“It’s not the years, honey, it’s the mileage.” – Indiana Jones

Like Indy, you’ve lived a little. 

But, getting older doesn’t mean it’s time to sit on the sidelines. You don’t have to grow weaker and give up what you love. No matter how many miles are on the odometer, you can get older and stronger. 

And this strength can impact your healthy lifespan in powerful ways. As we’ll show you below, getting stronger is associated with better aging and mortality, stronger bones and heart, and improved quality of life. 

The best news? It’s never too late to add strength and experience the benefits of exercise. But if you want to stay fit (get in even better shape) as you age, you need to start thinking about your training differently. 

Aging and Body Changes: What To Expect

The reality is that growing older brings the possibility of age-related changes. Left unchecked, they can alter your quality of life and even contribute to a shortened lifespan.

Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United States. And according to the National Institute on Aging, older adults (people 65+) are at higher risk. 

Why does this happen? As we age, fatty deposits can build up in the walls of our arteries. Over time, these deposits (called plaque) can harden and slowly narrow the arteries. This process, called arteriosclerosis, reduces blood flow and oxygen to the heart, leading to an increased chance of a heart attack. 

Age-related changes happen in your skeletal system as well. Bone is a living tissue. Although changes might not occur as rapidly as they do elsewhere in the body, bone tissue is broken down by the body and replaced. 

At around age 50, our body starts breaking down more bone tissue than it replaces. This process, called osteoporosis, weakens your bones and can lead to increased chances of fractures or falls. 

Do you know what doesn’t change all that much as you age? Your metabolism. New research published in Science showed that when you account for differences in body size, your metabolism does not change between the ages of 20 and 60.

(Let that sink in.)

For years (maybe forever?), the assumption was that our metabolism slows down as we age. But, the ground-breaking study, which combined the work of more than 80 scientists, 6,500 participants (aged 8 days to 95 years old), and the gold standard methods of testing metabolism, shook the foundations of weight loss science.

Some rules still hold. Despite the common belief that lean people have faster metabolisms, the heavier you are, the more calories you burn. But, once you account for the differences in size, metabolism doesn’t change as much as we thought, and that applies to men and women.

After age 60, metabolism does start to decrease about 1 percent per year. Maybe not surprisingly, this appears to be correlated with a reduction in activity. So, the more active you stay as you age, the better. 

Maintaining Mobility: The Best Way To Stay Injury Free

If you can’t move your joints freely through their range of motion (and control it), your chance of injury or dangerous falls increases. 

If you’re injured, it’s hard to do regular exercise. And if you can’t exercise, that’s when muscle loss begins. Why does this matter? Muscle loss is strongly correlated with a lower (or shorter) lifespan.

Avoiding injury also plays an indirect role in weight loss. Regular physical activity outside the gym (called NEAT) can help maintain your body weight in a healthy range. Move less during the day, and the pounds could sneak up on you like the decades. 

So, mobility is essential to a higher quality of life and a longer life. 

Unlike strength training (which we’ll explore more below), there’s an inverse relationship between mobility and aging. You likely need to invest more weekly time to maintain mobility as you age. 

How much? Strength Coach Mike Boyle once suggested that you should base your mobility sessions per week on every decade you’ve lived. If you just turned 50, that would mean mobility work five times a week. 

That doesn’t mean you need to spend an hour a day stretching. After all, getting older doesn’t mean you have fewer time constraints on your day. For most people, 10-15 minutes a day is enough. 

Not sure where to start? Try extending your warm-up before strength training sessions. By piggybacking on an existing habit (your workout), you’re more likely to make mobility a habit. 

For most of our clients, I suggest a 4:1 work-to-mobility ratio. So, if your workout takes 40 minutes, you should start with 10 minutes of mobility and flexibility work. 

You could also pair mobility with cardio on rest days. Before you head out on a walk (you are walking every day, right?), do 6 reps on each side of a move like the Squat Strider Kick-Through Flow. You’ll loosen up your entire body and elevate your heart rate. 

Strength Training: What Should Change And What Should Stay The Same With Age

Your workout needs to shift as you age. It was fun while it lasted, but the days of maxing your bench press or squat and training heavy every day are likely gone. Your goal now is training for longevity. 

What do I mean by longevity? You lose a few things as you age – and I’m not talking about your memory. 

Muscle loss can begin as early as your 30s if you’re sedentary and will continue yearly at a rate of 1-2% per year. As life expectancy increases, this can lead to a severe amount of muscle lost in your 60s and beyond.  

Over the decades, you’ll also lose what we call power, or the ability to move quickly. Think of things like jumping or throwing a medicine ball. 

