Strength training may be the key to longevity. How to do it safely as you age
I started strength training about nine years ago for admittedly vain reasons. Fresh off a breakup at the time, weight training offered a welcome distraction and the prospect of a revenge body.
I trained two or three times a week — nothing crazy, just good old fashioned bicep curls, weighted squats, plank holds. But the results were astounding: I lost more than 20 pounds, sculpted my body and had never felt stronger. It was empowering.
Almost a decade later, my weight training is now about being grounded and strong; but the same moderate routine is causing challenges. My elbow barks every time I bicep curl; my SI joint is creaky from sitting all day, which makes my glutes and lower back tight.
Then I sprained my neck and shoulder recently at the gym, which concurrently pinched a nerve. It led to excruciating pain, sleepless nights and an infuriating quest through the medical care system to discover what happened.
“You need to keep those muscles strong because we lose muscle as we age,” one nurse warned while checking my blood pressure. “That’s how injuries happen.”
