I have said it before that resistance training or strength training has many benefits. I even have posted about it in my Resistance Training Benefits post. But as I see people in my life age I am reminded daily that having strength can also equal independence. Being able to do everyday tasks is a great incentive.
Everyday tasks like carrying the laundry, carrying the groceries, and moving the garbage can full of garbage, all things that many of us might not think about, but we would if we couldn’t do them. So in addition to the health benefits there are also many other reasons to train with weights or resistance.
After age 20, most of us lose about a half pound of muscle a year. By the time we’re 65, we will have lost 25 percent of our peak strength. Aging plays a part in s muscle mass, but it does not have to be as severe. If you want to keep doing what your doing—be independent–it is good to put a little muscle into it. A way to keep the muscles you have or build some is to work them two to three times a week. Working your muscles does not have to be with weights, but it does have to be resistance. Anything that you have to exert force to move. It helps you stay young and independent.