Weightlifting for Beginners: What You Should Know Before You Start (series part 1)

The Key to Muscular Longevity: Utilizing Weights After 40 The Wonder of Weights Healthy Aging Benefits of Strength Work Weight Training May Be More Important Than Cardio Get the Support You Need No Time Like the Present

When you think of weightlifting, you might think of bodybuilders, gym rats, and elite athletes. While these groups certainly use weights as part of their workout routines, you might not realize that weight training is a key to healthy aging, especially after you enter your 30s. Most adults start to lose muscle mass in their 30s. This progresses as we age, which makes maintaining and building strong, healthy muscles harder over time. While regular movement, a balanced diet, and mental healthcare are vital for long-term well-being, weightlifting (even for beginners) remains a foundational element to longevity that no one should overlook.

The importance of weightlifting for healthy aging and longevity has become an important conversation in the fitness and health space. As the first of two in our Weightlifting for Beginners series, this blog offers tips and information to get you started, or keep going, with your weightlifting. However, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor about changes to your health routine and discuss which choices are best for you.

The Key to Muscular Longevity: Utilizing Weights After 40

Once you enter your 30s, it’s a good idea to rethink your workout routine to ensure it incorporates strength, stretching, and general mobility exercises that set you up for success for years to come. Starting in your 30s, you lose anywhere from 3 to 8% of your muscle mass per decade — and more after you turn 60.¹ This means weight training becomes increasingly important over time to maintain muscular longevity.

Don’t worry: incorporating weight training doesn’t mean you have to use the bench press or massive machines every day. Moving and challenging your muscles is easy and accessible when you have a number of strength exercises and options available.² Consider these tips:

A few small and medium dumbbell weights are all you need to get started!
Incorporate resistance bands and medicine balls to test your strength in different ways.
Don’t underestimate the power of bodyweight strength training: no weights are required!

The good news? Muscular longevity plays a role in every stage of life, so it’s never too late to start weight training or get back into it after a break. If it’s been a while since you exercised, start with our guide to kickstart your fitness journey after some time away; it’ll be easier than you think.

The Wonder of Weights

Incorporating weights into your routine is one of the best ways to care for your long-term health. Weight training in your 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond has a number of general health benefits, including:

Enhances overall wellness and mobility
Promotes longevity of muscles, bones, and joints
Improves the quality of your years as you age
Boosts your mood and mental health

Whether you have access to dumbbells, resistance bands, canned foods, or no equipment at all, weight training in all its forms is the key to healthy aging and longevity.

Healthy Aging Benefits of Strength Work

Weight training is not just good for your muscles: it also supports your brain, bones, and overall well-being. The power of weight training goes beyond your muscular longevity, as it specifically helps:

Promote bone density and strength
Maintain a healthy body weight
Reduce symptoms of chronic and acute pain
Sharpen your cognitive function
Prevent injuries and falls
Promote overall quality of life by supporting healthy joints

With these benefits in mind, you can build and maintain muscles that will support you in every decade of life.

Weight Training May Be More Important Than Cardio

As you age, strength training is not only your key to longevity but also potentially more important than cardio, according to recent studies. While more research is needed to explore all the long-term impacts of strength training, experts are consistently finding that strength training could be king compared to cardio as you age. In fact, a recent study found that those who participated in at least one strength training activity each week experienced a lower risk of mortality than those who did not participate in strength training at all.

Get the Support You Need

Getting into weight training might feel daunting, and you might want some support. If you’re looking for guidance beyond our workout guides and some basic exercises, a personal trainer is a great resource to help you track your progress, set fitness goals, build a strength schedule, and earn some encouragement along the way.

You don’t have to have a massive budget, either. While the cost of personal trainers varies depending on service, location, and company, there are many approaches to finding affordable trainers that you might not realize: check out your local gym programs or try an at-home schedule with occasional check-ins. You don’t have to start your weightlifting journey by yourself.

No Time Like the Present

Weight training is a lifetime commitment, so it’s never too late to start incorporating weights into your routine. By simply prioritizing strength training, you can support your muscles, bones, joints, brain, and overall wellness in a multitude of ways.

Just like this guide, part 2 of our Weightlifting for Beginners series also offers safe, effective, and empowering tips for strength work — with a focus on getting comfortable in the weight room. With our Weightlifting for Beginners series, it’s easy to start something new for the benefit of your long-term health. Your future self will thank you.