How Much Weight Should You Lift as You Age?

My longtime friend and client Phil Clevenger came to fitness later in life. Phil has always been data driven, whether it's nutrition, fitness, or music. So it's not surprising that Phil established a concrete goal for how much weight he wanted to lift in his sixties.

Phil's goal is to bench press 220 — which is the max weight that Richard Nixon lifted in college. This is a great goal for two reasons: it represents almost 15 percent more than his body weight (Phil weighs roughly 175 pounds), and it's a more achievable goal than lifting more than Nixon's successor — Gerald Ford —who is widely considered the greatest athlete every to occupy the Oval Office.

But perhaps your strength training goals as you age have nothing to with Richard Nixon or Gerald Ford. Or Chester Alan Arthur, for that matter. Now what?

Before I delve into the scientific studies, it's important to note two very salient facts. You should be strong enough to lift yourself off the ground if you fall. So, if you weigh 200 pounds, you should be capable of lifting roughly that weight off the ground. Secondly, strength training is not optional for optimal aging and longevity.

Sarcopenia (muscle loss) is an inevitable process of aging. For most people, it declines about 3% to 5% each decade, starting at age 30. Muscle loss affects everything from lifting groceries and getting out of a chair to balance and coordination. Simply put, the more muscle you have, the more you increase your chances of longevity.

In a decade-long survey involving 100,000 people, (ranging in age from 55 to 74), weekly strength training resulted in a 9%-22% reduction in mortality. That same study also showed that moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise appeared to lower risk by 24% to 34% and the greatest reduction in mortality rates (41%-47%) was among the people that combined both forms of exercise.

As to how much weight you should lift? Well, that's where things get a bit more complex.

A recent study followed over 1,000 male firefighters over the course of two decades and made a significant finding: the firefighters who could complete a set of 40 push-ups had a significantly lower chance of experiencing cardiovascular disease than the firefighters who could complete less than 10.

I'll add a few caveats to that study. The study didn't stipulate what kind of form the study subjects were using. Twenty five good push-ups (hands wide, back and head straight, chest all the way down and pausing briefly at the top) are better than 40 push-ups with sloppy form. Another relevant point that the study neglected to mention is that the firefighters who could crank out more push-ups are probably much more able to get themselves off the ground if they fall.

So, that's one metric.

Another recent study seemed to point in the opposite direction, suggesting that heavy weights are the best way for people — especially seniors — to mitigate muscle loss. The study concluded that people lifting close to 80% of their one-rep max (1RM) yielded the greatest improvements in muscle strength.

Conversely, a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise posits that maximal weight and going to "failure," wasn't actually necessary. The study followed 42 adults in good health and had them perform a lifting program with one set of 8 to 10 reps per each exercise. The participants were observed twice weekly for eight weeks. One group pushed themselves to failure, and the other group did as many reps as they could do comfortably, leaving something "in reserve." The study concluded that each method resulted in an increase in strength and muscle growth.

Lastly, the Center for Disease Control recommends muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms.)

If all these studies sound vaguely contradictory .... well, welcome to the world of exercise science. It's a constantly shifting landscape, and what's true today may not necessarily be considered true next year. But there is one central premise that all of these sources share — if you want to live a longer, healthier life, you must do strength training. It's that simple.

For people just starting out, body weight squats are the best exercises you can do.

Keep your weight thrust back, and your back straight. Make sure your knees don't extend over your feet. Try a set of 10, and increase in increments of ten. When you feel you can do thirty body weight squats with good form (as in the illustration above) add small free weights (3-5 lbs) and progress from there. Fifty squats per day, using 3-5 lbs free weights is a great regimen that can help maintain muscle. If the weights are too light, then progressively increase.

Alternatively, you could always take a page out of my friend Phil's book and try to lift more than the occupant of the Oval Office. You should be fine — unless we elect "The Rock."

Joshua Brandt is an Oakland based personal trainer. He can be reached at joshua@joshuabrandtpt.com or (415) 412-7339. 

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Sources:

1) Lindsay Warner (09/06/2024) "A Guide to Combatting Sarcopenia and Preserving Muscle Mass as You Get Older." Harvard Health Publishing

2) Julie Corliss (01/01/2023) "Adding Weight Lifting to Workouts may Boost Longevity." Harvard Heart Letter

3) Justin Yang et. al. (02/15/2019) "Association Between Push-up Exercise Capacity and Future Cardiovascular Events Among Active Adult Men." PubMed

4) Tiril Toien et. al. (04/16/2025) 2025 "Heavy Strength Training in Older Adults: Implications for Health, Disease and Physical Performance." PubMed

5) Thomas Hermann et. al. (09/2025) "Without Fail: Muscular Adaptations in Single-Set Resistance Training Performed to Failure or with Repetitions-in-Reserve." Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise