Muscle mass and strength decrease as we get older, and strength training is one of the few things that works against that. The Dutch guidelines are clear about it, and you do not need a gym to start.
What the guidelines say
The Health Council of the Netherlands published the current movement guidelines (Beweegrichtlijnen) in 2017. For adults and older adults they are:
- At least 150 minutes a week of moderate activity, such as brisk walking or cycling, spread over several days.
- At least twice a week muscle- and bone-strengthening activities. For older adults, combined with balance exercises.
- Avoid sitting still for long periods.
The second point is the one most people skip. Walking is good for your heart and your mood, but it does not load your muscles and bones the way strength training does.
Starting at home
A simple routine of four or five exercises, twice a week, covers the guideline. For example:
- Squats to a chair: sit down slowly and stand up again without using your hands.
- Wall or table push-ups.
- Lunges or step-ups on the bottom stair, holding the banister if needed.
- Rows with a resistance band or a light dumbbell.
- Standing on one leg while brushing your teeth, for balance.
Do each exercise for 8 to 12 slow repetitions, rest, and repeat two or three times. When it starts to feel easy, make it a little heavier: more repetitions, a heavier weight or a slower movement. That gradual increase is what makes strength training work.
If you have a heart condition, joint problems or have not exercised for a long time, ask your doctor or a physiotherapist to help you set up a routine.
Protein
Muscles need protein. The Health Council advises 0.83 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for adults, including people over 60. Protein contributes to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass. Read more in Protein after 50.
Where creatine fits in
Creatine is one of the few supplements with an EU-authorised claim that is specific to older adults: in adults over 55, daily creatine consumption can enhance the effect of resistance training on muscle strength. The conditions matter. The effect is obtained with 3 g of creatine a day, in combination with resistance training at least three times a week for several weeks, at an intensity of at least 65 to 75 percent of the maximum weight you can lift once, with the load increasing over time.
So creatine is something to add to a training routine, not a replacement for it. One scoop of our Strong gives you 3.96 g of creatine.
Sources
- Gezondheidsraad, Beweegrichtlijnen 2017, samenvatting.
- Gezondheidsraad, advies Voedingsnormen voor eiwit (2021).
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/672 authorising a health claim on creatine and muscle strength in adults over 55.
