More evidence has come to light that our lifting efforts go beyond chasing PBs and improving body composition. A new study confirms that the stronger we are, the less likely we are to die prematurely. Lifting could keep us young, not only adding years to our lives but also improving our quality of life as we age.

According to the latest research, maintaining and gaining muscular strength, is a key factor in longevity. The study found that individuals with lower strength levels had a significantly higher risk of early death, reinforcing the idea that strength training isn’t just about aesthetics or performance — it’s essential for long term health.

The new study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research aimed to explore the relationship between muscle weakness and mortality in 14,178 Americans aged 50 years and older.

Researchers analysed handgrip strength data from 14,178 participants. Weakness was categorised using three measures:

• Absolute handgrip strength
• Handgrip strength adjusted for body mass
• Handgrip strength adjusted for BMI

These adjustments allowed researchers to assess strength independently of body size and weight.

The results showed that participants categorised as weak had a higher risk of early all cause mortality. Those with absolute weakness were 1.45 times more likely to die early, while the BMI adjusted handgrip strength groups’ weakness and body mass adjusted handgrip strength groups’ weakness were associated with 1.39 and 1.33 times higher mortality risk. When multiple weakness groups were combined, mortality risk increased even further.

The study concludes that weakness is associated with early mortality. The findings highlight the importance of maintaining muscular strength as we age and the significant impact that muscle strength has on our overall health and longevity. Stronger individuals, especially those who maintain muscular strength, are significantly less likely to face early death.

While the study used handgrip strength as a measure of strength, sadly that doesn’t mean if we just train our grip strength we will automatically live longer. It is just used as a reliable indicator of total strength, frequently used in studies. What it does mean, is that we should be prioritising our strength training, especially if we have goals of living longer and avoiding illness. This is supported by a multitude of other studies in the area of strength training and mortality, the jury is out: lift to live longer.

Other evidence shows that by training just once a week we can see strength enhancements, further encouraging us to pick things up and put them down again, not only for weight management but also to be harder to kill.

Kate is a fitness writer for Men’s Health UK where she contributes regular workouts, training tips and nutrition guides. She has a post graduate diploma in Sports Performance Nutrition and before joining Men’s Health she was a nutritionist, fitness writer and personal trainer with over 5k hours coaching on the gym floor. Kate has a keen interest in volunteering for animal shelters and when she isn’t lifting weights in her garden, she can be found walking her rescue dog.