intensity of exercise.
Hypertrophy resistance exercise is likely to provide cognitive benefit due to increased BDNF expression.
helps to avoid neuro
Deficiencies in BDNF are strongly associated with neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's, Parkinson’s) and neuropsychiatric disorders like depression.
'neurotrophin involved in the repair of neural tissue
BDNF expression indirectly associated with lactate.
The expression of serum BDNF is likely reliant on intensity of exercise.
Hypertrophy resistance exercise is likely to provide cognitive benefit due to increased BDNF expression.
"A year from now, you will wish you would have started today." - Karen Lamb
Sources
Sao Paulo Research Foundation. April 1, 2025. Weight training shields the brain from dementia in older adults. News-medical.net.
Sao Paulo Research Foundation. April 1, 2025. Weight training shields the brain from dementia in older adults. News-medical.net.