The Age-Well Project

Change the way you age

Get our posts direct to your inbox

  • About The Age-Well Project
  • Books
    • Our Books
    • Reviews
    • References
  • Blog
  • Recipes
    • Recipes By Ingredient
    • Breakfast
    • Dessert
    • Dinner
    • Drinks
    • Family
    • On The Go
    • Soups and Salads
    • Treats and Snacks
  • Contact
  • Events
  • Press

HOW TO BUILD MUSCLE ON THE SLY – AND WHY

October 27, 2020 25 Comments

18 months ago I was boarding a train to Scotland, when something life-changing happened. It was one of those small quiet moments of epiphany, an everyday moment but one that left me dazed and shaken.  The train was very full (remember those days?) and the only place for my small-ish suitcase was in the overhead luggage rack. I picked up my suitcase, preparing to toss it onto the rack, only to realise that I couldn’t raise it beyond shoulder-height. I stood in that packed compartment, my arms trembling, my suitcase wobbling. All around me, students were casually flinging their bags and backpacks onto the rack, while I scavenged for a space beneath the table, mortified, furious, and unexpectedly distressed at my sudden loss of independence.

For years I’d carried toddlers and children who weighed considerably more than my overnight case, lifting them in and out of car-seats, climbing frames, trees. But in the decade since, my strength had leached away. I vowed then and there to rebuild my muscle.  But I didn’t want to pump iron in a gym, so I found a way to build muscle on the sly (I’m rather proud of mine now).  My mantra since that fateful day has been ‘I will lift my own suitcase until I die… I will lift my own suitcase until I die…’

The train moment flashed back to me yesterday, when a friend told me that her mother had lost so much muscle mass she could no longer get up from a chair on her own.  This is a condition called sarcopenia, it’s increasingly common, and it’s still not widely known about. A few days ago I received an email from the American Alliance for Aging Research – currently running a campaign to draw attention to sarcopenia.

Muscle wastage sets in before we hit 30, with some researchers suggesting the age of 27 is the turning point.  It accelerates in our 50s, with men losing muscle more quickly and more dramatically, although this may be because they have more to lose in the first place.  Studies are wonderfully clear – all activity is good but resistance (weight) training is the most beneficial. Moreover, those who start strength training in mid-life are – predictably – less likely to get sarcopenia later on.  The government currently recommends we do two sessions of resistance or weight training a week, although research covered in a previous post suggests that 10 minutes a day is perfectly fine.

Anyway, as I sat on the train to Scotland (a charming student having stowed my suitcase on the overhead luggage rack with an ease that made me green with envy), I pondered my predicament, opened my laptop and began combing through pubmed, the global database of peer-reviewed scientific reports where I spend an indecent amount of time. I also thought back to my parents and grandparents who never went to a gym, but who regularly carried suitcases (remember the ones we used before wheelie cases?), who always carried heavy bags of shopping (no supermarket delivery man carrying bags to the fridge door), who lifted baskets of firewood, who cooked in cast-iron pans the weight of several bricks, who hoiked roots from the soil etc etc. And who never suffered from sarcopenia.

I’ll come back to my weight-training programme in a second, because this is the single most important things we can do to maintain our physical independence in old age. To boot, we now know that as our muscles deteriorate, so do our brain cells. In the meantime I’ve rechecked the latest research and here are a few other things we need to do:

Eat a healthy diet. High consumption of vegetables, fruit, oily fish and whole-grains has been associated with a stronger grip (a sign we still have muscle strength and one of the indicators used by doctors to see how well we’re ageing). Protein, Vitamin D, C and β-carotene are of particular importance for muscles. A recent study from my alma mater found that although vitamin C is important for muscles, an orange and a portion of peas (or equivalent) every day are quite sufficient.

Omega 3 is also critical for muscle. One study showed that for each portion of oily fish consumed, grip strength increased by 0.43kg in men and 0.48kg in women. Supplements have also been trialled and found effective for muscle, so if you don’t like oily fish take a supplement.

