Building Muscle as You Age

It’s common knowledge that we lose muscle mass and strength as we age. This is known as sarcopenia.

As someone approaching their 40th birthday, I’m interested to know what the research shows about this syndrome.

So, I dug into the research to see what, if anything, could be done to reverse or at least slow down the physical decline we go through as we age.

What I discovered was fascinating, and I share all of it in this episode.

I’ll explain:

• Why do we lose muscle and strength as we age?
• That this rate of decay in physical capacity is not inevitable.
• How you can keep gaining strength and muscle mass up to your 60s.

There is a large amount of research on this subject, and it was eye-opening to dive deep and learn that we are all largely in control of how much muscle and strength we have as we age.

We Are Largely in Control of How We Age

The importance of healthy habits stacking on top of one another is crucial.

Likewise, the negative effects of bad habits compound very quickly.

I also discovered:

• Why most athletes peak in their 20s, but you can be at your best in your 40s and beyond.
• The key training strategies to implement as you age.
• Why your diet is absolutely crucial to you retaining muscle later in life.

If you apply what the research shows and implement the strategies I give in this episode, you can stay strong, muscular, and lean for decades to come.

You might not be an elite athlete in your 40s but, if you give your body what it needs, you can stay strong, lean, and fit. Doing so will serve you well for many decades and increase the chances of living a long and healthy life.

If you have any questions or comments about the show, please email me at

tom@breakingmuscle.com or drop me a DM on Instagram @tommaccormick.

You can also find this podcast sitting on top of all my other Six Pack of Knowledge podcasts (curated discussions with the greatest hypertrophy experts on the planet).

Or look for Breaking Muscle’s channel and podcasts on the following services: iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, Stitcher, PlayerFM, PodBean.