I started a legitimate strength training program about five years ago after I read the book The Barbell Prescription.

To this day I believe it is one of the most important books on health and fitness ever written.

Since then, my own training program continues to evolve as I’ve had to work through various issues that I had prior to strength training… a fragile lower back, a left shoulder issue and colon surgery.

I also have different training priorities, and therefore I’ve never come close to hitting some of the strength goals I set out for myself back then.

With that said, I am still much stronger than when I started, and almost as strong as I was 25 years ago.

Therefore, I still refer to this book often because it goes far beyond the presentation of a training program compared to other books.

It actually tells you why strength training is so critical for people as they get older.  This is why I refer potential Champions of Aging to this book often.

Since I started my own journey, I have actually gifted this book to a few people and I’ve referred to it on social media at least a handful of times.

The initial pushback is that most people seem to confuse strength training with powerlifting.

I believe this is due to the fact that the primary tool involved in both endeavors is the barbell, and most people are more attracted to machines.

The main difference between the two endeavors is this… powerlifters train specifically to lift as much weight as possible for a single rep, while strength training just involves just building overall general strength to improve quality of life.

strength training for seniors

Getting started with strength training

 

Obviously, powerlifters start their lifting careers by building strength similarly to anyone new to strength training.

Strength training may be done through a variety of ways, such as with bodyweight exercises like pushups, with dumbbells and resistance bands.

However, the most efficient and fastest way to build strength is with a barbell.

This is due to the fact that the main barbell exercises (squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press) are based upon natural human movement patterns, and these exercises can be loaded with heavy weight more efficiently.

This is why legitimate strength training with barbells is often equated with powerlifting.  The tool and the exercises are the same.

While people engaged in strength training may test their one rep maximum now and then, the long-term goal is to simply get stronger in general.

Therefore, the programming is completely different compared to that of a powerlifter.

Most newer trainees, after they’ve gained significant strength in a novice program will simply be happy with maintaining that strength.

Some others will expand their training goals to include losing fat, getting in better condition, building more muscle, etc.

For Champions of Aging, strength training is the core fitness modality around which we build our overall health and fitness program.

Gaining strength allows us to build more muscle, improve our balance, improve metabolic function, lose body fat, and even improve our cardiovascular health to an extent.

As a result, training for strength gives us the best opportunity to stay out of the nursing home just in case we live to an advanced age.

Thus, potential Champions of Aging should not be dissuaded from using a barbell.

Now, get to work!