The following blog is a contribution from Roots coach and all-around awesome guy Connor Warman (CF-L2). Connor heads up the Legends program at Roots for athletes 65 and over and has seen firsthand the positive impact strength training has on this population. For more writing and musings from Connor, check out Figuring It Out with Connor.
Spending the better part of the last five years working in a CrossFit gym, I’ve seen and heard it all when it comes to fitness and nutrition trends, as well as myths.
• Full-depth squats are bad for your knees.
• Kipping pull-ups are bad for your shoulders.
• Deadlifting heavy is bad for your back.
• My doctor says that I should never run again.
• Insert (Vegan, Carnivore, Paleo, Macros, Intermittent Fasting, etc.) is the best way to eat…
None of this is new. Trends and fads in the health and fitness industry have been around long before my Grandparents were smoking cigarettes in the bathroom during high school study hall. Yet, there is one trend that has scientifically stood the test of time when it comes to overall health – and that is strength training. But somehow, strength training has become one of the most scrutinized and controversial forms of exercise out there.
- Strength training will make me bulky.
- Cardio is king!
- It’s all about calories in and calories out, duh.
- Weightlifting is dangerous.
CARDIO-OBSESSED
Despite convincing evidence that says otherwise, we have a “cardio-obsessed” population who say things like, “I need to be constantly moving for at least 90 minutes a day” or “If I’m not laying in a puddle of my own sweat at the end of each workout then I didn’t get my money’s worth.”
And to their credit, the science is partially on their side. So much so that Dr. Peter Attia considers Zone 2 (steady state cardio) training as one of his four essential “pillars of exercise” to maintain health and physical capabilities as we age. However, Zone 2 training (and actual Zone 2 training) is not the end all to be all form of training for the aging population. In fact, according to Harvard Health, after age 30, you begin to lose as much as 3% to 5% of your muscle mass per decade. Most men will lose about 30% of their muscle mass during their lifetime without a significant and designated commitment to maintaining muscle mass as they age.
Here are some of the benefits of strength training:
• Increases metabolism and helps manage a healthy body weight.
• Reduces the risk of osteoporosis and helps develop strong bones.
• Boosts mood.
• Reduces blood pressure.
• Some research even suggests that strength training may help improve thinking and learning skills for older adults.
• It can also reduce the risk of dementia and cognitive decline.
NOT JUST FOR THE AGING POPULATION
All of these benefits stand true across the board for all age populations. However, consistent strength training will have a greater effect on one’s overall and long-term health the younger one begins. For example, an individual who consistently strength trains throughout their life starting at age 20 will reap more health rewards than someone who starts strength training consistently at age 70. With that being said, that should never discourage one from starting no matter how old you are.
But where do I start? And what’s considered the right amount of strength training in order to reap the rewards?
On the “Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris” podcast, Dr. Attia claims that to maximize both our lifespan and our healthspan, then we have to devote 50% of our time training to strength training. Now, if you’re thinking that you need to make radical changes to your exercise routine, hold your horses for one moment. As an athlete at CrossFit Roots, you are exposed to strength training all of the time by just showing up and doing the workout of the day. Think about all the squats, deadlifts, presses, power cleans, wall balls, and more that you see programmed in a typical week of programming – so yes, 50% of your training is absolutely committed to strength development. And, don’t forget that bodyweight work, such as pull-ups, ring rows, push-ups, and dips that absolutely fall under the umbrella of strength development
If you want to start incorporating even more focused strength training into your daily routine I would suggest attending either Strength or Olympic Lifting class once or twice a week.
As we get older, it gets harder and harder for us to reverse the damage we’ve done to our bodies, either through neglect of our workouts, poor nutrition, bad stress and sleep management, or all of the above. When we’re in our early 20s it’s easy to drink a bunch of beers, smash a whole Dominos pizza, and sleep three hours the night before a workout and still perform, but as we get older, it gets harder for us to bounce back from poor eating, drinking alcohol, and not getting enough sleep.
“If you have the aspiration of kicking ass when you’re 85, you can’t afford to be average when you’re 50.”
– Peter Attia
YOUR TIME IS NOW
As a large portion of the population at CrossFit Roots is in their 40s and 50s, now is the time to act.
You can get serious about your health and fitness – and one of the best ways to do this is to commit time and effort to the strength training you encounter in a group class or that you add to your schedule. If you want any chance of kicking ass in life when you’re 80, 90, or even 100 years old, then the choice has to be made now because it’s too important to wait. If you think that you’ll wake up one morning ten years down the road and make the change, then you’re mistaken. It will never be easier to make a change in your life than right now.
If you want to be the cool, mobile, and highly fit Grandpa or Grandma who is skiing, hiking, and being an overall badass well into their 80s and beyond, then strength training and a commitment to nutrition that supports your efforts in the gym is essential to living your best, longest life.
If you have questions – let’s talk! If you’re ready to make a change – let me know! Email me, and we can find a time to meet.
RESOURCES AND REFERENCES
• https://ai.hubermanlab.com/s/08251268-dd67-11ee-af46-bf3d1e66930c
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/strength-training/art-20046670
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