# Strength training

Strength training is structured exercise. You load your muscles against resistance. That can be free weights, machines, bands, or your own bodyweight. The load drives two things: nerve adaptation and muscle protein synthesis. It does more than build muscle and bone. It also sharpens your insulin sensitivity, your mitochondria, and your metabolic health. In longevity research, regular resistance training is consistently linked to good outcomes. It lowers all-cause death. It helps you stay independent later in life. And it cuts your risk of frailty and falls.

## Sources

- American College of Sports Medicine. (2009). American College of Sports Medicine position stand: progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181915670
- Williams MA, Haskell WL, Ades PA, et al.. (2007). Resistance exercise in individuals with and without cardiovascular disease: 2007 update. Circulation. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.185214

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_Canonical: https://longevity-switzerland.com/en/glossary/strength-training · Part of Longevity Cities · Updated 2026-06-22_