Think you need a gym, machines, or heavy weights to get strong?
Despite what many people think, the science says otherwise. Recent data shows older adults can get stronger using almost any resistance training approach – as long as the fundamentals are in place. A 2025 network meta-analysis pulled together data from 102 studies involving 4,754 adults around age 70. It compared different resistance training modalities and found something surprising.
Source: Wiedenmann T, Held S, Morat T, Rappelt L, Isenmann E, Berndsen E, Hopp NH, Donath L. The effects of different resistance training modalities on muscle strength in community-dwelling older adults: a network meta-analysis. Gerontology. 2025;71(7):576-588. doi: 10.1159/000546346.
