Start muscle training at 50 to stay independent at 70, advises traumatologist

To ensure mobility and independence in your 70s, you must begin strengthening your muscles by age 50, according to traumatologist Óscar Ares. He argues that modern adults aspire to remain active, travel, and maintain full independence as they age, but this requires proactive preparation much earlier than retirement.

Ares, a specialist in orthopedic surgery, firmly believes that strength training is the key. "If you want to reach 70 years old, move, and be independent, you need to start cultivating your muscular work from 50," he stated in an interview with Saber Vivir TVE. He points out a common misconception: that walking 8,000 to 10,000 steps daily is sufficient for physical health. While low-intensity cardio has benefits, Ares stresses that today's sedentary lifestyles demand additional stimulus to counteract sarcopenia, the progressive loss of muscle mass and strength.

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If you want to reach 70 years old, move, and be independent, you need to start cultivating your muscular work from 50.

He elaborated in an interview with Telva magazine that muscle loss affects not only appearance but also functional capacity. "The best insurance for not depending on anyone at 70 is paid for starting at 40," Ares advised, highlighting prevention as the most effective tool against frailty, falls, and fractures. This is particularly crucial for women, as menopausal hormonal changes accelerate bone density loss, making resistance training vital for bone health.

Ares does not advocate for high-intensity routines but rather simple functional exercises suitable for home practice several times a week. His recommendations include squats to maintain the ability to stand from a chair unaided, modified push-ups (on knees or against a wall) for upper body strength, the "farmer's walk" to improve daily functional tasks by carrying moderate weights, and glute bridges to protect the lower back and aid activities like climbing stairs. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons supports this view, identifying strength training and balance improvement as pillars of sustained autonomy in old age.

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The best insurance for not depending on anyone at 70 is paid for starting at 40.