So.  Muscle-strengthening.  Muscles need to be contracted in three ways: concentric – that’s the movement involved when we lift a weight and the muscle fibres shorten and the muscle lengthens; eccentric – that’s the movement used when we lower a weight and the whole muscle lengthens; and isometric – that’s the continued contraction when we carry an object and the muscle must remain tense for a prolonged period.

In terms of my suitcase, when I lift it onto the rack my muscle contracts concentrically. When I lift it down from the rack, my muscle contracts eccentrically. And if I carry the case, my muscle contracts isometrically. The muscle needs all three movements to stay in peak form.  The latter contraction – isometric – gets little attention now unless you’re a body builder or a furniture remover. It’s often referred to as ‘loaded carry.’ And it’s important.

Loaded carry works many sets of muscles in one fell swoop. When we carry bags of shopping, for example, we work our arms and shoulders but also our abdominals, our core, and our leg muscles (if we’re walking at the same time). With every step, we also work on our stability and balance.  If we intersperse our walk-with-bags with a few minutes of raising and lowering our shopping bags (a sort of walking bicep curl), we make all three contractions, putting our arm and shoulder muscles through their full paces. Meanwhile we get Vitamin D from the sun, Nitric Oxide from breathing fresh air through our nose, social interaction from greeting passers-by and increased aerobic fitness from our ‘weighted’ walk (which I wrote about last week). We also reduce the amount of pollution circulating in the air because we’re not in our cars.

I think you can see where this is going. I didn’t want to sit on machines in a gym (even less so during COVID) so I started doing my shopping on foot, carrying the bags – as my mother and granny did all their lives. I know many people can’t do this, but I have no excuse. Alternatively you could park your car at the back of the car park and leave the trolley at the supermarket door so you walk for a few minutes with your loaded carry.

I stopped letting Mr Age-Well lift my suitcase, pack the car or anything else weight-bearing. On planes I stubbornly insisted on lifting all the family cases in and out of the overhead lockers. I took every opportunity to lift and carry, following advice about how to do this without hurting oneself (bend from the knees not the waist, turn with the feet not the torso, never carry more than is comfortable). I carted log baskets, lifted furniture, lugged boxes of books to the Oxfam shop. And I’m now (probably) stronger than I’ve ever been.

I also use hand-weights and do a few squats and the odd plank (which is an example of loaded carry) while watching TV or chatting to my family.  Incidentally, doing one arm is better than doing none. A fascinating study, reported this week, demonstrates that only working one arm (if you’re in a sling for example) preserves and creates muscle mass in both arms. Somehow the brain sends a message to the non-working arm, ensuring it remains active…Yet another example of how extraordinary our bodies are.

My point is this: if you want to keep your health and your independence, but don’t have the time, money or inclination to do regular weight-lifting programmes with a personal trainer or in a gym (which may be in lockdown anyway), you can build strength in other ways. I have no intention of returning to the suitcases my granny used (who doesn’t love a wheelie case?) but I rather enjoy my walk-with-shopping which ticks numerous boxes without me having to wear a stitch of lycra! Body-builders call this move (heavy bag in each hand) the ‘farmer’s carry’ and they practice it with barbells and sandbags.  Perhaps they should help out with the shopping a bit more…

Finally, I’ve been reading the autobiography of traveller and adventurer, Freya Stark.  It’s full of wonderful lines about the power of ageing. This one resonated with me: The unexpectedness of life, waiting round every corner, catches even wise women unawares, to avoid corners altogether is, after all, to refuse to live.

I’m preparing for those corners, those little unexpected bits of life – by ensuring I can (at the very least) lift, grip and carry.

