#1 Strength Training Mistake Often Made By Over-50s

Will Harlow, over-50s specialist physio, advises:

Adaptive training

The most common mistake is not bad form or the wrong exercises—it’s not training with enough intensity, which stops strength and muscle gains and can even lead to decline over time. Not pushing close enough to your limit means your muscles don’t get the stimulus needed to grow or strengthen—mild discomfort at the end of a set is where progress starts.

Yes, you still need to be sensible and not try to train like professional athlete (unless you are actually at that level, of course), but intensity isn’t about necessarily lifting heavy and it’s certainly not about pushing through pain—it’s about the effort you’re putting in, and that can come just fine from using light or moderate weights or even body weight.

So, after a set, ask how many more reps you could’ve done with good form—aim for just 2–3 reps left in the tank; if you could’ve done 10 more, it was too easy.

Of course, some exercises do not come in reps, like isometric exercises, or running. That’s fine; there are more ways to do it, just by looking at the final period, instead:

How to self-check your effort:

• Was that set/period a 7–8 out of 10 in difficulty?
• Did your last rep/period require real focus (but still with good form)?
• Did you feel muscle fatigue (e.g. shaking, labored breathing, extra concentration)?

Final note: intensity will change as you get stronger, so keep adjusting your effort level gradually while staying safe and avoiding injury.

For more on all of this, enjoy:

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Take care!