Weight lifting might be the most potent “drug” we have for extending the quality and perhaps quantity of our years of life.
In its simplest form, strength means utilizing muscle to generate force. And if you are interested in living a long and healthy life and playing with your great-grandkids someday, then muscle mass should be a priority. Never in the history of human civilization has a 90-year-old said, “I wish I had less muscle.”
If you have the aspiration of kicking ass when you’re 80, you can’t afford to be average when you’re 40.
How much lean mass and strength are people losing by time? - What the studies are saying.
The lowest rate of decline is 1% per year
Another study showed 1.3% per year
Others are sort of putting it at one to 2% per year after 50
Loss of 35 to 40% between age 20 and 80
And the strength losses might even be greater
Some studies even showing 4% strength loss per year
If you want to live longer you’ve got to be strong. You’ve got to have muscle mass to accompany that strength.
Why do I need to have muscle?
If we keep muscle healthy we have a good shot at avoiding obesity, diabetes, cancer, etc. Muscle serves two functions, with the obvious being mobility. Beyond the age of 65 a lot of people die of some form of immobility, such as falls, breaking something, being hospitalised, etc, so functional mobility is critical. The other aspect is metabolism and muscle is a primary site for insulin activity and glucose utilisation as well as fat utilisation. Basically your blood glucose and your blood lipids are heavily dependent on your muscle metabolism.
Muscle and weight lifting have some incredible short terms benefits on the below:
Dopamine
Serotonin
Norepinephrine
Epinephrine
Endocannabinoids
Endorphins
Birth of new neurones
Supports glial cells
Reduces likelihood of addiction
On top of all the health benefits if you have muscle you will also look much better which is a win win.