Picture this: You need to dig a hole in your backyard for a new garden. You head to your toolshed, grab your trusty screwdriver, and start scratching at the dirt. Sounds ridiculous, right? Yet that’s exactly what we’re doing when we rely solely on walking, gardening or anything besides strength training to keep us strong as we age.
Don’t get me wrong – I love a good walk! Walking is fantastic for your heart, mood, and overall health. Gardening keeps you moving and brings joy (plus homegrown tomatoes). But using these activities to maintain strength is like trying to dig that hole with a screwdriver – you’re using the wrong tool for the job.
The Tool Box Talk
Think about it: You wouldn’t use a hammer to cut wood or a saw to paint your walls. Each tool has its perfect purpose. The same goes for different types of physical activity:
- Walking is your paintbrush – great for adding color to your day and keeping your cardiovascular system happy
- Gardening is your pruning shears – perfect for flexibility and staying active
- But strength training? That’s your power tool – the only one that can actually build and maintain muscle mass and bone density
“But I’m Active Every Day!”
Meet Diana, one of our members who loves hiking. Two years ago, she told me, “I walk five miles a day and work in my garden – isn’t that enough?” She was using her metaphorical screwdriver with all her might, staying active but still feeling weaker each year.
Here’s the thing: research shows that after age 50, we can lose up to 10% of our muscle mass every decade if we don’t actively work to maintain it. No amount of walking or gardening can prevent that – it’s like trying to stop a leak with a band-aid.
The Right Tool Makes All the Difference
Josette is nailing it? At 75, she’s not just keeping up with her grandkids on the ski slopes – she’s leading the way. She has been strength training for 5 years. She walks a few times a week but it’s the strength training 2- 3x week that she does consistently is what keeps her skiing with her grandkids. Sure she loves skiing, but she’s told me it’s not really about the skiing, it’s all about the time on the slopes with the kids making laughter filled memories.
Then there’s Gerry, who no longer needs help carrying her cat litter. (Side note: why do cats need so much litter? It’s like they’re running a small beach resort in there.) Gerry used to think strength training wasn’t for her. Now she jokes that she’s considering entering strongwoman competitions. (She’s not really, but she could!)
Why Strength Training is Your Power Tool, especially in Stamford.
Strength training is like having the right power tool in your fitness toolkit:
- It builds and maintains muscle mass (no more struggling with those grocery bags)
- It increases bone density (because having breakable bones isn’t on anyone’s bucket list)
- It improves balance and coordination (making everything else you love doing safer and more enjoyable)
- It maintains your independence (because asking for help with jar opening should be optional, not mandatory)
“But I Don’t Know How to Use This Tool!”
Remember learning to use a power tool for the first time? A bit intimidating, right? That’s where proper instruction comes in. Diana, our hiking enthusiast, puts it perfectly: “I was terrified of doing it wrong. Now I realize strength training is just learning to use a new tool – and this tool helps me climb mountains!”
The Two-Year Tool Test
All three women – Josette, Diana, and Gerry – started their strength training journey about two years ago. None of them had lifted weights before. All of them thought they might be “too old” to start. Now?
- Josette is showing her grandkids how to pizza and french fry down the slopes
- Diana is hiking Oregon trails with her girlfriends
- Gerry is carrying her own cat litter (and probably enough supplies to stock a small pet store)
Time to Upgrade Your Toolbox?
If you’re still trying to dig holes with a screwdriver (metaphorically speaking), maybe it’s time to try the right tool for the job. Your future self will thank you – probably while carrying groceries, playing with grandkids, or planning the next big adventure.
Ready to add strength training to your toolkit? We promise no actual power tools are involved (though you might feel just as powerful). Contact us today to learn how to use the right tools for building the strong, capable body you deserve.
Remember: Walking is great. Gardening is wonderful. But strength training? That’s your power tool for living life on your own terms.
