Strength Training and Longevity: Why Lifting Might Add 8 Years to Your Life
Strength training is no longer reserved for athletes or gym enthusiasts. Today, it is recognized as a core component of holistic health and preventative wellness. Research continues to affirm that consistent resistance training can extend your lifespan, support physical and emotional well-being, and enhance your quality of life well into later years.
Whether you are navigating hormonal changes, managing chronic stress, or simply seeking more vitality, integrating strength training into your weekly rhythm can offer powerful and lasting results.
Understanding Strength Training and Its Role in Longevity
Strength training involves working your muscles against resistance. This can take the form of lifting free weights, using resistance bands, engaging with bodyweight movements, or utilizing machines. While aerobic exercise benefits the cardiovascular system, strength training builds muscle mass, supports joint function, enhances bone health, and improves metabolic efficiency.
A large-scale study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that strength training was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular events, and cancer-related deaths. The impact was significant, with estimates suggesting that regular resistance training could add as much as eight years to your life ("Resistance training and mortality risk: a meta-analysis").
The Holistic Benefits of Lifting
At Saffron and Sage, we understand that health is multifaceted. Strength training does more than sculpt muscle. It plays a central role in regulating blood sugar, improving hormonal balance, stabilizing blood pressure, and reducing systemic inflammation.
It also supports mental and emotional wellness. Lifting has been shown to increase feel-good neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, helping to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. In fact, a review in JAMA Psychiatry reported that resistance training meaningfully improved mood and reduced depressive symptoms, regardless of training intensity or baseline health status ("Association of Efficacy of Resistance Exercise Training With Depressive Symptoms").
For individuals recovering from trauma, dealing with chronic pain, or navigating fatigue, strength-based movement can serve as both a therapeutic practice and a gateway to renewed self-connection.
How Strength Training Enhances Physical Health
Strength training strengthens much more than your muscles. When practiced consistently, it benefits multiple systems of the body.
1. Improves Bone Density
As we age, the risk of osteoporosis rises. Lifting weights increases bone mineral density, reducing the risk of fractures and falls. According to a study in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, postmenopausal women who engaged in regular resistance training experienced significant improvements in bone mass (Effects of Resistance Training on Bone Mineral Density in Older Adults).
2. Enhances Metabolic Function
Muscle mass plays a key role in glucose metabolism. More muscle mass means more glucose is absorbed, lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes. Lifting boosts resting metabolic rate, allowing you to burn more calories even when at rest.
3. Protects Cardiovascular Health
Contrary to the myth that weight training is bad for the heart, it has been shown to lower blood pressure, improve lipid profiles, and reduce arterial stiffness. A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that lifting weights for just one hour per week was associated with a 40% to 70% reduction in the risk of heart attack or stroke ("Resistance Exercise and Cardiovascular Disease Risk").
Types of Strength Training to Try
There are multiple modalities for resistance training, each offering unique benefits depending on your goals, lifestyle, and physical condition.
Bodyweight Exercises – Ideal for beginners or those recovering from injury. Includes squats, lunges, push-ups, and planks.
Free Weights – Dumbbells, kettlebells, and barbells allow for dynamic movement and core stabilization.
Resistance Bands – Portable and joint-friendly. Great for activating smaller muscle groups and supporting mobility.
Machines – Offer guided range of motion and safety for those new to lifting.
Functional Training – Mimics real-life movements like lifting, reaching, and twisting to improve daily function and reduce injury risk.
At Saffron & Sage in San Diego, we integrate these options based on each member’s unique needs through personalized wellness programming.
Who Should Be Strength Training?
The short answer is everyone. From younger adults to seniors, from those new to movement to those managing chronic conditions, strength training can be tailored to meet a wide range of health needs. It’s not about lifting the heaviest weights; it’s about consistency and progressive overload. The key is starting where you are and building from there.
Integrative wellness programs that combine physical movement, holistic health strategies, and therapeutic guidance help make lifting accessible and sustainable. Incorporating lifting into your wellness plan doesn’t require hours in the gym. Two to three sessions a week can yield significant results.
Integrating Strength into Holistic Wellness
At Saffron & Sage, our approach to wellness incorporates physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Strength training is more than a workout—it’s a form of therapy. It empowers members to reclaim their physical health, reduce chronic pain, regulate mood, and build resilience.
Our holistic practitioners evaluate your full-body health, lifestyle, and goals to integrate strength training with complementary services like acupuncture, nutrition therapy, and somatic therapy. This creates a sustainable and personalized path to optimal health and longevity.
Movement as Medicine
Strength training isn’t just a short-term fitness goal. It’s a long-term investment in your health, vitality, and independence. When supported with expert guidance, safe progression, and complementary therapies, lifting becomes a powerful tool for extending your lifespan and enhancing your quality of life.
The science is clear: muscle matters. Resistance training can reduce your risk of chronic disease, improve your mental health, and even help you live up to 8 years longer. With a personalized plan that integrates holistic health practices, lifting can become a cornerstone of your wellness strategy.
Ready to Integrate Strength Training Into Your Holistic Health Plan?
Discover how Saffron & Sage can help you move better, feel stronger, and live longer. Our team of integrative wellness experts offers personalized therapy, movement plans, and holistic strategies designed to optimize your physical health and well-being.
Located in San Diego, we specialize in bridging ancient practices with modern science to support your journey.
Contact us today at 619-933-2340 to speak with a care coordinator or learn more about our services.
Your healthiest years are still ahead. Let’s build them together.