Ask most people how they stay healthy and the answer will probably involve a daily walk.
But a growing body of research suggests lifting a dumbbell – strength training – may be the most effective form of exercise for living a longer, healthier life.
A major study followed more than 5,000 women aged 63 to 99 for eight years and found those with greater muscle strength had a 33 per cent lower risk of death within that time frame – regardless of how physically active they otherwise were.
Even women not getting the recommended 150 minutes a week of aerobic exercise lived longer if they were stronger from weight training.
Professor Michael LaMonte, who led the study at the University of Buffalo in the US, said strength training should be part of public-health messaging on exercise for older adults.
This research, published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open, complements previous evidence that picking up a dumbbell at any age can add years to your life.
A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine in 2022 found any amount of resistance training reduced the risk of dying from heart disease by 19 per cent and cancer by 14 per cent.
But the biggest reduction in risk of dying from any cause – 27 per cent – came at around 60 minutes of weight training a week.
Research published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open complements previous evidence that picking up a dumbbell at any age can add years to your life (image posed by model)
Meanwhile, a review of studies found 30 to 60 minutes a week of resistance training led to a 17 per cent lower risk of heart disease; 12 per cent lower cancer risk; and 17 per cent lower risk of type 2 diabetes, reported the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2022.
Again, even those who did no aerobic exercise at all experienced the benefits.
‘Even if body weight does not change, improvements in muscle mass, body composition, insulin sensitivity [a measure of how well the cells take in glucose from the bloodstream] and functional capacity [such as from weight training] can still reduce disease risk,’ says Haruki Momma, a professor of sports and exercise medicine at Tohoku University in Japan, who led the study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Because regular resistance training helps blood vessels relax and widen more easily, this improves blood flow and can lower resting blood pressure over time. The heart does not have to push as hard against stiff arteries.
Plus, ‘greater muscle mass is linked with lower inflammation,’ says Professor Momma – chronic inflammation is linked to cancer.
Another benefit of strength training is that it improves how the body handles blood sugar – muscle is one of the main places it’s stored and used.
The more muscle you have, and the more often you use it, the more sugar can be pulled out of the bloodstream and used for energy – rather than lingering in the blood for too long, raising the risk of type 2 diabetes.
There may also be benefits for the brain.
To do a chest press, lie on your back with a weight in each hand and repeatedly push away from your chest until the arms are nearly straight (image posed by model)
When muscles contract, as they do during weight training, they release proteins called myokines into the bloodstream, according to a 2024 review in the journal Frontiers in Physiology. Some myokines cross the blood-brain barrier, where they support the growth of new brain cells and boost molecules involved in memory and learning.
Weight training is also one of the best defences against falls – the most common cause of death from injury in people over 65. ‘It helps people stay independent for longer, is key to preventing frailty and reduces the risk of falls – particularly when combined with balance training,’ says Miles Witham, a consultant geriatrician and professor of trials for older people at Newcastle University.
‘You can see a difference after only a few weeks of twice-weekly strength training – and by 12 weeks people will really start noticing [a change].’
So how should someone begin – especially in their 60s or beyond?
Start simple, says Will Harlow, a former NHS physiotherapist who specialises in helping the over-50s at HT Physio in Farnham, Surrey.
‘Try bodyweight exercises first – such as sit-to-stands from a chair – or using lighter dumbbells for simple exercises, such as biceps curls, chest presses or rows.
To do a chest press, lie on your back with a weight in each hand and repeatedly push away from your chest until the arms are nearly straight. Repeat as many times as you can.
To row while sitting, sit up straight with a weight in both hands and pull back towards the chest in a rowing-like movement.
Dr Christopher Hurst, a senior research associate within the AGE Research Group at the NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre, says even one 20 to 40-minute session a week – using household objects such as tins or water bottles – can help. ‘Being consistent is really the key,’ he says.
A good starting point is a weight that can be lifted eight to 15 times, where the last few repetitions feel difficult but controlled.
Once more than 15 becomes comfortable, the weight should go up by around 5 to 10 per cent.
‘Some people keep using the same light weights for months – but if muscles aren’t challenged, they won’t adapt [and become stronger],’ says Will Harlow.
‘Strength training needs gradual progression to be effective.’
If you cannot safely increase the weight, you can still make an exercise harder by doing more repetitions, moving more slowly or pausing at the hardest point.
Will Harlow adds: ‘Walking and cycling don’t provide enough stimulus to maintain muscle mass as we age. After 50, resistance training becomes essential.’
