Strength training after 40: protect your joints and get stronger

You may recognise it. The stairs feel a little less effortless, a long walk leaves its mark, or an old knee or back complaint shows up more often than it used to. That is not simply "getting older and accepting it". It is a sign that your body is asking for different attention. And strength training is one of the most powerful tools you have, for men and women alike.

Why your muscles disappear faster after 40

From the age of 30 you start to lose muscle mass: around 3 to 5 per cent per decade, and the process speeds up as you get older.¹ It is called sarcopenia. Less muscle means less strength, less stability and a greater risk of falls and injuries.

The good news: this loss is not fixed. Muscle tissue responds to training at any age. So you are never too late to build it back up, you simply need a focused approach.

Strong muscles are the best protection for your joints

Many people think strength training causes wear and tear. The opposite is true. Strong muscles around a joint act as shock absorbers: they take on load that would otherwise land on your cartilage, tendons and ligaments. As a result, stiffness decreases and a joint becomes more stable and less prone to injury.

Strength training also strengthens your bones, tendons and ligaments themselves. Exactly the structures you need to keep walking, cycling, skiing, travelling or sitting on the floor with your grandchildren.

Especially important around menopause

For women, there is a phase in which strength training becomes even more valuable. Around menopause, the loss of muscle mass and bone density accelerates. The NHS therefore strongly recommends weight-bearing exercise and strength training with weights to keep bones strong and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.³ Getting stronger at this stage is not a luxury, but protection for the long term.

Train smarter, not harder

After 40 it is not about heavier or more often, but smarter. The common thread:

1. Two strength sessions a week for all the major muscle groups is enough for most people to build and maintain strength.²
   
2. Work with compound exercises (squat, deadlift, row, press) that train several muscle groups at once and improve your everyday movement.
   
3. You do not need to train with your heaviest weights. Working at around 60 to 70 per cent of your maximum strength is effective and spares your tendons and joints.
   
4. Eat enough protein. After 40 your body needs relatively more protein to build and repair muscle.¹

The difference lies in build-up, technique and recovery, not in exhausting yourself every session.

A real example from our practice

"I mainly wanted to keep doing what I enjoy: long walks, cycling with the grandchildren, travelling without my back protesting. That back and an old knee kept flaring up. At De Werf we started calmly, with attention to technique and to my rhythm. No pressure to perform, but a clear plan. Six months later I feel steadier than I have in years, and those complaints have faded into the background."

What it gives you in the long run

Strength training does more than make you stronger. It increases your bone density, improves your balance and coordination, and so reduces the risk of falls. In the long run it contributes to independence and quality of life, exactly in the phase when that becomes more valuable. Staying strong is not vanity, it is investing in freedom.

How we approach it at De Werf

We do not believe in a standard programme that pushes you through. We start with reflection: where are you, what do you want to keep doing and what is your body asking for? From there we build a rhythm that fits your life, and work towards results that last. Personal, structured and at your own pace.

Do you want to get stronger without overloading your joints, in a way that fits your life? Discover how we guide you one to one at De Werf in The Hague, at your own rhythm and without pressure to perform.

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Read also:
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Sources:
¹ Harvard Health - Preserve your muscle mass
² NHS - Physical activity guidelines for older adults
³ NHS - Menopause: things you can do