The best way to fight this loss of muscle and power? Lifting weights and safe plyometric training. When combined with regular physical activity, there’s no better way to keep you moving well throughout your entire life. 

So, how should your program change? If you’re 55+, it’s time to embrace bodybuilding. In other words, your goal is now to build lean muscle mass with your workouts. We call this “hypertrophy” training. And yes, you can add muscle at any age. 

It’s not that strength isn’t essential, and getting older doesn’t mean you have to get weaker. A new study out of Norway suggests you can continue getting stronger well into your 70s by lifting weights. And those results applied to both men and women. 

But low reps and heavy weight beats you up, and it also increases your chance of injury. As I often tell my clients, the risk-reward ratio is no longer in your favor. 

The solution? Shift your definition of strength.  

Research suggests higher volumes (sets x reps) are better for hypertrophy in aging adults. When training for hypertrophy, the goal is to add more sets and reps to your workout. 

Here’s what most people miss – if you’re able to add weight each week and do the same amount of reps, you’re building muscle and getting stronger as you age. 

Your Age-Proof Training Plan

You’ll likely feel best – and make the most progress – by training hard 3 times per week. As we age, our ability to work hard in the gym doesn’t diminish nearly as much as our ability to recover from those sessions. 

So, for most people, 3 full-body workouts each week. Keep these workouts simple. Choose an upper-body pull, upper-body push, squat (or single-leg movement), hinge, and carry. Do 2-3 challenging sets of 8-12 reps. 

Finish each workout with 1 or 2 of your favorite isolation movements. If you’re 55+, I’d argue you need to do more isolation work. Remember, we’re fighting to hold onto as much lean muscle mass as possible, and isolation moves can help you do that. Plus, they’re easier on your joints. 

That’s right. I’ve given you the green light to do more curls, lateral raises, and tricep press downs. You’re welcome. 

We hammered this point home earlier, but it’s worth mentioning again: Start each workout with quick mobility work. Mobility isn’t a one-off thing; it’s an ongoing process, a daily habit.

Remember that loss of power we discussed earlier? After you warm up, do 1-2 power movements to keep this at bay. Things like low box jumps, med ball throw variations, or even landmine clean to presses work well. 

Finally, Add LISS (low-intensity steady state) cardio 1-2x a week for 20-40 minutes, plus stay as active as possible during the day. The best choice? Long walks. 

What To Be Cautious Of

Do you remember LifeAlert commercials? If you’ve seen them, you’ll know they’re famous for one line (and quality acting): “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up.”

While you might laugh at the overacting in the commercials, the risk of falls as you age is no joke. According to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of injury and death in people aged 65+. Not heart disease or cancer. Falling. 

The best way to avoid falling? We discussed the basics: strength training (don’t ignore single-leg movements), power development, and a daily mobility habit. It’s also essential to learn how to fall safely. 

Joint pain can be another reality of getting older. While your training can cause this, it’s often due to a lack of movement. Getting stronger with smart training as you age will help you avoid age-related joint pain. 

That said, this isn’t the Marines. Pain isn’t weakness leaving the body. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t push through it. Try modifying the movements or get coaching to refine your technique. 

Finally, you’ll also want to consult your doctor before starting any new exercise program. If you experience shortness of breath or chest pain, stop exercising immediately and seek medical attention. 

A Workout For All Ages

The goal here is simple: build muscle in a joint-friendly way. We’ll do that by training your entire body three times a week. 

Outside of the final group of exercises each day (where we do some “pump” type training), the goal is general fatigue instead of local fatigue. In other words, unless you’re doing curls, no single body part will ever feel like it’s “done.” This helps keep the technique sharp and reduces the chance of injury. 

Use this template as inspiration. While you can follow the workouts as written, feel free to plug in movements you’re more comfortable with. As long as you’ve got the foundation of the recipe, you can play around with ingredients. 

Warm Up: 

Cat Camel 8

Leg Lowering 8ea side

Split Quadruped Adductor Mob 8ea side

Walkout Strider + Reach 3ea side

Walking Knee to Chest 10 yards

Day 1

A1. Box Jump (low box) 2 x 5 reps

A2. Med Ball Chest Pass 2 x 10 reps 

B1. Goblet Squat 3 x 8-10 reps 

B2. Tall Kneeling Chop 3 x 8-10 reps

C1. Prone Leg Curl Machine 3 x 10-12 

C2. Resistance Band Anti-Rotation Press 3 x 10 ea

C3. Lat Pulldown 3 x 6-8 reps

D1. Single Arm Dumbbell Row R Arm  3×6-8 reps

D2. Pushup 3×8-12 reps 

D3. Single Arm Dumbbell Row L Arm 3×6-8 reps 

D4: Rack Pec Stretch 3×3:5 holds ea arm 

Day 2

A1. Hinge Cable Pulldown 2 x 10 reps 

A2. Glute Bridge 2 x 15 reps 

B1. Deadlift 3 x 6 @ 75% effort

B2. Bear Crawl 3 x 5 yards

C1. Reverse Lunge 3 x 8-10 reps 

C2. Dumbbell Bench Press 3 x 8-10 reps

C3. Plank Hold

Set a timer for 8 minutes. For both of the exercises below, select a weight you can do for 8 reps. Now, here’s the key – you’re only going to do 5 controlled reps each set. Complete each exercise back and forth (only taking rest when you need to) for the full 8 minutes.

