Study Finds 40 Athletes Kept Muscle Strength From 40 to 81 With 4-5 Weekly Sessions
Updated
Updated · mindbodygreen · Aug 13
Study Finds 40 Athletes Kept Muscle Strength From 40 to 81 With 4-5 Weekly Sessions
1 articles · Updated · mindbodygreen · Aug 13
Summary
Forty recreational athletes aged 40 to 81 showed no decline in thigh muscle size, lean mass or force output while training four to five times a week, according to a new study.
MRI scans, body-composition tests and thigh-strength measurements suggested disuse may explain much of age-related muscle loss, as older athletes matched younger ones in both strength and muscle efficiency.
Body fat percentage still rose with age, but muscle area remained the clearest predictor of force; fat stored inside muscle and overall lean mass did not track with strength in this group.
The researchers said the cross-sectional sample cannot prove training caused the result, but the shared habit across all ages was sustained strength work rather than easing off over time.