Any ideas for everyday weight training on the sly? Please do share them…

Annabel

 

« HOW TO EXERCISE, NORWEGIAN STYLE
HOME HEALTH TESTS, OMEGA-3s AND AN AGEING WELL WEBINAR »

Comments

  1. Kathryn says

    October 27, 2020 at 4:42 pm

    Thank you! Made me smile and I am now contemplating carrying bags of shopping round my local common…yes, let’s do this!

    Reply
  2. Barbara Abbs says

    October 27, 2020 at 4:50 pm

    One for the summer: do not use a hose pipe for watering plants. Fill a watering can and use that!

    Reply
    • Annabel Streets says

      October 27, 2020 at 9:06 pm

      Yes, good idea! Water is surprisingly heavy… and you keep the plants happy too!

      Reply
  3. Mary Clark says

    October 27, 2020 at 5:09 pm

    Whenever I do laundry, I hold the full liquid detergent container (my husband always likes to have a spare) and do 10 plie squats. That’s 30 total for one load (in the washer, in the dryer, out of the dryer.) At least in the US this works–I know some of you have combination washer/dryers! 🙂

    Reply
    • Annabel Streets says

      October 27, 2020 at 9:05 pm

      Oh what a good idea – and it must make doing the laundry feel far more satisfying!

      Reply
    • Barbara Head says

      October 31, 2020 at 9:58 pm

      Some of us in England don’t have a dryer I put the washing out on the line. There is a lot of stretching involved.

      Reply
      • Annabel Streets says

        November 5, 2020 at 9:58 pm

        Great tip – and we have to run when the rain comes! Who knew laundry could be so good for us?

        Reply
  4. Tonia says

    October 27, 2020 at 5:43 pm

    Oh this is inspiring. Turns out I’m doing the carrying of loaded shopping bags across town on foot already.
    And I do bicep curls and planks and such like regularly. Use it or lose it.

    Reply
    • Annabel Streets says

      October 27, 2020 at 9:03 pm

      Gosh – you’ll be just fine! I honestly think carrying the shopping will be the hot new exercise of 2021!

      Reply
  5. Heather Mitchell says

    October 27, 2020 at 6:47 pm

    We are lucky to live 5 minutes from a coastal footpath and try to maintain a daily walk of at least 20 to 30 minutes down to the beach and back which also usually involves collecting driftwood for our log burning stove we invariably come back with branches and logs. We also collect sea weed for our organic garden which is a great fertiliser, a bag full is good exercise to carry back home. A good work out and we are recycling wood and seaweed who needs the gym.

    Reply
    • Annabel Streets says

      October 27, 2020 at 9:01 pm

      Exactly – that sounds infinitely more enjoyable and perfect isometric exercise!

      Reply
  6. Mrs Hilary Defriez says

    October 27, 2020 at 6:54 pm

    I walk three times a day for about 30 – 40 minutes each time, with Nordic poles: is this sufficient to build muscle in my arms? Mowing grass and strimming are good during the summer months, but that leaves about 7 English months to think about!

    Reply
    • Annabel Streets says

      October 27, 2020 at 9:00 pm

      Indeed! Nordic walking works 90% of your muscles – superb exercise!

      Reply
  7. Barbara Head says

    October 27, 2020 at 9:28 pm

    I love my Nordic poles they help with balance whilst walking along uneven footpaths. I play golf three times a week But at 84 I have trouble getting out of my armchair it drives me mad. Any advice would be welcome.

    Reply
    • Annabel Streets says

      October 28, 2020 at 5:59 pm

      Barbara, I’ve spoken to my sister-in-law who is a marvellous chiropractor and here is her advice:
      1. Tuck your feet under the chair, slide your bottom to the front of the chair, lean forward – then push off/up.
      2. Use the arm rests to push yourself up and for extra support. Or put your hands on your thighs and push down.
      3. Once you’re up, stay upright and still for a moment, before you start walking.
      4. This one’s for all of us (and you) – practise slow squats every day. Getting up from a chair is essentially a reverse squat. So if you guild strong glutes by doing regular squats you will be able to propel yourself up, in time.
      Happy squatting!

