Muscle Loss Starts at 30!

Research shows that muscle mass and strength gradually decline with age, a process known as sarcopenia. This usually begins slowly from around the age of 30–40 and then accelerates more rapidly from around 60 onwards. The good news is that muscle loss is far more controllable than most people realise.

With international Women’s day yesterday it is important to point out that women are affected even more than men around muscle loss. Partly because they begin with less muscle mass to begin with and partly because hormonal changes speed the process up further. However the real driver is not simply age itself. It is what tends to happen to activity levels as people get older.

The body only keeps muscle if it has a reason to keep it. If you regularly challenge the muscles, the body maintains them. If you stop using them, it slowly removes them because muscle tissue is expensive for the body to carry around.

This is where a lot of people misunderstand things and focus too heavily on nutrition. Protein helps, but it is not the main driver. You cannot eat your way to maintaining muscle if the body has no reason to keep it. The real signal is resistance. Once the body senses that stimulus, nutrition simply helps support the process.

In the real world, if you want meaningful results you need some form of resistance training. This does not have to mean heavy gym workouts. Resistance training simply means asking the muscles to push or pull against something which can be done in various ways. You could use weights,  resistance bands, bodyweight exercises, lift things in the garden or do a exercise class that uses one of these elements.

The good news is you do not need huge amounts for great results. The first goal is to stop significant loss, this can be done super easily, I have of course provided you with my daily routine workouts which more than meets this on 5 minutes a day. If you want to build a nice amount of muscle then just one or two sessions a week is enough to progress over time.

This assumes you are using a weight that is heavy enough to stimulate growth, note, holding a 2kg dumbbell, when you can lift 10kg, is not actually weight training. A well balanced form of strength work would include some weight bearing movement for bone density, and ideally occasional faster or more powerful movements such as small jumps. These types of movements help maintain the power that tends to disappear fastest with age, alongside muscle and bone.

Muscle is like all elements of fitness, the more you have, the more you need to do to get more of it. This is why bodybuilders lift 6 times a week, very good runners average an hour a day+ running. Do not get confused into thinking you need to be at these levels to prevent muscle loss and be strong going forwards.

Not all exercise stimulate muscle in the same way,

Aerobic exercise – Walking, running, cycling etc is fantastic for health and general fitness, but it is not a strong stimulus for muscle growth. It will help a lot if you are already at the very lowest end of the muscle spectrum, but if you are above that then it may maintain some muscle, but it is not the main method for preserving strength.

Yoga and Pilates – These sit somewhere in the middle, they are excellent for mobility, posture and body awareness of course. They also can provide resistance to the muscles, definitely for beginners, and possibly for more advanced people depending on the class. There is a big difference between classes, teachers and approaches that fall under the banner of Yoga/Pilates. Ranging from no resistance stimulus to a really good workout for muscle gain.

Exercise classes – Many modern classes such as circuits, body pump, functional training or bootcamp style workouts often include resistance elements. This can be a very effective way of maintaining muscle if the exercises are challenging enough. The main limitation is that classes are designed for groups, so the weights and exercises may not always match your exact strength level.

Bodyweight and home strength training – This is where things start becoming very effective. Exercises such as squats, lunges, push ups, step ups and resistance band movements can provide a strong stimulus if performed properly. Many people underestimate how challenging these movements can become when done slowly or for higher repetitions. My member area for clients has 20+ follow along workout videos to do at home with no equipment but a cheap exercise band.

Gym weights or structured strength training – This is the most reliable way to maintain and build muscle over time. Free weights, machines and heavier resistance allow you to progressively challenge the muscles as they get stronger. This is why traditional strength training is often considered the gold standard for maintaining muscle mass as we age. I have been helping people gain muscle in the gym since 2002!

What Does This Means For You

Muscle loss with age is not inevitable in the way many people think. The body responds to what you ask it to do. If you give it a reason to stay strong, it will!

You do not need complicated workouts or hours in the gym. For most people one or two short strength sessions each week, combined with regular walking and daily movement, is enough to keep the body strong and capable for many years.

The key is simply giving the muscles a reason to stay along for the ride. If you do that consistently, you can slow much of the muscle loss that normally happens with age. If you have never lifted before then you will increase muscle mass, this has been shown in studies to happen at any age, including well into your 80’s. My oldest client was 88 years old.

Photo – Some different ways to do strength training to gain muscle, pushing a sled, lifting a barrel in the garden and my friends pole dancing showcase –

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