Strong for Life
Building muscle extends your health span.
Biltmore Park neighbor Anna Briggs loves strength days!
When most people think about strength training, they picture gyms filled with heavy weights and complicated machines. But strength training is simply any exercise that builds muscle through resistance. You can use your body weight, dumbbells or resistance bands. Countless studies highlight its benefits, but one message rises above the rest: building and maintaining muscle isn’t just about fitness; it’s about extending the quality of your life.
Starting as early as age 30, a person’s muscle mass naturally begins to decline. Left unchecked, this slow, steady loss affects how we move, function and even how long we live independently. But with regular strength training, you can rebuild what time takes away — preserving strength, energy and confidence well into your later years.
- Squats mimic sitting and standing, helping you to get up from the floor after playing with your kids or grandkids or to simply stand up from a chair with ease.
- Lunges mirror stepping and bending, improving balance for tasks like climbing stairs or picking something up off the ground.
- The farmer’s carry exercise strengthens your grip and overall functional strength so carrying groceries (or even luggage on your next trip) feels less like a struggle and more like second nature.
Strong muscles act like protective armor for your body. They stabilize your joints, reducing pain and risk of injury. They keep your bones strong, lowering the chance of osteoporosis and fractures. They sharpen your coordination and balance, helping you stay steady on your feet and less likely to fall.
Muscle extends your health span: the years you spend living with vitality, mobility and independence. Strength training buys you more quality years, not just more years.
For me, it’s personal. Every time I scoop up my 7-year-old, I laugh and say, “This is why I work out.” I train so I can keep up with my kids, carry them when they need me, and move through life alongside them for as long as possible.