If you’ve ever been told that if you want to lose weight and cardio’s your best bet, well then it’s time to throw that antiquated notion out the door (along with leg warmers, spandex and 80s style headbands – unless it’s for a themed fancy dress party, no one should own that shit).
For men and women over 50, unequivocally, weight training is not only a game-changer for shedding those stubborn pounds. (Or kilos, depending on which you use – it’s still weight at the end of the day). Basically, it’s the foundation for staying strong, healthy, and active well into later life. In this post, we’ll dig into the why, the how, and the science behind why lifting weights is the best thing you can do for your body.
Why lifting weights beats cardio hands down for losing weight
We’ve all seen it before and it’s not pretty: people slogging away on treadmills or elliptical machines, sweating buckets seemingly forever, only to see minimal changes in their bodies. While cardio has its place in a balanced fitness routine, weight training on the other hand, offers unique, unparalleled benefits for weight loss…particularly as you age. Here’s why:
1. It turbo-charges your metabolism
When you weight train, it builds muscle, and muscle is a calorie-burning machine. Unlike fat, which sits idly by and does the sum total of sod all, muscle on the other hand requires energy to maintain itself…and the best bit, even when you’re not working out. This phenomenon is more commonly known as your resting metabolic rate (or RMR for short).
Fact: for every pound of muscle you gain, your body burns an extra 6–10 calories per day at rest. On the surface, that may not sound like much, but it adds up over time, especially as you build more lean mass. Think of it another way: your muscle is your body’s internal furnace—working 24/7 to burn calories, and requires fuel, even when Netflix and Chill on the sofa is all you’re doing.
2. It burns fat, but without affecting muscle mass
Traditional cardio will often burn both fat and muscle, which isn’t ideal, especially as you age as it’s harder to put on an maintain. After 50, your muscle mass naturally declines (hello, sarcopenia, I’m not pleased to meet you), and more depressingly, losing muscle during your workouts only accelerates that process. Just terrific.
BUT: a weight training bonus: Lifting weights allows you to lose fat while preserving - or even gaining - muscle. This result? A leaner, stronger, and more toned physique. Hello, mirror reflection….looking good!
3. It’s got a cool name – the Afterburn Effect
When you lift weights, you don’t just burn calories during the workout, oh no - you continue burning calories for hours afterwards. This is due to something called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), or otherwise known as the far more cooler-sounding “afterburn effect.”
Fact: Studies have shown that strength training can elevate your calorie burn for up to 24–48 hours post-workout*. Translation: after all that effort, you get to burn calories while you sleep…I call that a pretty sweet deal, right?
4. It stimulates hormonal support that encourages weight loss
Weight training stimulates the production of growth hormones and testosterone, both of which play a key role in muscle building and fat loss. After the age of 50, these hormones unfortunately naturally decline, thus making weight training even more crucial to counteract those changes.
What lifting weights actually does for you – and why it’s magic
Weight training isn’t just about sculpting yourself a pair of biceps that could open a jar of Branston pickle without breaking a sweat (though that would be a pretty cool party trick, to be fair). No, it benefits your entire body in ways that are especially important as you age. Let’s break them down:
1. It strengthens your bones and your joints, too
Big weight-bearing exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and presses stimulate not just your muscles, but bone growth and density. This, in turn, reduces the risk of stuff like osteoporosis and fractures—common concerns as you age.
Pro tip: use resistance bands or drop to lighter weights if joint pain is an issue for you.
2. It boosts your Functional Fitness
‘Functional Fitness’ is just a phrase for everyday movements packaged up as something fancy. What it relates to is things like picking up your bag of shopping or climbing stairs…those everyday moves that you once took for granted, but as you get older require more forethought. But, with training, they can become easier and safer when you strengthen the muscles involved. Functional exercises like kettlebell swings, step-ups, and farmer’s carries (walking with heavy weights) mimic these real-life movements and help to build that strength and resilience.
3. It improves your balance and stability
As you age, you get dodderier: fact. So, maintaining your balance becomes critical to prevent falls. Exercises like lunges and single-leg deadlifts improves stability and coordination, strengthening the core and lower body. Strong, like bull.