      Reply
  8. Jenny Robinson says

    October 28, 2020 at 8:19 am

    I love your ability to draw positive conclusions from a moment of failure! I would strongly urge you to put your misconceptions of weight training in Lycra in the gym to one side and re-visit the home workout. I love weight training but only at home and find that privacy and experimentation with different programmes really help my confidence. At 60, I am not keen to work out next to a toned and well dressed 30 year old but prefer to play with a range of home exercises using a range of equipment. My favourite is certainly a kettlebell workout using a YouTube programme on the TV. Short sessions of 30 mins max are really empowering

    Reply
    • Annabel Streets says

      October 28, 2020 at 10:44 am

      That’s a great tip, Jenny. Building strength is certainly empowering, and delighted you are enjoying it. I look forward to trying out a kettlebell… Thanks!

      Reply
  9. karen says

    October 28, 2020 at 1:24 pm

    I do an 23 – 30 minute exercise program daily called Essentrics. You use your body weight to strengthen and lengthen your muscles while stretching. I highly, highly recommend it. xo karen

    Reply
    • Annabel Streets says

      October 28, 2020 at 5:51 pm

      I’ll definitely look into that… Thanks for the tip!

      Reply
  10. Chris Marchant says

    October 28, 2020 at 5:43 pm

    This completely explains my own experience over the past 18 months. Having always prided myself on a fine muscled physique, I find myself struggling with weights in everyday situations. People are kind and rush to assist, when in fact i actually need to keep working at it. Thanks to this post I know exactly what to do to retain my mobility and strength. Thank.you!

    Reply
    • Annabel Streets says

      October 28, 2020 at 5:53 pm

      It’s very liberating (and motivating) to know that we can all rebuild muscle – keep lifting and carrying!

      Reply
  11. Annette van der Leij says

    October 30, 2020 at 7:24 am

    Could you please let me know the title of Freya Stark’s autobiography you are reading.

    Reply
    • Annabel Streets says

      October 31, 2020 at 8:37 pm

      Traveller’s Prelude … She’s an amazing woman!

      Reply
      • Annabel Streets says

        November 7, 2020 at 12:21 pm

        Whoops – it was Beyond Euphrates (not Traveller’s Prelude, although both are autobiographical). Apologies!

        Reply

Trackbacks

  1. MYSTERIOUS REASONS FOR WORKING OUR MUSCLES - The Age-Well Project says:
    April 2, 2021 at 5:25 am

    […] means repeatedly worked).  We’ve written about the three different types of contraction here, but until recently muscle work was only considered an effective means of building and preserving […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Welcome to The Age-Well Project

Welcome to The Age-Well Project!
Here you’ll find easy changes for a longer, happier life. We’ve immersed ourselves in the science of longevity and distilled the research to make it work in our everyday lives. You can change the way you age: here’s how.

Favourite Posts

WHY I’VE THROWN OUT ALL MY BEAUTY PRODUCTS (nearly…)

Why Alzheimer’s Is A Women’s Issue

HOW HAVING A DOG CHANGED MY LIFE

GREEN SPACE IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH

SUGAR, CHOCOLATE, SADNESS AND BRAIN-BOOSTING BISCUITS

WHY ‘INFLAMM-AGEING’ COULD START IN THE GUT AND HARISSA-ROASTED VEGETABLE SALAD

POLYAMINES – THE NEW SECRET WEAPON FOR AGEING WELL & MOROCCAN SPINACH AND CHICKPEAS.

THINNING AGEING HAIR – WARM CHICKEN LIVER SALAD

About The Age Well Project

This site is for anyone who wants to make the second half of their life as healthy, happy and disease-free as possible. Sign up to get the latest research on ageing – and delicious recipes to match – direct to your inbox.

agewellproject

⭐️Change the way you age
📚The Age-Well Project + Age-Well Plan ⭐️Get tips & recipes on our blog - sign up ⬇️

The Age-Well Project blog
Everything we’ve learnt about ageing well points Everything we’ve learnt about ageing well points to a time (for women at least) in their mid-60s when the chronic conditions of ageing, like diabetes, heart disease and dementia, are - statistically - more likely to kick in. 

