No, I'm not the gym type, and I found exercise classes only so-so. I could keep up well with endurance exercises. But as soon as weights came out, I always underperformed. The weights were too heavy, or I performed the exercise incorrectly. It almost always had to be modified. To give you an idea: even push-ups on my knees were too much after just a few repetitions. And yet, I wanted to make strength training a permanent routine because you read so much about how important it is for ageing healthily. I think I've cracked the code for myself. For quite some time now, I've been faithfully doing strength training twice a week, and I'm making progress. Push-ups are even easy for me now. And honestly: I can now do them on my toes!
Why I started weight training after all
Increasingly, research shows that strength training is important for healthy ageing. And they don't just mean that you can still easily lift a heavy shopping bag later in life, although that would naturally be reason enough to start today. Muscles play a much bigger role in your health than I used to think.
From the age of thirty, you gradually lose muscle mass. For women, this often accelerates around the menopause due to hormonal changes. This can make you feel weaker, more prone to injuries, and also increases the risk of osteoporosis. And that has significant consequences. Think of falling more easily, becoming less mobile, or struggling with everyday tasks that are currently effortless, such as housework or carrying heavy shopping bags. Strength training helps to keep your muscles and bones strong. Furthermore, there is increasing evidence that strong muscles are also linked to a better metabolism, more stable blood sugar levels, more energy, and even a reduced risk of cognitive decline later in life. So yes, those annoying squats are even more useful than you already thought.
Incorporating strength training into your routine
But try and stick with it. That ‘sticking with it’ was what I found difficult. Reaching the point where strength training truly becomes a routine. I've tried everything: the gym, personal training, classes. I actually enjoyed the group classes the most and kept them up the longest. But often it's a combination of cardio and strength, and the trainer consciously chooses different exercises each time to keep it appealing for everyone. Because of that, I felt like I was progressing in terms of fitness, but hardly in terms of strength. Push-ups, for example, only came up every few weeks, just like many other strength exercises.
While you actually get stronger by repeating exercises more often and slowly building up weight. And that's exactly what I wanted. Not something new every week, but just getting stronger in a few basic exercises. So I really started working with those weights myself.
Strength training: how I keep it up
Looking back, there have been a few things that have really made a difference for me. I'm happy to share them because I know from followers that many more people struggle with this. You want to start, but you can't stick with it. Hopefully, this will help someone else just get over that hurdle.
1. Training at home
For me, the biggest advantage really lies in training at home. We've made a small home gym in the loft, and because of that, the barrier is almost non-existent. Do I have a free hour? Then I just head upstairs and get started. No travel time, no crowded gym, and sometimes I just train in my normal clothes. That matters a lot less for strength training than it does for running.
2. Good weights
We've invested in a squat rack, a barbell and adjustable dumbbells at home. Especially I find these dumbbells ideal. You can adjust them super quickly between 2.5 and 24 kg, making it easy to switch between exercises. Six months ago, everything was a few kilos lower, and now I can just tell I've gotten stronger. That's more motivating than I expected.
3. Make it enjoyable for yourself
During training, I often watch a programme back or listen to a podcast. It really helps, especially during the exercises and rest periods. Otherwise, I'm just aware of the fact that I don't actually feel like doing it. Now I can even look forward to being allowed to watch a favourite series again soon.
4. Same exercises
Also, I keep it very simple. I pretty much always do the same exercises. It's precisely by repeating the same movements that I notice progress and don't have to think about it too much. I do all the exercises three times, with usually ten to twelve repetitions. As soon as twelve repetitions become easy, I increase the weight slightly. So, no more repetitions, but heavier training. This is my current routine:
- Rows (left and right): 16 kg
- Lunges (left and right): 2 x 13.5 kg
- Bicep curl: 2 x 6.5 kg
- Shoulder press: 10 kg barbell
- Squat: 50 kg barbell
- Deadlift: 50 kg barbell
- Russian twists: 10 kg
- Push-ups: 20 repetitions at bodyweight
- Sometimes: 1 minute dead hang
Strength training as an investment for the future
Besides running and swimming, strength training has now become a regular part of my week. It's so ingrained in my routine that I don't really think about it anymore. Do I enjoy it? No, not really, still. But I do it. My main motivation is still to grow old healthily. I see it a bit like saving for later. That, along with something from NPO Start, is apparently enough motivation for me!
Sources: University of the Netherlands, vub.be, Alzheimer Netherlands.