D1. Biceps Curls

D2. Triceps Extension

Day 3

A1. Resistance Band Monster Walk 2 x 10ea

A2. Shoulder Tap 2 x 8ea

B1. Low Cable Split Squat 3 x 8-10 ea 

B2. Bench Press 3 x 6 @ 75% effort

C1. Sumo Lateral Squat 3 x 8ea

C2. Straight Leg Situp 3 x 8 reps

C3. Offset Pushups 3 x 5ea

Perform the following 3 exercises as a circuit, which means completing one exercise after another. Try to keep moving the entire 40 seconds. Then, rest for 20 seconds as you move on to the next exercise. After you complete all 3 exercises, rest 1 minute and then repeat for a second round.

D1. TRX Face Pull 40 seconds (20 seconds rest)

D2. Dumbbell Lateral Raise 40 seconds (20 seconds rest) 

D3. TRX Hip Thrust 40 seconds (20 seconds rest)

B.J. holds a B.S. in Health and Human Performance and multiple certifications, including Precision Nutrition Level 1 and BioForce Certified Conditioning Coach. Over his 14-year coaching career, he’s been fortunate enough to coach a wide range of clients. From online clients looking to get in great shape to CEO Nate Checketts (Rhone) and CEO Marcelo Claure (Softbank), and professional skateboarder Sean Malto. Before beginning his training career, he was a sports science lab research assistant.

Aside from lattes, teas, and hot beverages, you can now even spot matcha in everything from baked goods to granola bars, energy bites, breakfast bowls, and more, making it easier than ever to enjoy the multitude of matcha benefits.

Not only is matcha green tea powder vibrant and delicious, but it also brings a long list of nutrients to the table and boasts a number of impressive health benefits. In fact, potential matcha tea benefits include improved heart health, increased metabolism, better brain function, and more.

So what is matcha and why is it so stellar for your health? Let’s take a closer look at the many possible matcha benefits, plus how you can start adding it to your daily diet.

What is Matcha?

Just like other tea varieties such as green tea, matcha green tea is a powder derived from Camellia sinensis, a plant that is native to Asia but cultivated around the globe. However, although they come from the same plant, there are several notable differences that set matcha tea apart from regular green tea.

For starters, the tea plant is grown in the shade. This process helps boost chlorophyll production and increases the amino acid content of the final product. The higher amount of chlorophyll also gives matcha powder its distinct, bright green color.

The tea leaves are later harvested and crushed to make matcha tea powder. Because the entire tea leaf is used to make matcha, it typically contains a higher concentration of antioxidants than green tea, plus significantly more caffeine packed into every serving.

Besides being used to brew hot beverages like lattes and teas, matcha is a versatile ingredient that is also often found added to desserts, smoothies, and snacks.

Top 5 Matcha Benefits

With more and more research continuing to unearth the many potential matcha health benefits, there are plenty of reasons you may want to start stocking up on this simple pantry staple.

Let’s take an in-depth look at a few of the ways that matcha green tea benefits your health.

1. Loaded with Antioxidants

Antioxidants are tiny compounds that play a massive role in health and disease. Not only do they help prevent oxidative damage to the cells caused by factors like pollution, physical inactivity, and an unhealthy diet, but they may also help protect against chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and even cancer (1).

Adding a serving or two of organic matcha to your daily routine can give your body a boost of antioxidants, including specific types such as phenolic acids, catechins, and flavonoids (2).

Additionally, matcha may be even higher in beneficial antioxidants than other types of tea because the entire leaf is used. For instance, one study showed that the concentration of a specific antioxidant compound known as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) could be up to 137 times greater in matcha than in regular green tea (3).

2. Supports Healthy Weight Maintenance

Green tea powder has been well-studied for its impact on weight management. For this reason, it often earns it a slot on the ingredients label of shakes and supplements targeted at boosting metabolism and shedding stubborn body fat.

There is very little research on the effects of matcha itself. However, matcha is closely related to green tea and contains a very similar set of compounds and health benefits.

