7 Ways Resistance Training Can Reverse Aging

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Chronological aging is inevitable. You can’t stop time. However, with resistance training, movement and daily habits, you can slow biological aging. If it’s done right, resistance training keeps you closer to your physical prime for decades and impacts many signs of aging beyond muscle and strength.

Strength Changes Everything podcast co-hosts Amy Hudson, an Exercise Coach studio owner, and Dr. James Fisher, leading researcher in evidence-based strength training, host a series of episodes focusing on how resistance training impacts the body far beyond muscle and strength.

1. Appearance: Resistance training supports healthier, more resilient skin. Dr. Fisher shares research that showed both aerobic and resistance training improve skin elasticity, overall structure, and blood markers linked to skin health and reduced inflammation. The study also revealed that resistance training improved dermal thickness, a key marker of stronger, healthier skin. (Season 2/Episode 69) 
2. Cognitive Function: Stronger muscles and more muscle mass are linked to sharper thinking, faster processing and better memory. Dr. Fisher explains that your muscles send signals throughout your body including to your brain. With resistance training, everything starts to connect better and brain cells communicate more efficiently and brain fog lifts. (Season 2/Episode 70)
3. Sarcopenia: Sarcopenia is age-related muscle loss that begins about age 40 and accelerates in your 50s and 60s. Muscle drives your metabolism, helps regulate blood sugar, and protects against chronic disease. When it declines, it affects everything from your energy to your long-term health. According to Dr. Fisher, these changes happen at a deeper level impacting your body at both the cellular and genetic level. With resistance training, what you feel on the outside starts from what’s happening on the inside. (Season 2/Episode 71) 
4. Joint Pain: As we age, joint pain becomes more prevalent and can quietly shape your mood, your confidence, and your willingness to be active. Dr. Fisher explains that inside our joints the cartilage that cushions your joints slowly wears down over time. The cartilage does not have its own blood supply, which means it cannot repair itself the way other tissues can. Research shows that resistance training can strengthen your body in ways that reduce stress on the joints, without repetitive action like running and walking. Additionally, Dr. Fisher explains that when you avoid movement, your joints stop producing synovial fluid, which leads to more stiffness and discomfort. Resistance training helps to release synovial fluid without repetitive actions that can make joint pain worse. (Season 2/Episode 72)
5. Sleep: Around 70 percent of older adults report sleep problems. As we age, the hypothalamus becomes less sensitive to light which disrupts your sleep and wake cycle. Melatonin, the hormone that helps you fall and stay asleep, naturally decreases as you get older and sleep starts to decline. Dr. Fisher discusses a large study that linked any level of resistance training to fewer reports of poor sleep. Resistance training helps to regulate your sleep cycle by supporting your circadian rhythm, reducing stress signals in your body, and managing inflammation. (Season 2/Episode 73) 
6. Disease: Dr. Fisher shares research that shows resistance training can help reduce the risk of some of the biggest health concerns: heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. Oftentimes, individuals end up managing symptoms with multiple medications and exercise advice is often too vague. Resistance training can help to improve metabolism, reduce inflammation and help arteries and veins stay flexible and healthy. (Season 2/Episode 74)
7. Lifespan: Building strength and habits helps you later, not just today. Think of it as doing your future self a favor. The long-term benefits of resistance training can make a difference between living out your final years as healthy and active or limited and difficult. (Season 2/Episode 75)

With resistance training, you can improve your overall health, lower your risk of disease and increase your chances of living a longer, more active life. It’s never too late to start. Even if chronic disease is already present, resistance training can still improve function and quality of life. 

Contact The Exercise Coach to learn more about resistance training with the guidance of a certified coach. Working with a coach can make consistency easier, provide structure and eliminate the guesswork of resistance training on your own. Having a coach guide your resistance training will help you do the right movements, at the right intensity. Get started today with 2 Free Sessions!

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