Resistance Training for Aging: Why Strength Matters

Getting out of bed. Reaching a stack of dishes on a high shelf. Standing up from a chair without using your hands. These are the small movements we rarely think about, until strength becomes something we have to think about.

Talking With Docs and Dr. Stuart Phillips of McMaster University talk about resistance training and why it matters so much as we get older. His message was direct: the strength you have today shapes how independently you’ll move through daily life tomorrow.

It’s Never Too Late to Start

Dr. Phillips was clear on the timeline: ideally, people build muscle mass before their 30s and 40s, when it’s easier to gain and hold onto. But he was equally clear that starting later still makes a real difference. There’s no age where resistance training stops being worthwhile.

The recommendation is simple: two sessions a week gives the best results, but even one session a week is better than none. This isn’t about chasing an optimized routine, the kind you might see promoted on social media. From a health standpoint, it’s about consistency: showing up, building muscle and bone density over time, and protecting your ability to move well later in life.