Strength Training After 50: The Anti-Sarcopenia Playbook
You don't lose muscle because you age. You lose it because you stop loading it. Here is how to reverse the trajectory.
The default trajectory
Untrained adults lose about 1% of muscle mass and 3% of strength per year after 40. By 70 that compounds into the loss of the muscle you need to rise from a chair, climb a flight of stairs, or catch yourself from a fall.
The reversal protocol
Two full-body sessions per week, 45–60 minutes each. Five movement patterns covered every session: squat (sit-to-stand or goblet), hinge (deadlift or Romanian), push (press), pull (row), and carry (loaded walks). Two to three sets of 8–12 reps. Add a little weight each fortnight when you can.
Resistance training is the only intervention shown to reliably reverse sarcopenia and rebuild bone density. Walking does not. Yoga does not. Pilates, mostly, does not. Lifting things does.
Protein and recovery
Older adults need slightly more protein than younger ones to maintain muscle: 1.2–1.6 g/kg/day. Distribute it: 30+ g at three meals beats 20 g at five.
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