Tuesday Tip: Muscle power vs strength

Tuesday Tip: Muscle power vs strength 🏋🏻‍♀️

There’s a lot of talk online about lifting heavy, and while strength training is definitely valuable, it’s important to consider something even more important as we age: muscle power.

What’s the difference? Strength is about how much force your muscles can produce. Power is how fast they can do it. And when it comes to staying independent, functional, and to living longer muscle power matters more.

Research shows that declines in muscle power are more strongly linked to things like early death, difficulty climbing stairs, or even just getting up from a chair. One study found that for adults aged 45–75, lack of lower leg power was linked to a 35% higher mortality risk, compared to just 18% for strength. Another review of thousands of older adults showed that power explained more of the ability to perform everyday tasks than strength did. Even gentle, regular movement (like standing up quickly from a chair) is more closely linked to leg power than leg strength.

So what does this mean for your training? It means that if you’re only doing slow, heavy lifts and skipping speed or light, explosive movements you might be missing a trick. Power declines faster with age than strength does, and we need to train it to keep it.

Here are some simple ways to start:

⁃ Try timed sit-to-stands or fast (but controlled) bodyweight squats

⁃ Add light, high-speed movements to your workouts (medicine ball throws, step-ups with speed)

⁃ Break up long periods of sitting with quick bursts of activity

You don’t need a gym or fancy equipment, just a little intention and consistency. That’s not to say you shouldn’t be lifting heavier weights as well to help prevent muscle loss and preserve strength but maybe skip the “lift heavy or go home” mindset and try thinking about training for your future self. The one who wants to run for the bus at 70, play with grand children at 80, or get off the toilet without help at 90.

Invest in power now, your older body will thank you for it.

Happy Tuesday! 🤗xx