Are You Strong… or Are You Athletic? Why It Matters More as You Age

Most people understand the importance of staying strong as they get older. We hear it all the time: lift weights, maintain muscle, protect your bones, and stay active. And all of that is important. But there’s another question I think we should be asking:

Are you strong—or are you athletic?

Because there is a difference.

You can be strong enough to squat, deadlift, push, and pull impressive amounts of weight and still have difficulty reacting quickly, changing direction, maintaining your balance, or catching yourself when you stumble.

As we get older, those abilities become increasingly important.

Strength Is the Foundation

Strength gives us the ability to produce force. We need it to get out of a chair, climb stairs, carry groceries, pick something up from the floor, and continue doing many of the things we take for granted. That's why I believe strength training should remain an important part of an exercise program as we age.

But strength is only one piece of the puzzle.

Think about what happens when you unexpectedly trip on a curb.

You don't have five seconds to think about what you're going to do.

Your body has to react immediately.

You need enough strength to support yourself, but you also need balance, coordination, power, and the ability to produce force quickly.

That's athleticism.

Athletic Doesn't Mean Playing Sports

When people hear the word athletic, they often picture a young athlete sprinting, jumping, or competing. But athleticism isn't reserved for athletes.

For someone in their 50s, 60s, or 70s, athleticism might mean being able to:

• Catch yourself when you stumble.

• Step quickly in another direction.

• Maintain your balance on an uneven surface.

• Slow your body down safely.

• Get up from the ground.

• Move quickly when the situation requires it.

• Continue playing golf, pickleball, tennis, hiking, traveling, or simply keeping up with the grandchildren.

These are athletic abilities, even if you never step onto a playing field.

Strength vs. Power

Here's another important distinction. Strength is your ability to produce force. Power is your ability to produce that force quickly. You might have enough strength to stand up from a chair.

But what happens when you suddenly lose your balance?

Now your muscles have to produce force quickly enough to stop you from falling. That's why maintaining power as we age matters. Training doesn't always have to be slow and controlled.

Once someone has developed an appropriate strength foundation, certain exercises can gradually be performed with greater speed and intent.

A controlled squat might eventually be complemented by a faster sit-to-stand.

A traditional step-up might progress to a quicker step-up.

A controlled lateral movement might eventually become a faster side step.

The exercise doesn't necessarily have to become extreme.

The intent becomes faster.

Can You Absorb Force?

There's another part of athleticism that doesn't get nearly enough attention: deceleration.

We're always talking about producing force.

But can you absorb it?

Every time you walk down stairs, step off a curb, change direction, or stop yourself from moving forward, your muscles have to absorb force. The better your body becomes at controlling those forces, the better prepared you may be for unexpected movement.

That's why I like incorporating controlled lowering exercises, single-leg movements, balance exercises, lateral movements, and eventually appropriate landing and deceleration drills.

We're teaching the body not only how to move—but how to control movement.

Don't Forget Reaction

This may be one of the biggest missing pieces in traditional exercise programs for older adults. Life isn't predictable. You don't know when you're going to step on something uneven, lose your footing, bump into someone, or have to move quickly.

Your nervous system has to recognize what happened and your muscles have to respond.

That means training should occasionally challenge reaction, coordination, and movement—not just strength.

Something as simple as responding to a visual or verbal cue, stepping quickly in different directions, catching a ball, or performing controlled balance challenges can introduce a reactive component to training.

Train for the Life You Want to Keep Living

I'm a huge believer in strength training, and that isn't going to change. But as we get older, I don't think our goal should simply be to maintain muscle.

We should be trying to maintain capability.

That means developing and preserving:

Strength. Power. Balance. Coordination. Reaction. Deceleration. Mobility.

You don't have to train like a 20-year-old athlete. You simply need to continue challenging the physical qualities that allow your body to perform when you need it. Because aging doesn't mean you have to stop being athletic. The definition of athleticism simply changes.

Strength gives you the foundation. Power helps you use that strength quickly. Balance and reaction help you respond to the unexpected.

And together, those qualities help you keep doing the things you love.

Don't just train to be strong.

Train to stay capable.

To learn more about strength training, check out my book "Stay Young Now" on Amazon.com

Jason Kelly