Dr. Vonda Wright

So there is never an age or skill level when our body will not respond to the strategic stress you put on it. So get a trainer for your dad.

So there is never an age or skill level when our body will not respond to the strategic stress you put on it. So get a trainer for your dad.

You know, I was just reading this morning, actually, that even with a 10-week hiatus from, let's say you're lifting consistently, even with a 10-week hiatus, you will retain muscle memory so that you don't make serious declines, which is a little relief to me because I'd spent a little while with this book.

You know, I was just reading this morning, actually, that even with a 10-week hiatus from, let's say you're lifting consistently, even with a 10-week hiatus, you will retain muscle memory so that you don't make serious declines, which is a little relief to me because I'd spent a little while with this book.

So you retain muscle memory and you can quickly, once you get started again, get back up to the place you were. So all is not lost if you take a few days off. The minimum, if we're really working at it, is a couple days a week, progressively lifting harder for men in midlife. It's about eight reps, four sets for women once we've trained to the place we can lifting heavy, four reps, four sets.

So you retain muscle memory and you can quickly, once you get started again, get back up to the place you were. So all is not lost if you take a few days off. The minimum, if we're really working at it, is a couple days a week, progressively lifting harder for men in midlife. It's about eight reps, four sets for women once we've trained to the place we can lifting heavy, four reps, four sets.

And when I say that out loud, I get a lot of comments about somebody's going to get hurt. Well, it's true. But you have to work your way up to that. Like any sport, you have to work your way towards that level. Because what we're trying to do by lifting heavier, especially for women, is replace the anabolic stimulus that estrogen once was. You must work hard enough. Estrogen creates growth.

And when I say that out loud, I get a lot of comments about somebody's going to get hurt. Well, it's true. But you have to work your way up to that. Like any sport, you have to work your way towards that level. Because what we're trying to do by lifting heavier, especially for women, is replace the anabolic stimulus that estrogen once was. You must work hard enough. Estrogen creates growth.

We must signal our body by the intensity of our work to build muscle. And lifting heavy does that. So if you're starting on the couch, start with bands. Start with light weights. Start with the mamby-pamby pink weights that I rail against. But don't stay there. Continue to work your way up in a progressive way to heavy lifting, total body at least twice a week to maintain.

We must signal our body by the intensity of our work to build muscle. And lifting heavy does that. So if you're starting on the couch, start with bands. Start with light weights. Start with the mamby-pamby pink weights that I rail against. But don't stay there. Continue to work your way up in a progressive way to heavy lifting, total body at least twice a week to maintain.

Well, it depends what you want. So lighter weights, higher reps will function for hypertrophy, for bigger total muscle, but not necessarily power and strength. In midlife and beyond, I am lifting for longevity and power. So I'm not as interested as I once was in the bigness of my muscle. I am interested in can it move powerfully over time? Can I get up off the floor?

Well, it depends what you want. So lighter weights, higher reps will function for hypertrophy, for bigger total muscle, but not necessarily power and strength. In midlife and beyond, I am lifting for longevity and power. So I'm not as interested as I once was in the bigness of my muscle. I am interested in can it move powerfully over time? Can I get up off the floor?

Can I lift my suitcase above my head? So lifting for power is lower reps, higher weights. So it just depends what our goal is. You may be focused on hypertrophy right now, which is fine because you've not reached the critical decade.

Can I lift my suitcase above my head? So lifting for power is lower reps, higher weights. So it just depends what our goal is. You may be focused on hypertrophy right now, which is fine because you've not reached the critical decade.

Yeah. Higher reps, lower weights.

Yeah. Higher reps, lower weights.

Six, eight. That's right.

Six, eight. That's right.

I do four.

I do four.