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Strength Training and Progressive Overload for Longevity

Longevity is a topic that fascinates not just health practitioners and scientists, but also athletes and everyday people interested in extending both the length and quality of their lives. The term “longevity” is sometimes also referred to as “healthspan,” and it describes not just a person’s lifespan, but the years in which the person lives without chronic disease or disability. While the pillars of longevity include lifestyle factors such as sleep, social connection, diet and environmental factors, exercise may be the most important component for improving our healthspan. 

“Exercise might be the most important longevity ‘drug’ that we have for extending the quality and perhaps quantity of our years of life,” said Dr. Peter Attia, author of Outlive. 

While exercise can include cardiovascular exercise such as walking or running, strength training is the key to staying strong and healthy into later life. 

Strength training is no longer just the domain of bodybuilders and athletes. Increasing evidence highlights its critical role in promoting health, enhancing longevity, and improving quality of life for both women and men. Strength training, also known as resistance training, involves exercises that are designed to improve muscular strength and endurance by working against resistance. 

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, author of Forever Strong, calls muscle “the organ of longevity.” As we age, our bodies undergo a natural decline in muscle mass, known as sarcopenia. This can begin as early in life as our 30s and only accelerates as we age past 50. Sarcopenia leads to decreased strength, mobility issues, and a higher risk of falls and decreased quality of life. 

Strength training can help preserve, and even increase, muscle mass as we age. It is proven to improve bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Metabolic health, including maintaining a healthy weight and controlling blood sugar, also improves with increased muscle mass and muscle contraction. Strength training can help with improving circulation and lowering blood pressure. In recent years, we have learned how adding strength training to our routines can help support our mental health, reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression and helping with cognitive function as we age.  

One of the important factors in strength training is the idea of progressive overload. This involves gradually increasing the resistance or intensity of exercise. The slow progression ensures that muscles continuously adapt and improve. Without progressive overload, our bodies adjust and plateau, limiting further benefit. 

Progressive overload can come in many forms. It may include increasing the weight used on an exercise, increasing the number or repetitions or sets of an exercise, or even minimizing the amount of rest between strength exercises. Altering the type of exercises that hit a certain muscle group is another form of progressive overload. Popular forms of progressive overload include weightlifting, circuit training, and Pilates. Resistance can come from traditional weights in a gym and also from resistance bands or even body weight exercises. Following are five ways to add progressive overload to your workout routine: 

1. Increase weight: Gradually add more weight to your lifts each week, ensuring you maintain good form. If you are starting with a body weight exercise such as a squat, you can add weight in the form of dumbbells or a single kettlebell and gradually increase the amount of weight each week.
2. Add repetitions to your sets: Once you can comfortably perform a certain number of repetitions (reps) with a weight, increase the rep count by a few each session. 
3. Perform additional sets: If you're hitting a plateau, try adding another set to your existing exercises.
4. Reduce rest periods: Slightly shorten your rest time between sets to increase the intensity. 
5. Progress exercise difficulty: As you get stronger, switch to more challenging exercises or variations of your current ones. For example, if you are currently working on squats, you can start to add in lunges or split squats to your routine.

Resistance training has been a focus for men for years, and it is equally as important for women to add resistance training with progressive overload to their routine. Women who engage in regular strength training may see improved posture and reduced risk of osteoporosis; improved hormonal balance, especially during menopause; and improved confidence and mental health.

There are a great deal of resources for those who are interested in starting strength and resistance training, but do not know where to start. Many gyms offer classes or personal trainers for new exercisers. Nowadays, there are also many online resources for those who don’t like the gym. Consider purchasing a set of weights and a few resistance bands for your home, and if you go that route, please keep the following tips in mind:

• Start light and aim to slowly progress as your form improves. 
• Stay consistent with at least 2-3 sessions of strength training per week to slowly see improvements.  
• Prioritize form over intensity.
• Focus on full body movements such as squats, push ups, and other movements that can mimic the strength needed in everyday life. 
• Listen to your body and avoid overtraining. 
• Focus on the other pillars of longevity.

By embracing strength training and incorporating progressive overload, both women and men can enjoy a longer, healthier, and more active life. Whether you’re lifting weights at the gym or following a resistance band routine at home, every step you take toward building strength is an investment in your future well-being.