The Truth About Building Muscle After 70 – PART 2

Why Power Training Beats Strength Training

for Lifelong Independence

In Part 1, we established that building muscle after 70 is not only possible but proven. Now, we dive into a crucial, often-overlooked concept that can transform your fitness from simply being “strong” to being functionally independent and resilient against falls.

This concept is Muscular Power.

Strength vs. Power: What’s the Difference?

• Strength is the raw ability to produce force. (e.g., Slowly standing up from a very low chair).
• Power is strength expressed quickly. (e.g., Swiftly stepping up onto a high curb, or catching yourself from a slip).

Power is what you use in every emergency and rapid daily movement. Critically, research shows we lose muscle power at a rate 2-3 times faster than we lose strength as we age. This is because we lose fast-twitch muscle fibers—the ones responsible for rapid, powerful movements—more rapidly.

Why Power is Non-Negotiable for the 60+ Population

1. Fall Prevention: A fall is a rapid event. To recover, you need to make a quick, powerful step or grab something rapidly. Strength alone is too slow; you need power to generate force fast enough to correct your posture.
2. Functional Independence: Power is required for:
   • Getting in and out of a chair briskly
   • Climbing stairs with purpose
   • Hoisting a suitcase into an overhead bin
3. Reversing Neurological Decline: Power training specifically trains your nervous system to recruit those crucial fast-twitch motor units more efficiently.

The Scientific Evidence for Power Training

The case for power training is built on decades of research, with recent studies providing overwhelming evidence.

The Landmark Foundational Studies:

Skelton et al. (1995) was one of the first to explicitly test power training in older women, finding it superior to strength training for improving abilities related to falling. Orr et al. (2006) reinforced this, showing high-velocity training led to greater improvements in dynamic balance and function.

The Recent, Overwhelming Evidence:

A powerful 2022 meta-analysis by Ramirez-Campillo et al. reviewed 20 studies and concluded that power training is superior to traditional strength training for improving physical function in older adults, including walking speed, chair rise time, and balance.

Furthermore, a 2023 systematic review by Fernández-Juárez et al. confirmed that focusing on moving with velocity (intent to move fast) is a highly effective method for significantly increasing muscle power in older adults.

The “Less is More” Power Principle

The best part? 

Effective power training aligns with the “less is more” principle. You don’t need to train for hours.

• The Secret: Intent. Power training is about moving with speed and intent, not necessarily with heavy weight. In fact, using a moderate load and moving it as fast as you can is often more effective and safer than grinding through a super-heavy, slow lift.
• Sample Power Exercises:
  • Sit-to-Stand (Power Version): Practice standing up from a chair as quickly as you can with good control.
  • Medicine Ball Throws: (Seated or standing) Throwing a light medicine ball against a wall.
  • Intentional Speed Training: During a leg press or chest press, push the weight with as much speed as you can during the lifting phase, even if the machine itself moves slowly. The intent to move fast is what recruits the power fibers.

Your Combined Prescription for Resilience

• Strength provides the foundational force.
• Power is the application of that force to the rapid demands of life.

By combining traditional strength exercises with power-focused movements, you build a body that is not only capable but also agile and resilient. You are building a neuromuscular system that can save you from a fall and keep you engaged with life dynamically.

The science is clear. 

It’s time to train smart, train with intent, and embrace the power that keeps you young.