The benefits of resistance training go far beyond muscle.

In older adults, resistance training has been linked to improved cognitive function, healthier brain connections, and a slower rate of brain shrinkage.

In the United States, about 20 percent of older adults regularly do resistance training. Have you given it a try?

Slower Brain Decline

One study examined the effects of 24 weeks of resistance training on brain structure in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.

Brazilian participants trained twice a week on non-consecutive mornings. Each supervised one-hour session involved 10 major muscle group exercises. These included leg extensions, chest flys, leg curls, lat pull-downs, leg presses, seated rows, hip abductions, calf raises, reverse crunches, and sit-ups.

After the training period, participants showed improvements in memory and performed better on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, a measure of verbal learning and episodic memory. They also demonstrated improved white matter integrity, an important marker of brain health.

Both the nontraining and training groups lost some gray matter in parts of the brain, including the left hippocampus and precuneus. However, only the nontraining group lost volume on the right side, suggesting that resistance training may help protect that area. Moreover, the training group demonstrated lower declines in the left hippocampus. The hippocampus and precuneus play an important role in spatial memory and visual processing—skills often impaired in Alzheimer’s disease.

Follow-up research showed that some benefits lasted even after training ended. Although changes in one brain area—the posterior cingulate cortex—faded, the hippocampus stayed partly protected. Parts of the hippocampus stayed healthy for up to a year.

Some of these benefits may come from improved blood flow.

“Resistance training helps circulate more oxygen and nutrients to the brain while assisting in the removal of waste products, which may support brain function and help protect against neurodegeneration,” Paul Ehren, a master personal trainer and functional nutrition practitioner, told The Epoch Times.

Ehren added that resistance training also engages a part of the brain called the anterior mid-cingulate cortex, an area associated with motivation, effort, and persistence.

“When you push through tasks that feel hard or unpleasant, this area becomes more active and may even grow in volume, contributing to neuroplasticity and improved cognitive performance over time,” he said.

Start Safely

Knowing why resistance training is important doesn’t always make it easier to begin.

If possible, Ehren recommends finding a qualified coach.

“They can guide you through a safe and effective program, teach proper technique, and help you track progress over time,” he said.

When trying different techniques, it’s important to pay attention to how your body responds—ongoing soreness, poor sleep, low appetite, or constant fatigue can be signs that something is off. How our bodies respond matters just as much as the training itself.

“That’s where good coaching can help,” Ehren said.

Coaching also helps build confidence when starting resistance training, which can make it easier to stay motivated and improve performance.

That said, you don’t need a trainer or long and intense sessions to see results. Even small amounts of resistance training can improve strength and physical function in both younger and older adults. Two effective and realistic approaches include:

• High-Load, Low-Frequency Training: Fewer sessions per week, using heavier weights.


• Low-Load, High-Frequency Training: Shorter, more frequent sessions using light weights or bodyweight, sometimes called “resistance exercise snacking.”

For beginners, building muscle is possible with light weight and 15 or more repetitions, moderate weight and nine to 15 repetitions, or heavy weight and eight or fewer repetitions, as long as you’re working close to fatigue. To increase muscle strength, though, heavier loads are usually more effective.

For those with more experience, increasing how often and how much you train becomes key. To keep making progress, two training principles are essential. The first is progressive overload, which involves gradually increasing the challenge, such as adding more weight or reps. The second is variation, which means changing certain aspects of your training, such as the exercises or intensity, at regular intervals.

More variety isn’t always better. Swapping exercises too often, especially in every session, can make it more difficult to build consistency and avoid excessive soreness or fatigue. The benefits of exercise variation follow an inverted U-shaped curve—some variation is good for muscle growth—but too much can be counterproductive.

Ehren has tips for staying consistent with training. He says it isn’t about discipline—it’s about setting the brain up for success. He uses what he calls a form of dopamine stacking—repeating small rituals that have led to good sessions in the past. These rituals trigger dopamine and help his brain to expect a positive outcome and want to train again.

“I have my coffee, play rock music in the car on the way to the gym, and stick to a familiar warm-up routine.”

Tweak Diet

To get the most from resistance training, a few dietary tweaks can make a big difference.

Regularly eating balanced meals that include protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats helps provide the energy and satiety needed before a workout, dietitian nutritionist Sue-Ellen Anderson-Haynes told The Epoch Times.

“After training, it’s important to refuel with a combination of protein and carbohydrates, such as yogurt with fruit or an almond butter sandwich, to replenish glycogen stores and support muscle repair,” she said.

Meals are typically best timed about three to four hours before a workout, while snacks should be spaced about one hour before or after training, she added. For a personalized plan, it’s worth working with a dietitian who specializes in sports nutrition, she recommended.

Getting enough high-quality protein is also important. Ehren recommended about 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of ideal body weight.  That amount is roughly the equivalent of 4 1/2 to six chicken breasts per day for a 175-pound man.

“Don’t be afraid of starchy carbohydrates, especially around workouts,” he said.

Starchy carbohydrates are a source of glucose, the primary fuel your muscles rely on during exercise —especially high-intensity, short-burst-type exercise. When we eat carbs around workouts, starchy carbohydrates help maximize energy availability, improve training performance, and quickly replenish muscle glycogen afterward to support faster recovery.

Both overeating and undereating are common issues when it comes to building muscle and strength.

“To build muscle, you need to be in a calorie surplus, but not an excessive one, or you’ll see increases in body fat,” Ehren said.

It’s also important to stay hydrated, especially if training for longer than 60 minutes.

“While plain water is usually enough, electrolyte drinks like coconut water may better replace minerals lost through sweating,” Anderson-Haynes noted.