Strength Training for Seniors: Study Findings

Quick answer

A Cochrane review of 121 trials with 6,700 older people, most training 2 to 3 times a week at high intensity, found a large gain in strength and a modest gain in walking speed, and serious adverse events were rare. U.S. guidelines advise older adults to add balance training to strength work.^1,2

Key facts

In 121 trials with 6,700 older people, training 2 to 3 times a week gave a large gain in strength and a modest gain in walking speed, and serious adverse events were rare.¹
In 22 randomized trials of adults aged 75 and over, resistance training raised strength and muscle size, including at 80 and over.³
In 25 trials of adults 65 and over, the largest strength gains came with two sessions a week, 2 to 3 sets per exercise and 70 to 79% of the one-repetition maximum, though study quality was low.⁴
Exercise lowered the rate of falls by 23% in 108 trials, and programs mixing balance and resistance exercise lowered it by 34%.⁵
The U.S. guidelines advise older adults to add balance training to aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity.²
An expert group advises adults over 65 at least 1.0 to 1.2 g of protein per kg of body weight a day.⁶

What do studies say about strength training for seniors?

The largest review is a Cochrane analysis of 121 trials with 6,700 older people. In most of them, training was done 2 to 3 times a week at high intensity. It found a large gain in muscle strength, a modest gain in walking speed of about 0.08 meters per second, and a moderate to large gain in the ability to get out of a chair. Serious adverse events were rare.¹

Older age does not rule it out. In 22 randomized trials of adults aged 75 and over, resistance training raised strength and muscle size, including in people aged 80 and over, and few adverse events were reported. The National Strength and Conditioning Association has published a position statement on resistance training for older adults that covers program design and special considerations.^3,7

Strength training for seniors: sets, reps and days a week

A review of 25 trials of adults aged 65 and over tried to work out which settings mattered. Its authors rated the study quality low and called the muscle size results preliminary, so read the numbers as a guide, not a rule.⁴

Settings linked with the largest strength gains in adults 65 and over^4,8
Setting	What the review found	Source
Sessions per week	Two sessions a week gave the largest strength gain	Borde 2015, 25 trials
Sets	2 to 3 sets per exercise	Borde 2015, 25 trials
Repetitions	7 to 9 repetitions per set	Borde 2015, 25 trials
Load	70 to 79% of the one-repetition maximum	Borde 2015, 25 trials
Length of program	Longer programs gave larger gains, between 8 and 52 weeks	Silva 2014, 15 trials of adults over 55

Many combinations raised strength, so the exact settings matter less than sticking with the program. Across 15 studies of adults aged 50 and over, single sets were enough for upper-body strength and muscle size, and multiple sets gave slightly larger leg strength gains.^8,9

Strength training for seniors at home, over 60 and over 70

MedlinePlus names dumbbells, kettlebells, a mat and resistance bands as versatile options for strength work at home. The table pairs each movement with a simple home version and uses settings from the reviews and from the novice advice of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM): 2 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions, two days a week to start.^4,10,11

A two-day home starting point^4,11
Movement	Home version	Sets and repetitions
Legs	Sit-to-stand from a sturdy chair	2 sets of 8 to 12
Push	Wall or counter push-up	2 sets of 8 to 12
Pull	Resistance band row	2 sets of 8 to 12
Hips	Standing hip raise to the side, holding a counter	2 sets of 8 to 12 each side
Lower legs	Heel raise, holding a counter	2 sets of 8 to 12

Start slowly and work up. MedlinePlus advises checking with a health care provider about how much exercise is right for your age and health.¹²

Why balance work goes with strength training

The U.S. guidelines advise older adults to do multicomponent activity that includes balance training as well as aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity. MedlinePlus lists four types of exercise for older adults: endurance, strength, balance and flexibility.^2,12

On falls, a Cochrane review of 108 trials with 23,407 people living in the community found that exercise lowered the rate of falls by 23%. Balance and functional exercise lowered it by 24%, and programs mixing balance and resistance exercise by 34% with moderate certainty. The review was unsure about the effect of programs that were mostly resistance training on its own.⁵

Protein for older adults who lift

An international expert group on protein in older people (PROT-AGE) recommends at least 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg of body weight a day for adults over 65, and 1.2 g or more for those who exercise.⁶

Older muscle needs a larger serving for the same response. An analysis cited in the 2018 meta-analysis found the response to one serving leveled off at about 0.24 g per kg in younger adults and 0.40 g per kg in older adults, and older men needed about 40 g of whey after exercise to reach the highest response.^13,14

Strength training for seniors near me, on YouTube or as a PDF

The reviews above did not compare who ran the sessions or where. MedlinePlus suggests that if you try a gym, you ask whether you can try it before joining and whether staff can show you how to use the equipment. A doctor or physical therapist can point you to local programs for older adults.¹⁰

The tables on this page are plain text, so you can print the page and use it as a PDF. We have not rated any particular video series, so check that a video matches the settings above and keep to the safety notes below.

Stop and ask a doctor if

Check with a doctor before you start if you have trouble moving or balancing, or you worry that exercise might not be safe for you.¹⁰
Stop and get help right away if you feel pain, extreme shortness of breath or dizziness during exercise.¹⁰
Joint pain and muscle soreness were reported in many of the trials that tracked them, and the Cochrane review urged caution when applying the findings to people with health conditions because harms were poorly recorded.¹
Contact your provider if muscle pain lasts more than 3 days, is severe and unexplained, or comes with swelling or redness.¹⁵
Ask first if you take medicines or have a health condition. The dose-response reviews here describe healthy older adults, and the Cochrane review urged caution for clinical groups.^1,4

Questions people ask

Can seniors do strength training at home?

Yes. MedlinePlus lists dumbbells, kettlebells, a mat and bands as home options, and in the Cochrane review most training was done 2 to 3 times a week at high intensity. Check with a doctor first if you have health concerns.^1,4,10

How often should seniors do strength training?

The U.S. guidelines list muscle-strengthening activity on 2 or more days a week. In 25 trials of adults aged 65 and over, two sessions a week gave the largest strength gain.^2,4

What do studies say about strength training for seniors over 70?

In 22 randomized trials of adults aged 75 and over, resistance training raised strength and muscle size, including in people aged 80 and over, and few adverse events were reported.³

Does strength training for seniors lower falls?

Exercise of all kinds lowered the rate of falls by 23% in 108 trials. Programs mixing balance and resistance exercise lowered it by 34% with moderate certainty, and the review was unsure about resistance training on its own.⁵

What side effects can strength training cause for seniors?

Joint pain and muscle soreness were reported in many trials that tracked them, and serious adverse events were rare. Contact a provider if muscle pain lasts more than 3 days or is severe.^1,15

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This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.