Studies show that green tea extract can boost the number of calories burned throughout the day while also aiding in weight loss and weight maintenance (4, 5). What’s more, a recent 2018 study even found that consuming a matcha drink prior to exercise was actually able to increase the rate of fat-burning in women (6).

That being said, this doesn’t mean you should ditch the diet and cancel your gym membership, expecting a quick-fix from a few scoops of matcha alone. Instead, be sure to pair it with a healthy, well-rounded diet and regular physical activity to maximize the potential matcha tea weight loss and health benefits.

3. Bumps up Brain Power

Whether you’re having difficulties with brain fog, lack of focus, or forgetfulness, matcha tea may be able to help. Research shows that matcha powder benefits brain function and mental health in a number of different ways. In fact, one study out of the Netherlands actually found that consuming matcha helped improve performance on cognitive tasks used to measure attention and motor abilities (7).

Plus, in addition to cramming a hearty dose of energy-boosting caffeine into each serving, it’s also rich in L-theanine. L-theanine is an amino acid that can enhance alertness and decrease anxiety while also protecting against some of the negative effects that come with caffeine consumption, including changes in mood and the dreaded “caffeine crash” (8).

4. Keeps Your Heart Healthy

Heart disease is a huge problem around the globe, accounting for over 31% of deaths worldwide in 2013. Even scarier: it’s projected that nearly 44% of adults in the United States will have some form of heart disease by the year 2030 (9).

What you put on your plate—or in your cup—can actually have a huge impact on heart health. According to one large review of nine studies, people who drank at least three cups of tea per day had a 21% lower risk of stroke (10). Similarly, another review showed that green tea could reduce blood pressure and decrease levels of both total and bad LDL cholesterol, all of which are risk factors for heart disease (11).

5. Protects Liver Function

As the largest internal organ in the body, the liver plays an integral role in detoxification, metabolism, and protein synthesis, along with over 500 other tasks necessary for growth and survival. One of the most impressive matcha benefits is its effect on liver health, including its ability to promote liver function and protect against disease.

One large meta-analysis pooled the results of 15 studies and demonstrated that drinking green tea was linked to a lower risk of liver disease (12). In another study, supplementing with green tea extract was found to improve levels of liver enzymes, which is a marker used to measure liver function, in people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (13).

How to Use Matcha

So where can you find matcha and how can you start reaping the many rewards that it has to offer?

Matcha is widely available in most supermarkets, specialty stores, and online retailers. When searching for the best matcha tea, look for brands that are certified organic, which can help limit your exposure to chemical contaminants like arsenic, many of which are found in the soil used to grow tea plants (14). Also, be sure to always buy from a reputable retailer, which can help you get the most bang for your buck while also ensuring you’re getting the best matcha powder possible.

Once you’re all stocked up, it’s time to start enjoying the myriad of matcha benefits by brewing up your first cup.

If you’re going the classic route, you may want to try making a cup of traditional Japanese matcha tea. This involves simply sifting 1-2 tablespoons into a cup and then combining with about 2 ounces of hot water. You should then use a bamboo whisk to mix the two together, moving the whisk in a zigzag motion until the tea becomes frothy.

Because matcha is just as versatile as it is delicious, though, there are tons of other options for getting in your daily dose. Try adding a scoop of matcha to your favorite recipes to give them a lively, colorful twist. Matcha works great in everything from granola to smoothies, but you can also get creative and add it to just about any dish for a pop of flavor and health benefits.

Match Recipes

Need a little inspiration? Here are a few recipes that can help you take advantage of the multitude of potential matcha benefits:

Keep in mind that moderation is definitely key when it comes to matcha, especially because it contains caffeine and can trigger side effects in some people. In particular, consuming high amounts of caffeine can cause issues like anxiety, hyperactivity, fidgeting, and insomnia (15). It can also be addictive, and may even cause withdrawal symptoms when discontinued, including headaches, fatigue, and changes in mood (16).

Therefore, it’s best to stick to one or two cups per day to reduce the risk of side effects. Additionally, be sure to consult with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about drinking matcha.

NS Recommends

Brimming with antioxidants and beneficial compounds, matcha can be a great addition to any diet or dish. The list of potential matcha benefits is also pretty impressive. In fact, research shows that it can promote liver, brain, and heart health while also keeping your waistline in check.

However, despite the myriad of matcha benefits, it’s important to keep in mind that matcha is just one component of a healthy diet, and adding the occasional scoop here and there is unlikely to have much of an impact if you’re filling the rest of your plate with unhealthy ingredients.

Therefore, to really maximize the potential matcha benefits, be sure to pair it with a balanced diet rich in whole foods, including fruits, veggies, healthy fats, and proteins and enjoy in moderation.