FORGET ABOUT MUSCLE MASS AS YOU AGE, FOCUS ON STRENGTH

These days, you might think you have to become a power lifter to age well.

- HILARY ACHAUER

Dr Gabrielle Lyon, a celebrity physician, calls muscles “the organ of longevity”. For Dr Peter Attia, they're “the most important retirement accounts you can have”.

We're often reminded that muscle mass starts to decline as early as 30, and that it becomes harder to build muscle as we get older. But what are you supposed to do about it? And does the size of your biceps and quads really matter for longevity? Probably not, it turns out.

Experts say the secret to feeling strong in the long term is to focus less on the size of a muscle and more on what it can lift and how quickly, which helps you avoid chronic disease, falls and even admission into a nursing home.

In other words, we want our muscles to be functional so we can move heavy things, said Michael Ormsbee, a professor of exercise physiology at Florida State University. “That's strength. That’s power,” he said.

Everyone's strength demands are different — some people need to tote a 5kg laundry basket upstairs, others need to move household furniture, bags of cement or obstinate pets.

Therefore, the clearest sign you need to incorporate strength training into your routine is if you begin to adapt your daily life around the loss of strength, said Donald Dengel, a professor of exercise physiology at the University of Minnesota.