Overview
- New guidance highlighted by LA GACETA and El Imparcial stresses that resistance work is the most effective way to maintain or increase muscle mass and strength in people in their 60s, 70s and 80s.
- WHO and CDC recommendations call for at least two days of muscle‑strengthening activities each week, alongside weekly aerobic activity targets.
- Practical home routines promoted by trainer Mar Planas feature bodyweight or bands—such as wall push‑ups, band rows, planks and squats—with starters doing 1–2 sets of 10–12 reps or progressing to three sets of 10–15.
- Experts address common fears about weights by emphasizing safe options like light dumbbells, resistance bands and bodyweight movements, plus warm‑ups and gradual progression.
- Research cited links low muscular strength—including grip strength—to higher all‑cause and cardiovascular mortality, while emerging evidence notes broader benefits such as metabolic control, bone health, balance and brain support.