By now, you know we believe building and maintaining strength is a non-negotiable. Not only does being strong lead to a higher quality of life, but it can also save you from losing independence when the unexpected happens.
But don’t just take my word for it. Let me give you some real-life examples from within our gym.
Coach Diane had emergency open heart surgery a few years ago. She went into surgery very strong - in fact, she was able to deadlift 225 pounds. After recovering from surgery, she was, expectedly, much weaker. Returning to the gym she could only deadlift around 95 pounds. Imagine if she went into surgery as someone who could only deadlift 50 pounds or less?! She would have surely needed help in doing very simple tasks, possibly even standing. The base of strength that she developed and maintained over the years gave her a buffer. And she’s regained her strength, even at the age of 68.
Member Kim Conti had a hip replacement last year. Before surgery, she was squatting over 100 pounds, deadlifting 200 pounds, etc. Because of her strength, she was able to return to activity quickly and build herself back up instead of being bedridden or spending months in physical therapy. Again, the fact that she had a large base of strength saved her from being dependent. And if you know Kim, she is anything but dependent! Today, at age 63, she plays pickleball, hikes and strength trains.
Back in 2020 when I got COVID, I also got pneumonia and was in bed for three weeks. I lost almost 15 pounds (a lot of it muscle) and a considerable amount of strength. But I went into the illness with a big base of strength, so losing muscle was not detrimental to my well-being. I was able to return to activity slowly and build back. It took some time, but, according to Inbody scans, I am going into age 50 with the same amount of muscle I had in my early 40s.
Muscle matters! Strength protects you not only from things like falls and accidents but also the unplanned illnesses and surgeries that life can throw at you.
If you are weak and you get sick or have an accident, you have no “buffer.” If daily tasks are hard now, you may need assistance if the unfortunate happens. According to the CDC, falls among adults 65 and older caused over 38,000 deaths in 2021, making it the leading cause of injury death for that group. This stat is largely due to a lack of strength.
If you aren’t strength training, start now. The bigger base of strength you have, the better. Muscle is called the organ of longevity for a reason!
