Cardiologist explains why ‘strength training is your retirement plan’: Whether you're 20 or 60, lifting weights builds…

Cardiologist Dr Alok Chopra emphasises strength training as vital for all ages, improving strength, joint protection, injury prevention, and more.

Strength training is the key to longevity. Research has shown that including resistance workouts in your weeklong regimen is linked with a reduction in biological ageing. Per an October 2022 study published in JAMA Network Open, when strength training twice weekly or more was added to 2.5 hours of aerobic exercise, the risk of dying during the study period dropped by 30 percent.

Strength training boosts bone density, metabolism, and insulin sensitivity. (Shutterstock)

In a video shared on Instagram on March 17, Dr Alok Chopra, cardiologist and functional medicine expert, stressed the importance of strength training and called it a ‘retirement saving plan’. “No matter your age, building muscle is your strongest defence against ageing. Start now, stay strong, live well,” he wrote. The cardiologist also listed three reasons why strength training is beneficial for your body:

1. The earlier you invest, the greater the returns

Per the cardiologist, investing in muscle development earlier helps you stay strong, independent, and keeps you injury-free as you age. Per an August 2018 study, a 10 percent increase in strength training volume reduced the risk of injury by more than four percentage points.

2. Muscle is your health insurance

Strength training boosts bone density, metabolism, and insulin sensitivity, and reduces disease risk. Additionally, the muscle built during the process is your health insurance.

According to Harvard Health, if you plan to increase your muscle mass by strength training, your training program might include:

• 8 to 10 exercises that target all the major muscle groups
• Sets of 12 to 15 reps, performed at an effort of about 5 to 7 on a 10-point scale
• Two or three workouts per week.

3. It's never too late to invest

According to the cardiologist, whether you are 20 or 60, lifting weights builds strength, protects joints, and keeps you moving pain-free. Therefore, it is never too late to start strength training.

A study published in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity in April 2025, that your muscles are not as weak in old age as you may think. The researchers studied muscle function changes after exercise in both younger and older adults. The findings were surprising as older adults did not show greater signs of muscle damage, in contrast to what was believed earlier.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.