Introduction
At Age Free Strength, we recognize the challenges aging presents in maintaining strength, muscle and mobility. Our programs are tailored to meet the specific needs of seniors, while being adaptable and applicable for all adults, regardless of age or gender.
There are numerous quotes from renowned longevity specialists such as Dr. Peter Attia (author of Outlive) that, in a nutshell, emphasize the critical role of strength training as we age. Here are some of his insights:
- Think of strength training as a form of retirement saving.
- You’ve got to be strong, and you’ve got to have muscle mass to accompany that strength.
- Never in the history of human civilization has a 90-year-old said, ‘I wish I had less muscle.’
Conventional science states, amongst many other things, that muscle mass in men and women decreases approximately 3–8% per decade after the age of 30 and this rate of decline is even higher after the age of 60.
Our programs will stop this decline and increase strength and muscle – all with safe and effective workouts that can be tailored to your individual needs and goals.
Our approach to strength training incorporates the science of biomechanics, physics, neurology, hypertrophy and muscle physiology – to optimize the anatomical motion, target muscle activation and exercise and workout efficiency. We apply this science to support the ‘why and how’, ‘how long’ and ‘how often’ we work out, but our promise to you is to always keep it simple and fun to encourage consistency.
We will include science references for those interested in exploring the details, but Age Free Strength will be the ‘go to’ website for living a healthy and vibrant life.
Our mission is to teach how to develop and maintain muscle mass, strength, flexibility and mobility, as we age - safely and free of exercise injuries.
Working Out Anywhere
Our exercises and workout routines are designed for versatility, allowing you to train effectively at home, while travelling and staying in hotels or vehicle touring and camping. The mounting of the equipment may vary, but the approach is the same.
We live in Australia and since I retired in August 2022, my wife and I have lived mostly on the road touring and camping as ‘grey nomads’ – which is Aussie for ‘aging tourers’.
Prior to us hitting the road I had a well-equipped home gym, with a cable/plate machine, dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands and a variety of benches.
With the weight and volume restrictions of our camping lifestyle, I’ve adapted the science-based exercises to specific equipment that takes up minimal space, weighs around 5kg, but delivers more than enough resistance. See this post for details of the equipment.
This equipment is all you need for a home gym also.
with Unitree PUMPS
We are very active retirees and it’s our outdoors camping lifestyle that was the catalyst for this Age Free Strength website. Watch this 3-minute YouTube video introduction.
Become a Member to experience our Optimal Exercises and Routines
The Science – in Simple Terms
The science behind our optimal strength training exercises is based on Doug Brignole’s ‘The Physics of Resistance Exercise’ and Doug and Moe Larbi’s SmartTraining 365 Courses, which are grounded on biomechanics, physics and neurology. In addition, we incorporate knowledge from a broad spectrum of resources including muscle physiology, hypertrophy (muscle growth) research, lifestyle and ‘anti-aging’ strategies.
While future posts will delve into these principles in greater detail, here’s a snapshot of the science we apply:
- Optimal muscle group exercise selection and form: Grounded in biomechanics, physics and neurology to ensure safe and effective training for each muscle group.
- Workout intensity, volume, rest periods: Informed by hypertrophy and muscle physiology research (Brad Schoenfeld, Chris Beardsley, Sam Buckner) and applied physiology via ‘Myo-Rep’ protocols (Borge Fagerli) to maximize gains, efficiency and performance.
- Training frequency and recovery: Balancing Routine workload and recovery based on hypertrophy and muscle physiology.
- Workout splits and exercise grouping: Influenced by all of the above science.
Putting the science into action leads to the following example principles:
- Muscles pull from insertion to origin: Muscles always pull from their insertion towards their origins, defining the anatomical motion of the movement.
- Alignment is the key: Exercise selection, stability and direction of motion must align with the opposing resistance and target muscle fibers. This ensures optimal muscle activation while prioritizing joint safety.
There are a many more principles that we apply to the equipment and ergonomics used, the exercise selection, volume, intensity, frequency, recovery and our programs. The above is just a small flavor, but when applied properly you will reap the benefits.
What We Offer and Cover
Age Free Strength offers a wealth of free content through our blog posts and pending email Q&A newsletters.
We have a Members-only section featuring detailed workout descriptions and instructional videos, accessible through an annual subscription.
In the meantime, our blog posts will go into detail, with examples, of why and how we work out and make recommendations for exercise equipment, nutrition and healthy living.
Some of the topics we will explore in our free content blogs include the following:
- Latest Research and Studies – How muscles grow and what do the latest studies, research and science suggest are the best protocols for growth and strength.
- Aging – what it means for strength, muscle, mobility, flexibility and vibrant health.
- Workouts for seniors and all ages – level of resistance/weights, volume (sets and reps), intensity, frequency and recovery.
- Workout Routines and Equipment while travelling, touring and camping.
- Routines for men and women – any differences?
- Consistency – the key objective and how to maintain it.
- The biomechanics, physics, neurology and muscle physiology behind exercise selection, efficiency, form and safety.
- Weight resistance training and cardio – combine or separate?
- Mobility and flexibility – what is enough and how to develop and maintain it.
- Diet and nutrition including fasting, vibrant longevity (latest research) and supplements.
- Losing fat and improving body composition.
- Sleep, de-stressing, meditation, breathing, therapies and supplements.
- Body types and genetics – we are all unique in how we respond to exercise and recovery.
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We look forward to working with you on our Age Free Strength journey, starting with the post links below
Nice simple website. Clear and concise. Gives me the info I need.
Thanks Austin, stay tuned for the first Post, ‘Working Out as we Age’
Advanced
Thanks Myah. First ‘post’ coming soon.