Once you cross your mid-thirties, fitness goals often shift from chasing aesthetics to preserving strength, mobility and long-term health. But many people still wonder: Is it too late to build muscle? Does strength training really make a difference after 35? And what exactly improves when you start lifting weights consistently? As metabolism changes and recovery slows with age, understanding how strength training works becomes even more important.
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Chennai-based fitness trainer with 18 years of experience, Raj Ganpath – founder of the Slow Burn Method, co-founder and head coach at Quad Fitness, and author of Simple, Not Easy – has addressed four crucial questions about strength training after the age of 35. In an Instagram video shared on February 12, the fitness trainer breaks down what truly matters when it comes to building strength beyond your mid-thirties.
1. Will it help you build muscle?
The first question Raj addresses is whether strength training actually helps build muscle. His answer is nuanced: it can contribute to muscle growth, but that isn’t its primary goal. He explains that strength training is fundamentally designed to make you stronger – not necessarily to maximise muscle size.
The fitness trainer explains, “Will strength training actually help you build muscle? The answer – maybe, maybe not. Because strength training is about becoming stronger, not necessarily about building more muscle. In fact, the way you get stronger is through neuromuscular coordination, proprioception, and better muscle recruitment. That means you are teaching your body how to use the existing infrastructure, existing muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, connective tissue in order to do more work. How to become stronger as a system, not necessarily just by building more muscle.”
2. What exactly is getting stronger?
The second question Raj explores is what strength training truly strengthens. While it certainly contributes to muscle development, he clarifies that its benefits extend far beyond that. Strength training also fortifies bones, connective tissues, tendons, ligaments and joints – reinforcing the entire musculoskeletal system and making the body more resilient over time.
He elaborates, “What exactly is getting stronger? Muscles, of course, but not just muscles. When you load your body, the stress is also on your bones. So, as a result, your bones get stronger. But your connective tissue, tendons, and ligaments, which connect bone to bone and muscle to bone are also working hard and they get stronger also. And because your muscles, bones, and connective tissue get stronger, your joints become much stronger.”
3. How to know you’re really getting stronger?
Raj points out that the benefits of strength training can be experienced both qualitatively and quantitatively. On a practical level, it makes everyday tasks – from lifting groceries to climbing stairs – feel noticeably easier. At the same time, measurable performance in the gym improves, with greater power and control in compound movements such as pull-ups, push-ups, squats, deadlifts and bench presses.
He explains, “How do you know you are actually getting stronger? Qualitatively, you feel it. Activities of daily life feel easier. You’re able to climb stairs better. You’re able to lift things in your daily life. You don’t get exhausted as often. Quantitatively, you will notice that your big movements, your squats, deadlifts, bench press, push-up, pull-ups, these movements, your reps or your load increases, you want to track them over the course of many weeks and months to understand how much stronger you’re getting.”
4. What are the essentials for long-term strength?
Raj recommends prioritising three core habits: lifting weights consistently, consuming adequate protein and getting sufficient sleep. Together, these pillars support muscle recovery and adaptation, helping you build strength effectively and sustain long-term progress.
He explains, “What are the things that you should definitely do if you want to get strong and stay strong in the long term? Lift weights, eat enough protein, and sleep a lot. Specifically, lift weights three to four days a week, eat 1.5 grams of protein per kilo of your body weight, and sleep at least seven hours. So, yeah, lift, eat, sleep consistently, and be patient.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
