Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock this year, you’ve probably heard, that strength training is THE real deal of the fitness world right now. If you aren’t already sold, you might be wondering what all the hype is about and if it’s relevant to you. Read on, and we’ll share what strength training is and why it should feature on everyone’s 2023 planner.

Strength training is any physical movement that uses your own body weight or equipment to build muscle mass and strength. The equipment can be dumbbells, resistance bands, weight machines, barbells – anything that raises the effort required to move! Exercises like squats, lunges & bicep curls are all fine examples of strength movements.

So, who should be doing it and why? Strength training and its benefits to menopausal women have been well voiced in 2022, and rightly so. However, it’s not just for menopause, or to keep Gen Z men looking ripped! There’s huge relevance to a much broader range of adults. With age, ALL adults will lose muscle mass. Age-related muscle loss, called Sarcopenia, starts a lot sooner than you would think. For men and women, Sarcopenia starts age 30 at a rate of 1-2% per year, this rate increases post 60. Sarcopenia is triggered by a production decline of growth hormone (GH), testosterone and oestrogen. These hormones previously played a vital role in muscle development in adolescence. The bad news keeps on coming! Bone density also decreases with age. Men start to lose bone mass at around 65. However, for women, this occurs earlier around age 35, ramping up as they approach menopause.

Now for the fabulous news, YOU can bring about a change! Committing to at least 2 strength training sessions per week will slow down, and even reverse, muscle loss and bone density decline! And the physical rewards are huge! Replenishing muscle and bone mass will give you longevity of movement, reduced injury risk and you will age with grace and good posture. Improved overall strength will help you carry out daily activities such as carrying heavy bags. An additional perk that strength training provides is a cardio workout to maintain heart health and reduce cardiovascular disease. Big full body moves with weights will lift your heart rate, taking you into the cardio zone without jumping and running, perfect if high impact exercise isn’t your thing!

Strength training plays a massive role in so many areas of health and wellbeing. Yes, the prime time to start is in your 30s but if that’s a distant memory then it’s never too late to start future proofing yourself. Muscle and bone preservation can shape your future health. So put some muscle into January 2023 and give yourself the gift of strength.