Why I Strength Train at 68 (And Why I’ll Never Stop)
If you follow me, you may already have noticed my obsession with strength training and how much I push it as a solution for a host of problems. That is all from my personal experience.
True confession: I started strength training at 40, but was random for decades. I didn’t get serious about it until my 60s — and I didn’t become rock-solid consistent until 68.
Photo by Andrea: Scene of the Crime
Two diagnoses pushed me from “I know this is good for me” to “this is non-negotiable.”
1. The Osteos Came for Me — and Strength Training Answered Back
I have the whole set:
Osteoarthritis (since around 2010)
Osteoporosis (diagnosed 2024)
My arthritis shows up mostly in my knees (and occasionally a rogue finger). Strength training lets me keep a full range of motion. I deep squat — glutes to the ground — and pop back up. A knee surgeon once looked at my MRI, looked at me squatting, and said, “Go away, you’re fine.” Bone on bone or not… I walked out smiling.
Osteoporosis was the real wake-up call. It’s what locked me into my three-day-a-week habit and made me the most committed I’ve ever been. I lift. I lift heavy. I wear a weighted vest. I jump. All because I am determined to achieve a better DEXA scan in 2026.
Strength training pays my bones and joints back with interest:
Builds bone density
Alleviates arthritis symptoms
Strengthens tendons
Improves posture
Lubricates joints
Reduces fracture risk
Enhances movement quality
Strengthens feet and ankles
2. At 68, I Weigh What I Weighed at 30 — Without Dieting
I’ve been up to 20 pounds heavier in the in-between years, but today, I eat well, enjoy food, and my weight doesn’t swing.
Why? Because muscle changes metabolism and hormones in ways most people never get told:
Boosts resting metabolism
Revives key hormones
Stabilizes blood sugar
Trains the body to burn fat
Lowers cortisol over time
Balances hunger hormones
Strength training isn’t “good for metabolism.”
It is your metabolism’s best friend.
3. I Want to Live My Life — All of It
Life asks us to do three things:
Stuff we have to do
Stuff we want to do
Stuff we’d rather not do
All of it requires functioning muscles and joints. Strength training keeps those online.
It lets me:
Open jars
Carry groceries without drama
Run with dogs and kids
Climb stairs without wincing
Walk on ice with confidence
Sit and stand from the floor like it’s nothing
Three strength sessions a week don’t just keep me strong — they make me feel capable, confident, and grounded.
4. I’m Protecting My Heart for the Long Run
Cardiovascular disease runs through my maternal family line. My mother is thriving at 90 after open-heart surgery and a TAVR valve replacement. I don’t have the condition she had, but my cholesterol tends to flirt with the upper limits.
Strength training isn’t just for muscles — it’s for the heart itself:
Lowers blood pressure
Improves cholesterol
Lengthens telomeres
Lowers cardiac death risk
Boosts VO₂ max
Protects against stroke
Strengthens breathing muscles
I like stacking the deck in my favor.
5. I Sleep Better Because I Lift
Perimenopause left me sleepless for what felt like ten years straight. I’d joke about it, but it was miserable.
Today? I sleep. Not perfectly, but so much better — and lifting helps:
Eases falling asleep
Deepens REM sleep
Resets circadian rhythms
Boosts melatonin
Calms restless legs
Triggers deep recovery states
The irony: the harder I work, the easier I rest.
6. I Plan to Keep My Brain for a Very Long Time
I write. I learn new things. I work. I challenge myself mentally and creatively. I don’t worry about my cognition, but I still love this part:
Strength training improves the brain in surprising ways:
Stimulates new brain cells
Improves memory
Sharpens reaction time
Reduces chronic inflammation
Boosts BDNF (the brain’s growth fertilizer)
I’ll take every advantage I can get.
7. The Sneaky Emotional & Social Benefits? Oh Yes.
Muscle changes your mind as much as your body:
Natural anxiety relief
Moves stuck emotions and trauma
Builds emotional resilience
Makes you “the strong friend”
Inspires family & friends
Anchors you to a meaningful future
Reminds you you’re not done yet
Connects you back to your birthright: strength
We don’t talk about this enough — but everyone feels it.
8. I Train Because My 100-Year-Old Self Deserves It
Will I live to 100? Maybe. Maybe longer. Maybe not.
But if I’m here, I want to be able to:
Put myself to bed
Get myself up
Walk
Travel
Do yoga
Care for myself
Stay independent as long as possible
At 68, I’m not chasing youth; I am plotting to:
Stay independent longer
Do what you love for decades
Put more life in your years
Strength beats youth every time
Doctors notice
You become your own hero
I’m building the strength that lets me live my life — now and decades from now.
If you’re 30+ and want to build real strength, age with confidence, and feel good in your body again, I help women do exactly that. You can start with a free Fitness Audit — a short assessment I use to create personalized next steps. Follow this link to book yours.