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Physical ability peaks at 35. Or at least, that’s the headline takeaway from a 47-year study by the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden.
For anyone younger, this feels like a lot of pressure. For anyone older, it’s rather disheartening news.
Yet I recently spoke to coach Ed Haynes, who trains hundreds of people of all ages – including his 76-year-old mother. Despite lacking the strength to hold a plank at 59, she now cranks out pull-ups, plays golf three times per week, swims most mornings and does plenty of other exercise besides.
So is she the exception that proves the rule? No. Rather, she reinforces the study’s results.
“It is never too late to start moving,” lead author Maria Westerståhl says. “Our study shows that physical activity can slow the decline in performance, even if it cannot completely stop it.
“…individuals who started being physically active in adulthood improved their physical capacity by 5–10 per cent.”
Haynes’ story is further proof that nuance tells us a more reliable story than an eye-catching headline. That is the theme of this week’s newsletter.
“Something that comes up a lot with my clients is biological age,” says Haynes. “Strength peaks around 35 and your body’s ability to recover is in decline [from this point], so people think they’ve missed the bandwagon and there’s no point in training. But many of these studies are based on people who have been training consistently from a young age.”
Exercise has immense value at any age – a recent interview on strength training’s many longevity merits made that clear. And if you are able to adopt a healthier routine than you had in your 20s, 30s or 40s, alongside some smart training methods, it is entirely plausible that you could become fitter now than you were then.
“You can still have your highest level of muscle mass in your 60s, and be hitting strength PRs in your 70s, because you’re so new in your training journey,” Haynes says. “The best time to start is now. You’re just going to have to manage your training and fatigue in a smarter way as you get older.”
Haynes is responsible for two of this week’s featured articles. In the first, he shares how he trained his mum to become her fittest self in her 70s. In the second, he reveals the six small lifestyle changes anyone can make to enjoy an immediate uptick in their health.
In another recent interview, I discussed all things posture with experienced physiotherapist Alex Morrell. His viewpoints might surprise a few people.
“There is no link between posture and pain,” he tells me. “Most people assume that back problems and back pain are linked to poor posture, and slouching in particular. But there is zero scientific research to support that.”
Again, value can be found in the nuance of his statement. He argues that “the best posture is the next posture” – in other words, humans are built to move, so staying in any position for hours at a time is likely to be unkind to your body.
Your body adapts to what you consistently ask it to do. If you sit down for most of the day with your hip flexor muscles in a shortened position, your body might tighten them to become more efficient at sitting, sometimes leading to dysfunction in the hips and surrounding areas.
Morrell’s remedy is delightfully simple: “If I’m slouching, I might sit more upright for a bit; if I’m sitting upright, I might slouch a bit more. If I’ve got the luxury of a standing desk and I feel stiff and sore while sitting down, I’m going to stand up. Or I might go and stretch my legs – go to the loo or make a coffee.
“It’s just about doing really simple things in a simple way, rather than catastrophising and exaggerating the impact of being at a desk.”
So what is our takeaway today? Well, you’re somewhat spoilt this week, for I’ve settled on two.
Firstly, exercise and movement are beneficial at all ages, and if you don’t do all that much currently, the best time to start is now.
Secondly, you will see a lot of health headlines nowadays designed to provoke strong reactions – pride, fear, guilt, comparison. Scratching beneath the surface and giving a nod to the nuance at play usually delivers a more measured, helpful message.
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