Strength training surge
Strength training is trending — the Washington Post on Mar. 17 gathered tips from five experts on how to lift safely, covering proper form, pull‑up technique and ideal frequency. (washingtonpost.com). Men’s Health is pushing the 'strengthspan' idea — train for longevity not just PRs — and offers practical plans to weave strength work into a lifetime routine. ( )
A British Journal of Sports Medicine commentary published in 2024 formally proposed the term “strengthspan” and was authored by Faigenbaum A.D., García‑Hermoso A., MacDonald J.P., Mortatti A., and Rial Rebullido T. (europepmc.org ). The authors defined strengthspan as a continuous metric of muscular strength — examples given include 1‑rep max, grip strength and functional strength tests — and argued preserving that metric across life contributes to better health outcomes and potentially added years of life. (bjsm.bmj.com ) Men’s Health’s “Maximum Strengthspan” rollout structures training across five named strength domains (absolute, explosive, aerobic, functional and aesthetic) and presents a four‑day‑per‑week framework with an optional “fit day,” a daily step goal of about 6,000–8,000 steps, and a nutrition guideline to eat around maintenance calories. (dailymotion.com menshealth.com ) The Men’s Health coaching notes and video repeatedly recommend working within roughly two reps in reserve on key sets (so final reps are challenging) and including at least one session per week that trains speed or explosiveness, not just maximal lifts. (dailymotion.com menshealth.com ) U.S. federal guidance — the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition — specifies adults should perform muscle‑strengthening activities involving major muscle groups on two or more days per week. (odphp.health.gov ) National surveillance data show uptake is limited: only about 24.2% of U.S. adults met both the aerobic and muscle‑strengthening federal guidelines in 2020, and NCHS reported 35.2% of men versus 26.9% of women met the muscle‑strengthening recommendation that year. (cdc.gov cdc.gov ) The Washington Post’s Well+Being coverage this week was paired with a Post Health YouTube clip featuring columnist Gretchen Reynolds emphasizing that even small amounts of weightlifting produce measurable health gains; the Post channel lists about 2.8 million subscribers and the clip showed roughly 26,847 views at publication. (youtube.com washingtonpost.com )
