BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark has found compelling evidence that regular weightlifting in one's mid-60s can have long-lasting benefits for leg muscle strength.
The study, published in the journal BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, revealed that individuals who engaged in a yearlong weightlifting program continued to exhibit significantly stronger leg muscles even three years after the conclusion of the training.
The study involved 451 retirement-age individuals who were divided into three groups. One group underwent a year of heavy resistance training, another group engaged in moderate-intensity training, and the third group did not have any additional exercise apart from their usual routines.
The weightlifting group attended a commercial gym three times a week for a year, focusing on lifting heavy weights ranging from 70 to 85 percent of their maximum capacity. The training program included a variety of upper and lower body exercises, such as leg presses, knee extensions, leg curls, and more.
Though the training lasted only a year, the researchers followed up three years later and found that only the participants in the heavy weightlifting group were able to maintain their initial leg strength. This suggests that engaging in weightlifting sessions during the mid-60s can help sustain leg muscle strength for an extended period.
Mads Bloch-Ibenfeldt, a medical researcher at the University of Copenhagen who co-wrote the study, highlighted the importance of leg strength in everyday activities and pointed out that maintaining strong leg muscles can help reduce the risk of falls and help with various daily tasks.
The researchers acknowledged that the participants in the study may have been healthier and more active than the general aging population, as evidenced by their high daily step count. They also noted that the study group may not fully represent the broader population. Despite these considerations, the research team concluded that resistance training with heavy weights in the retirement age group can offer long-term benefits that extend over several years.
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