Can you build muscle after 50?
Many people can get stronger. The National Institute on Aging says it is possible for many older adults to increase muscle strength with exercise, and a Cochrane review of 121 trials found a large effect of progressive strength training on strength in older adults. The word that matters is progressive: a step harder as you get stronger.
What the sources say
Muscle mass and strength typically peak at around 30 to 35 years of age, then decline slowly at first, and faster after 65 for women and 70 for men.
National Institute on Aging (NIH), How can strength training build healthier bodies as we age?
There is no way to fully stop the clock, but it is possible for many older adults to increase muscle strength with exercise.
National Institute on Aging (NIH), How can strength training build healthier bodies as we age?
121 trials with 6,700 participants: progressive strength training had a large effect on muscle strength (73 trials, 3,059 participants) and a small but significant effect on physical ability (33 trials, 2,172 participants).
Liu and Latham, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2009, Progressive resistance strength training for improving physical function in older adults
Those figures are for strength and physical ability, not muscle size. The review's authors also say adverse events were not adequately reported.
Liu and Latham, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2009, Progressive resistance strength training for improving physical function in older adults
Adults need muscle-strengthening activity on 2 or more days a week that works all major muscle groups.
The numbers, worked out
| Week | Push | Legs | Pull | A session |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1: Form first | Knee push-up | Box squat | Towel row | 14 to 17 min |
| Week 2: Longer work, shorter rest | Push-up | Squat | Doorframe row | 14 to 16 min |
| Week 3: A step harder | Wide push-up | Tempo squat | Doorframe row | 14 to 15 min |
| Week 4: Put it together | Slow push-up | Step up | Towel row | 14 to 16 min |
One move of each kind from each week of the plan, and the length of that week's sessions. The plan's own data.
What to do with it
- Train each muscle group at least twice a week, as the CDC asks.
- Make it a little harder when it gets easy: a harder version, a slower pace, or another round.
- Your own body weight can be the load. The National Institute on Aging counts push-ups and squats as resistance training.
A step harder each week with a 28-day calisthenics plan
Short daily sessions at home, a step harder as you get stronger.
More to read and try
Stop if anything hurts, or if you feel dizzy, short of breath or chest pressure.
General information, not medical advice.