09/26/2026
💪 Muscle is a use-it-or-lose-it asset, and it matters more every year.
As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass (sarcopenia) and strength (dynapenia). That affects balance, getting up from a chair, carrying groceries, and staying independent. And if you're losing weight, whether through diet or a medication, protecting muscle matters even more, since some of the weight lost can come from lean tissue.
The good news: muscle responds at any age. A review from Ohio University researchers highlights a classic study where adults in their 90s increased leg strength by an average of 174% and walked 48% faster after just 8 weeks of progressive strength training.
Practical ways to start this week, from the review:
✅ Train 2–3 days a week on non-consecutive days (e.g., Mon/Wed/Fri), working all major muscle groups.
✅ Start easy. Spend the first 1–2 weeks doing just one set of each exercise, focused on good form.
✅ Favor movements that use several joints, like leg press, chest press, rows, and squats. They build strength that carries into daily life.
✅ Make it challenging. Light, easy reps aren't enough to build muscle. Pick a weight where the last few reps of a 12–15 rep set feel hard.
✅ Keep progressing. When the reps get easy, add weight, reps, or sets. Reassess roughly monthly.
✅ No gym? No problem.
• Stand up from a chair with arms crossed. Make it harder with a lower seat or by holding weight.
• Squat holding a milk jug in each hand (half-full, then full).
• Carry groceries and lift them onto a shelf.
• Do one-arm rows with a dumbbell or jug.
✅ Get guidance if you're new or have health conditions. A physical therapist or exercise physiologist can help you start safely, and check with your healthcare provider before beginning a new program.
It's never too late to start. 💪
📖 Source: Law TD, Clark LA, Clark BC. Resistance Exercise to Prevent and Manage Sarcopenia and Dynapenia. Annu Rev Gerontol Geriatr. 2016;36(1):205–228. doi:10.1891/0198-8794.36.205