4. It enhances your mental health (yes, you read that right)
Slinging weights around as part of your training has been proven to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression whilst at the same time boosting your confidence and mood**. I mean, come on, who doesn’t feel like a superhero after deadlifting their body weight or smashing a personal best? King / Queen of the gym…
The types of weight training and the effect they have
To get the most out of your workouts, it’s good to mix up your weight training routine and not do the same thing – as Arnie says ‘you have to constantly keep your body guessing’. Here are some key types and their benefits:
1. Hypertrophy training (AKA building muscle)
- What it is: what people typically associate with bodybuilding and often what many will focus on in the gym to create that ‘gym body’. It focuses on muscle growth, typically with moderate weights and higher reps (usually around 8–12 per set)
- Why it’s great: who doesn’t like a honed body? It builds lean mass, which, in turn, boosts metabolism
- Example exercises: Dumbbell chest press, leg press, rows, curls, press downs…just about most movements you’ll do in a gym
2. Strength training
- What it is: Strength training (or sometimes referred to as strength and conditioning) concentrates on lifting heavier weights with lower reps (3–6 per set) usually to failure (when you can literally not do another repetition)
- Why it’s great: it’s the best approach to build raw strength and bone density
- Example exercises: Deadlifts, squats, overhead presses, bench press, bent over rows
3. Circuit training
- What it is: it combines a series of strength exercises with minimal rest in between
- Why it’s great: it increases your calorie burn and cardiovascular fitness while building muscle at the same time. CrossFit and Hyrox are more focused, intense versions of circuit training (and not for the faint hearted either, but bloody good for you!)
- Example circuit: Push-ups, kettlebell swings, planks, lunges and squats performed back-to-back
4. Functional Training
- What it is: As we’ve already covered, these are exercises that replicate everyday movements to improve balance and coordination; particularly for those who are facing mobility issues
- Why it’s great: as well as reducing the risk of falls and injuries, it makes daily activities easier. If you want an example of this, look at this real tear-jerker of an ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REcZopXwOXo
- Example exercises: Step-ups, farmer’s carries, medicine ball slams, kettlebell swings
So, how you can get started at weight training after 50
1. Start Light
OK, easy tiger – if you’re new to weight training, don’t go in loading up bars or picking up dumbbells heavier than you on some ego trip. Instead, begin with lighter weights or resistance bands and learn proper form. Or, better still, get someone (a trainer, ideally) to show you what to do. As your confidence and strength grow, then you can increase the weight. But leave the big stuff to the young bucks with their elastic bodies and immortality.
2. Focus on the essentials: compound moves
Without question, the best workout moves for people over 50 are the Big Five, also known as compound exercises that don’t just focus on one muscle group (e.g. biceps) but instead engage multiple muscle groups, which makes them efficient and highly effective. What are the Big Five?
- Bench / chest press
- Squat
- Bent over row
- Shoulder press (also called Military Press)
- Deadlift
All of these are normally done with a barbell but can also be done with dumbbells or an exercise band. Bodyweight alternatives are also workable in most cases.
3. Prioritise your recovery
Although important at any age, recovery becomes all the more important with age: you MUST give your body and muscles time to recover. Allow at least 48 hours between weight sessions for the same muscle group…and make sure you’re eating plenty of protein to aid muscle repair.
4. Seek guidance
As I’ve already alluded to, consider working with a personal trainer – ideally someone who understands the needs of older adults to ensure proper technique and avoid injury. Self-promotion here: that’s me; I’m a 50-something PT who very much understands the importance of technique and scaling your training to ensure growth and development as opposed to injury and regression.
And finally…
Weight training isn’t just about lifting some bits of iron up and down and working up a sweat; it’s about lifting you—your energy, your confidence, and your ability to live and enjoy your life to its fullest. By building muscle, boosting metabolism, and strengthening your body from the inside out, it’s really the ultimate tool for staying fit and active as long as possible.
So, if you’ve not learnt by now, it’s time to ditch the endless cardio and start lifting and pushing stuff. Whether you’re bench-pressing barbells or curling baked bean cans, it’s never too late to start your journey to a stronger, healthier you. And who knows? You might just fall in love with being the strongest version of yourself. Certainly, your future self will thank you for it…
