13/05/2026
This is a really interesting article from "The Conversation," helping to explain why we now do our yoga therapy practice with light weights on our wrists and ankles.
https://theconversation.com/strength-training-may-be-the-key-to-healthy-ageing-276133 Article by Christopher Hurst, Senior Research Associate, Newcastle University
Some of the key takeaways for me are that:
Maintaining muscle strength combats sarcopenia, improves mobility, balance, and reduces the risk of falls and fractures.
Strength trainingโusing weights, resistance bands, or body weightโis the most effective way to build and maintain muscle, even with lighter weights if effort is high.
Healthy ageing is about staying independent, maintaining mobility and continuing to enjoy everyday activities as you get older. For many people, what matters most is being able to get out of a chair without help, carry shopping home, climb the stairs and recover quickly after illness. This may seem ordinary but it is deeply meaningful. These small acts underpin independence and dignity.
It is also not necessary to train every day. Evidence suggests a single session per week can be enough to produce meaningful gains in strength, particularly in people new to training.
The UK Health and Social Care select committee is currently examining how physical activity can support healthy ageing, with strength training forming part of the discussion.
Older people are willing to try strength training, even if they have never done it before, when exercises are tailored to their needs and supervised by qualified professionals.
Strength training is not about aesthetics or performance. It is about preserving function, confidence and your quality of life for as long as possible.
Maintaining muscle strength is one of the most accessible, effective and low-cost ways to influence how well we age.
For more information on working with light weights in my over 50s yoga therapy classes, please visit my website
https://www.oliviarigby-yogatherapy.co.uk/
or contact me, Olivia Rigby, on 07746197511 or olivia@oliviayoga.co.uk
Muscle loss increases fall risk and frailty with age. The good news? Just one weekly strength session can help maintain independence.