And we know that our reproductive hormones do so much more than prepare us to have periods and babies, we have receptors for them throughout our bodies and brains. 

Oestrogen, in particular, helps keep bones strong, blood vessels flexible, brains firing and inflammation levels low. Essentially, it wraps us up in a cosy protective cloak to keep us safe and healthy while we're able to reproduce, but once the eggs have run out - we're on our own! 

Between the average age of menopause at 51, and that time in our 60s when the chronic conditions of ageing are more likely to kick in, we have a decade or so in which it’s vital to focus on our health.

And how to do that? It’s on the blog - link in bio

#longevity #womenover50 #agewell #ageingwell #agingwell #longevityblog #healthblog #agewellblog #over50bloggers #womenover50 #healthspan #womenover60 #menopause #menopausehealth #postmenopause #postmenopausefitness #postmenopausal #oestrogen #hormonalhealth
If you’re lucky enough to have good metabolic he If you’re lucky enough to have good metabolic health you might want to thank your Mum today. Recent studies have found that women who move around during their reproductive years and during pregnancy and then breastfeed for a bit pass on a compound in their milk called 3SL which provides lifelong protection against poor metabolic health. The offspring of moving, breastfeeding Mums appear to have a lower lifetime risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other chronic metabolic disease. Even gentle strolling during pregnancy and while nursing can produce this compound. So today we thank our Mums for that - as well as everything else.  Susan’s mum in the hat. Annabel’s mum in the pony tail. 

#mothersday #mothers #move #agewell #goodhealth #longevitylifestyle #longevity #walk
There’s been lots of good news for walkers recen There’s been lots of good news for walkers recently. A study published last month found that over-60s who walked between 6000 and 9000 steps a day cut their risk of heart disease (including strokes and heart attacks) by 40-50 percent, when compared to a more typical 2000 steps a day. In fact this study found that for every additional 1000 steps walked, the risk fell still further. 

How far are you walking to age well? Let us know in the comments and there’s more on the power of walking on the blog - link in bio

#longevity #womenover50 #agewell #ageingwell #agingwell #longevityblog #healthblog #agewellblog #over50bloggers #womenover50 #healthspan #womenover60 #walking #womenwhowalk #womenwhohike #reversewalking #backwardswalking #walkingbackwards
A big hug from us to you to mark International Wom A big hug from us to you to mark International Women’s Day! 

The campaign this year reminds us to embrace equity as a way to recognise that each of us has different circumstances, and we need different resources and opportunities to reach an equal outcome. Of course, this is as vital in ageing and health outcomes as in every other field.  

So we’re embracing our age and hoping to grow older in a more equitable society ❤️

#internationalwomensday #embraceequity #embracequity2023 ##longevity #womenover50 #agewell #ageingwell #agingwell #longevityblog #healthblog #agewellblog #over50bloggers #womenover50 #healthspan #womenover60 #iwd2023 #madformidlife
We’ve learned to love walking backwards! So many We’ve learned to love walking backwards! So many benefits when it comes to ageing well. 

If you’re not sure how to start or are worried about looking silly (we were) - there are lots of tips on the blog, link in bio. 

If you’re a backwards walker, let us know in comments below! 

If you’re planning to start, save this post for when you’re ready for some reverse walking 

#longevity #womenover50 #agewell #ageingwell #agingwell #longevityblog #healthblog #agewellblog #over50bloggers #womenover50 #healthspan #womenover60 #walking #womenwhowalk #womenwhohike #reversewalking #backwardswalking #walkingbackwards
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Contact Us

For any enquiries please email theagewellproject@gmail.com.

Copyright © 2023 The Age-Well Project