How to live longer: ‘Never too late to start’ the ‘single most important exercise’- expert

Professor: Resistance training enhances strength production

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According to Nick Mitchell, the chief executive officer and founder of Ultimate Performance, resistance training is key when it comes to staying healthy. Speaking to Express.co.uk, he said: “Resistance training is the single most important exercise modality that we can have. This is because of the impact on things like insulin resistance and what that means for inflammation; because of the cognitive benefits that will come with that; because of the strengthening of the bones; because of what it will help do with blood pressure and things like that.”

He explained that two 45 minute sessions of weight training a week is “optimal” for those aged over 50.

“I know old people think the gym is somewhere where only young people should go, but for older people, it becomes more and more important,” he said.

“Sarcopenia is a medical term – it refers to age-related muscle loss. You need to fight that.

“You need to rage against the dying of the light. And one of the ways you do that is by resistance training.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean you have to get to a gym.

“You can get a couple of carrier bags and put some tins of beans in and lift them.

“You can do push-ups against the wall. If you can’t do real push-ups, you can sit up and down in a chair.”

“You want to stay as young and as active and as energetic and as vigorous as possible.

“So, you should be doing all the same things you did when you were young, but do them better and do them more consistently.”

Nick said it is “never too late” to start resistance training.

He added: “Even a 75-year-old man, who has never exercised before, can take up weight training.

“He is never going to be as good as he would be if he started when he was 25, but he can make profound improvement in his life.

“You can make profound health improvements and positive body composition changes in a relatively short space of time.

“So, it’s never, ever, ever too late.”

Nick explained further: “The body replaces about 330 billion cells every day.

“Every 80 to 100 days, the body replaces about 30 trillion cells.

“That’s the equivalent of a new you.

“That gives you a fresh start every 100 days or so.

“So, it’s never too late to start.

“It’s never too late to make an improvement.”

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