Lifting for longevity

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

I am a 60-year-old male. I enjoy lifting weights. I have no desire to compete. And I want to dance at my granddaughters wedding in 30 years.
I am in better shape than most all the other 60-year-old men I know. I lift twice a week. And I do some type of HITT training twice a week. I see a doctor for annual exams and overall am considered in very good health. Here are my “numbers”:

  1. Height: 6 feet
  2. Weight: 195 lbs.
  3. Squat: 275 lbs. for 5 reps
  4. Deadlift: 375 lbs. for 4 reps
  5. Bench: 225 lbs. for 5 reps
  6. Overhead press: 115 lbs. for 5 reps.

Do I improve my chances of pulling off the above-mentioned dance by continuously striving to increase the weight of my 5 rep maximums? Or will I do just as well if I stay where I am at?

Thank you for your time.
Tony

1 Like
2

Hi Tony,

I think it would be hard to say that you’ll significantly improve your quality of life or reduce the risk of disease or premature death by getting stronger than your current level. That being said, training tends to work the best for these outcomes when it’s programmed in such a way where you’re progressively overloading yourself. In other words, while I’m not sure that increasing just your 5RM’s specifically is the key to your success, I’d suggest that chasing down some measurable improvement, e.g. strength in a 10RM, a measurable conditioning improvement, muscle size, etc. should be on your radar.

Hope that makes sense!

-Jordan