Why Everyone Over 50 Should Be Strength Training
- Chris Deavin
- 12 minutes ago
- 3 min read
The simple, sustainable habit that keeps you strong, lean and independent.
If you’re over 50 and starting to feel your body slowing down, more stiffness, slower metabolism, weight gain that doesn’t budge, you’re not imagining it. But you’re also not powerless.
After 25+ years of coaching people in their 50s, 60s and 70s, I can say one thing with absolute confidence:
Strength training is the closest thing to an anti-ageing strategy you’ll ever find.
And it works far better than dieting, detoxing, or doing more cardio.
Let me explain why, and how you can start, even if you’ve struggled to stay consistent in the past.
Your muscle is declining… but you can rebuild it
Most people start losing muscle after 50. That loss affects everything: your metabolism, your balance, your joints, your energy levels, even your ability to lose weight.
But here’s the part most people don’t realise:
Muscle loss isn’t inevitable. It’s a choice. If you strength train, even just two or three times per week, you can rebuild the muscle you’ve lost, feel stronger than you have in years, and make everyday life feel easier again.
I’ve coached clients in their 60s and 70s who are fitter now than they were in their 40s. Not because they train like athletes, but because they train consistently and intelligently.
Strength training gives you your life back
When people think “strength training,” they imagine heavy barbells or painful gym sessions. That’s not what I teach.
Strength training, done properly, helps you:
get up from the floor with ease
carry shopping without feeling wrecked
protect your joints
move better and feel steadier
lose weight more easily
feel more capable and confident every week
This is about training for the next 20–30 years of your life, not just the next eight weeks.
The truth: most people over 50 don’t struggle with exercise—they struggle with consistency
This is the piece almost everyone misses.
You don’t need perfect workouts. You don’t need an hour at the gym. You don’t need to train every day.
What you do need is a plan that fits your life and a structure that keeps you accountable long enough to see results.
That’s exactly why I created my 28-Day Resilience & Habit Challenge.
How the 28-Day Resilience & Habit Challenge Helps You Build a Strength-Training Routine That Actually Sticks
Most people fail not because the workouts are too hard—but because life gets in the way.
The challenge solves that.
Here’s how:
1. You only focus on small, doable actions
Instead of trying to overhaul your whole routine, you start with tiny steps, short strength sessions that build your confidence, not drain it. This is my W.I.S.D.O.M approach in action: small wins, repeated consistently.
2. You get daily coaching to keep you motivated
Every day, you get a short, practical coaching lesson designed to help you stay consistent, especially on the days you don’t feel like it. This is what helps people finally break the stop-start cycle.
3. You choose the habits that match your goals
Want to build strength? Lose weight? Move more? Improve mobility?You pick the challenges that support your goals, and I help you execute them step by step.
4. It removes the overwhelm
You don’t need to figure out what to do. You don’t need to design your own plan. You simply follow the daily guidance and rack up the wins.
5. By day 28, strength training feels normal—not forced
And once it feels normal, it becomes sustainable.That’s where the real transformation happens.
Start small. Start now. Start for you.
You don’t need a gym membership. You don’t need perfect motivation.You don’t need to “get fit first.”
You just need to begin.
A stronger, fitter, more resilient version of you is absolutely possible—and strength training is the doorway.
If you want support, clarity, and a simple plan to help you build these habits into your life, my 28-Day Resilience & Habit Challenge is the perfect place to start.
You’ll get daily coaching, practical habits, and a structure that finally helps you stay on track long enough to feel and see real results.
When you’re ready, I’m here to help you take that first small step.
Chris Deavin is the founder of myHealthCoach and creator of The W.I.S.D.O.M Program, a resilience-based coaching framework helping people over 50 build strength, confidence, and consistency for life.
He writes The Resilient Life newsletter and hosts The Resilient Life Podcast.
Follow his work on Substack and join the Resilient Life community to build a body, and mindset, that lasts.
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