# Strength and muscle as you age > Strength training is the best-supported way to keep muscle and strength as you get older, and it helps well into your 70s and beyond. Aim for at least 2 days a week, work all the major muscle groups, and start with an amount that feels manageable. - Type: Guide - Topic: Evidence & Guidelines › Healthy Ageing - Reviewed by: Andrew Schox, BSc(Hons) PGradDipPod MPod, Podiatrist (2026-10-21) - URL: https://twikka.com/learn/strength-and-muscle-as-you-age - Updated: 2026-10-21 - **Strength training is the best-supported way to keep muscle** as you get older [1]. - **Aim for at least 2 days a week,** working all the major muscle groups [2]. - **Smaller amounts still help:** a low amount of training can improve physical function and muscle in healthy older adults [3]. - **Age isn't a barrier:** people aged 75 and older can still build strength and muscle size [4]. - **Muscle helps your body handle blood sugar,** and strength training can improve how your muscles do this [5]. ## How do you keep muscle mass as you get older? Strength training, also called resistance training, is the best-supported way to keep muscle and strength as you age. Older adults who keep it up over the long term preserve their strength, power, muscle mass and function [1]. **How often:** Adults, including those aged 65 and over, should aim for muscle-strengthening activities at moderate or greater intensity, working all major muscle groups, on at least 2 days a week [2][6]. That means your legs, hips, back, chest, shoulders, arms and core. If you're 65 or older, also aim for varied activity that emphasises balance and strength, at moderate or greater intensity, on at least 3 days a week, to improve how well you can do everyday things and prevent falls [6]. These are minimums to aim for, and doing more is fine. Any strength activity is better than none, so doing less isn't wasted. Older adults should be as physically active as their abilities allow. **What to expect:** Every training plan tested in healthy adults did better than no exercise for both muscle strength and muscle size [7]. In adults 65 and older, training increases muscle size, though size responds less consistently than strength [8]. So don't judge your progress by size alone. **How much is enough:** The best amount for older adults isn't clear yet. Steady, regular sessions matter more than finding the perfect plan. If you want a number, the US and UK guidelines suggest 8–12 repetitions for each muscle group [9]. > **Try this:** Choose two days this week and do a short strength session that feels manageable, working your legs, hips, back, chest, shoulders, arms and core. Next week, add a little. ## Why does muscle mass matter for metabolism? Muscle is a main site where your body takes up sugar (glucose) from the blood. Muscle loss with age is thought to reduce the muscle available for this job [5]. Muscle loss can begin as early as age 25 and speeds up after that. By age 80, about 40% of the thigh muscle has been lost [5]. Ageing also brings a loss in the metabolic quality of muscle, which is linked to a higher risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes [10]. Strength training can help. In older adults, 3–6 months of moderate-intensity resistance training could raise whole-body insulin sensitivity by about 10–30% [5]. This isn't down to bigger muscles alone: the gains are also linked to muscle responding better to insulin, so small changes in size don't mean the training isn't working [5]. For older adults with type 2 diabetes, resistance training has helped blood sugar control, blood fats, lean mass and muscle strength. Its effects on body weight, fat mass and heart health remain unclear [11]. If you have diabetes or take medicines, strength training is an addition to your care and doesn't replace it. Talk to your doctor or a diabetes organisation before changing anything about your treatment. Large studies that followed people over time link muscle-strengthening activities with 15% lower risk of death from any cause and 17% lower incidence of diabetes compared with doing none [12]. These show an association, not cause and effect. How much extra muscle raises the energy you burn at rest isn't clear yet. ## When to check with a health professional If you're starting exercise after a long break, it's always a good idea to see your doctor first. For an injury or a health condition, see a health professional, such as your doctor or a physio. If you live with a long-term condition such as diabetes, or a heart, lung or bone condition, ask your doctor or physio what is right for you. Call your local emergency number for chest pain or pressure (or pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back, especially with sweating or feeling sick), severe breathlessness, fainting or collapse, signs of a stroke, a serious injury, or someone who isn't safe. For anything else, such as a sore muscle or joint, ease off. See a doctor or other health professional if it persists or gets worse. ## Quick answers ### What is sarcopenia? Sarcopenia is the term for the loss of muscle mass that comes with ageing. It can make everyday tasks harder, which is why keeping muscle matters. Regular strength training, working all the major muscle groups, is the best-supported way to protect your muscle and strength as the years go on. ### How do I get back to strength exercise after a break? Coming back after a break is normal. Start with a small amount that feels manageable and build up gradually. Smaller amounts still help, so a short session counts. Over time, work towards all the major muscle groups on at least 2 days a week, and don't worry about a perfect programme. ## Sources 1. Fragala MS et al. (2019). Resistance Training for Older Adults: Position Statement From the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000003230 2. Bull FC et al. (2020). World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955 3. Radaelli R et al. (2025). Effects of Resistance Training Volume on Physical Function, Lean Body Mass and Lower-Body Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis of 151 Randomised Trials. Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-024-02123-z 4. Grgic J et al. (2020). Effects of Resistance Training on Muscle Size and Strength in Very Elderly Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-020-01331-7 5. Consitt LA, Dudley C, Saxena G (2019). Impact of Endurance and Resistance Training on Skeletal Muscle Glucose Metabolism in Older Adults. Nutrients. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6893763/ 6. World Health Organization. Physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines (recommendations for older adults). https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/74c16b21-62a3-42f4-bab2-9a1819fa6333/content 7. Currier BS et al. (2023). Resistance training prescription for muscle strength and hypertrophy in healthy adults: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10579494/ 8. de Santana DA et al. (2024). Lower extremity muscle hypertrophy in response to resistance training in older adults: Systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression of randomized controlled trials. Experimental Gerontology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2024.112639 9. Nikitas C et al. (2022). Recommendations for physical activity in the elderly population: A scoping review of guidelines. Journal of Frailty, Sarcopenia and Falls. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8886780 10. Dela F, Kjaer M (2006). Resistance training, insulin sensitivity and muscle function in the elderly. Essays in Biochemistry. https://doi.org/10.1042/bse0420075 11. Feng M et al. (2025). The efficacy of resistance exercise training on metabolic health, body composition, and muscle strength in older adults with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and Meta-Analysis. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2025.112079 12. Momma H et al. (2022). Muscle-strengthening activities are associated with lower risk and mortality in major non-communicable diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2021-105061 --- Source: Twikka (https://twikka.com/learn/strength-and-muscle-as-you-age). General information about physical activity, not medical advice.