Short observations on strength, fitness, and ageing — written from experience, not theory.
These aren’t programmes or prescriptions. They’re reflections on what holds up over time, what quietly fails, and what tends to work when progress is measured in years rather than weeks.
Note: These are not medical or training instructions. Use judgement, train within your limits, and speak to a professional if you’re unsure.
Ego lifts age joints faster than muscles
A common mistake — particularly in men over 40 — is the pull toward ego lifts. With targeted resistance training, muscle tends to age relatively slowly. Joints don’t.
I’m not immune to this. I picked up a chronic elbow injury benching at loads above what I could handle cleanly — chasing numbers I could lift at 25. The strength was there. The margin for error wasn’t.
That experience clarified something important: competing with a younger version of yourself is rarely productive. Working with loads that allow controlled, repeatable sets — perfect form, no bargaining — builds strength that actually lasts.
The rest is noise.
Light weights aren’t “safer” if you never reach the muscle
As we age, it’s tempting to swing too far toward very light loads. That can be just as misguided as training too heavy.
Light weights work best when you’re willing to go very close to true muscular failure — and that’s harder than it sounds. Many people stop a set because of discomfort (the burn) rather than because the muscle is genuinely done.
In practice, a rep range above 15–20 (depending on the muscle group) can drift into “too light, too soon.” Most of the time, aim for 8–15 quality reps, with controlled form and honest effort.
Burn isn’t the same as failure
Some movements produce a high burn long before the target muscle is actually finished.
On lateral raises, I’ve found that putting the dumbbells down for 5–10 seconds — just long enough for the discomfort to ease — often lets you complete several more clean reps immediately.
It’s a useful reminder: sometimes you didn’t “hit failure” — you just hit discomfort first.
Warm-ups work best when you treat them as training
A proper warm-up matters more the older we get — but lack of time, energy, or motivation often leads to rushed (or skipped) warm-ups, which increases injury risk.
I’ve found that mentally framing the warm-up as part of the workout helps: structured sets and reps, not “go on the cross-trainer for a bit.”
Light-to-medium face pulls are an excellent lead-in before shoulder or chest work. They warm the shoulder girdle, build rear delts, and reinforce the rotator cuff. Resistance bands can also give your shoulder prep a simple structure.
Use “dead time” for balance and flexibility
Balance and flexibility are as important as strength — especially beyond 40.
I budget time each day by attaching them to existing habits: balancing on one leg while putting on socks or brushing my teeth; touching my toes each morning before a shower and each evening before bed.
When it becomes routine, it stops being optional — and “dead time” becomes training time.
Comfortable cardio is easy — intensity changes you
Endless cardio is tempting as we age. It’s comfortable. Sustainable. It gives the illusion that we’re maintaining performance or losing weight.
But short bursts of effort are often more effective for fitness and body composition — and they take less time. That might be short sprints, or hard surges on an elliptical.
For me, returning to track sprinting has made a noticeable difference to energy levels and body composition — and it’s reminded me how powerful short, focused effort can be.
