Why Endurance Athletes Should Lift Heavy and Train Speed and Power

Endurance athletes are often told to avoid the weight room, or to stick with light weights and high repetitions so they do not get “bulky” or slow. The research says otherwise. Heavy strength training and speed and power work can make runners more efficient, and they do not have to cost you your engine.

There is a catch, though, and it is one that headlines like “lift heavy” tend to skip. Strength training is a skill. You earn the right to lift heavy by learning how to move well first.

This post covers what the research says, why speed and power work belongs in a runner’s week, and how to bring both in safely.

Does Strength Training Actually Make Runners Faster?

Mostly yes, and the main reason is not bigger muscles or a bigger engine. It is efficiency.

Running economy describes how much oxygen you use to hold a given pace. Two runners with the same VO2max can perform very differently if one of them spends less energy at race pace.

A 2008 study by Støren and colleagues had well-trained runners add eight weeks of heavy half squats (four sets of four repetitions, three times a week) to their normal running. Running economy improved by about 5%, and time to exhaustion at maximal aerobic speed improved by 21.3%. VO2max and body weight did not change (Støren et al., 2008).

A systematic review of 24 studies found that strength training generally improved running economy by 2 to 8% compared with running alone, though not in every study (Blagrove et al., 2018). A separate meta-analysis in highly trained runners reached a similar conclusion (Balsalobre-Fernández et al., 2016).

These gains come without a change in VO2max. You are not building a bigger engine. You are helping the one you have use less fuel.

Why Heavy?

Heavy lifting trains your nervous system to recruit more muscle fibres, and to do it more efficiently. You can get stronger without getting much bigger. Each stride then costs a smaller percentage of your maximum strength, so the same pace feels easier.

Load matters. A 2022 meta-analysis of long-distance runners found a small benefit to running economy from heavy resistance training, while plyometric training on its own had a trivial effect. Programs using loads near 90% of one-rep max showed greater effects than lighter loads (Eihara et al., 2022). A 2024 meta-analysis found that high-load strength training improved performance in middle and long-distance runners, and that combining methods may help more (Llanos-Lagos et al., 2024).

One caution: the studies above enrolled runners who were already trained and, in most cases, comfortable with the lifts. They tell us what heavy loading can do once someone is ready for it. They do not tell a beginner to start there.

Strength Is a Skill: Build the Foundation First

If you are new to lifting and cannot yet hinge, squat or lunge with good control, we are not loading you heavy. Lifting heavy before you can move well is how people get hurt, and how they end up with technique habits that are hard to undo.

This is what we call the general physical preparedness phase. It is usually higher volume and lower load, and its job is to build capacity: learning the fundamental patterns, strengthening tissues that have not been loaded much, and building the work capacity to handle harder training later.

How long this takes depends on the person. In my experience, a true novice usually spends two to three months here, but it can stretch to five or more, especially if we only see each other once a week. That is a coaching observation, not a research finding. Frequency, previous training history, and how quickly movement quality develops all change the timeline.

Once the movements are solid, the weight goes up and the repetitions come down. Someone with a lifting background can reasonably get there much sooner. The standard is not a calendar date. It is being able to perform the main patterns with control, consistently, under fatigue.

What About Speed and Power?

Strength is only part of what a running stride asks of you. Your foot is on the ground for a fraction of a second, which is far less time than a heavy squat takes. Rate of force development (RFD) is how quickly you can produce force, and power work trains that.

In a well-known study, Paavolainen and colleagues had endurance athletes replace part of their training with explosive work, including sprints, jumping drills and fast leg press and knee extension exercises, for nine weeks. Their 5 km time, running economy and maximal speed on a treadmill running test improved, while a control group that only did endurance training saw no change. VO2max did not change in the explosive group (Paavolainen et al., 1999). The sample was small (10 vs. 8 athletes), so treat it as supportive rather than final.

A review by Rønnestad and Mujika (2014) agreed that combining endurance training with either heavy or explosive strength work improves running economy. Proposed explanations include better neuromuscular efficiency and greater musculotendinous stiffness. Our post on dorsiflexion in plyometric training goes deeper on how the ankle works like a spring.

Power work does not have to start with anything complicated. Snap downs and med ball slams are introductory drills that teach you to produce force quickly and with intent. From there, we can progress to pogos, skipping, box jumps, broad jumps and other plyometrics as your landing mechanics and tissue tolerance allow. If you run trails, our post on strength training for trail running covers how this applies to climbs and uneven terrain.

Won’t Lifting Make Me Bulky or Slow?

The research on runners suggests this worry is largely unfounded. In the Støren study, body weight did not change, and running economy improved without a change in VO2max (Støren et al., 2008).

Muscle gain depends on training volume, nutrition and total energy intake. A few heavy, low-repetition sets alongside high running volume is not a bodybuilding program.

The bigger risk is the opposite one: stacking hard lifting on top of too much hard running without enough recovery. That is a programming problem, not a reason to avoid lifting.

Does Lifting Prevent Injuries?

This is less clear than people claim. A large review of exercise interventions found strength training was the most effective single intervention for reducing sports injuries overall (Lauersen et al., 2014), but that review covered many sports, not only running.

For runners specifically, the evidence is mixed. I would not promise that lifting will keep you injury-free. What I will say is that stronger tissues tolerate load better, and that supervised, well-progressed training is a sensible way to build that tolerance.

Principles for Applying This

Learn the movements before you load them

Technique comes first. If you cannot hinge, squat, lunge and brace well at light loads, more weight will not help you. Build the foundation, then progress.

Start the session with speed and power

When we train this, I usually begin with speed and power work, then move into heavy lifting, then accessory work. Power needs a fresh nervous system. If you try to jump or throw after a hard set of squats, quality drops, and quality is the point of those drills. This is session order. It is separate from the long-term progression above, which still moves from foundation to heavier loading as you get ready for it.

Keep the aerobic base the priority

Strength and power work supports endurance training. It does not replace it. Keep most of your running easy while you develop your aerobic base, and use strength work to complement it. If time is tight, two sessions a week is a realistic starting point, and intensity and consistency matter more than frequency (see our post on whether two days of strength training is enough).

Key Takeaways

•          Strength training improves running economy, often by roughly 2 to 8%, without raising VO2max.

•          Heavy loading shows larger benefits than light, high-repetition work, but the studies mostly involved trained runners who were already ready for it.

•          Strength is a skill. Novices need a general physical preparedness phase to learn the movements and build capacity before lifting heavy, and that can take months.

•          Speed and power work trains how quickly you can produce force. Snap downs and med ball slams are good starting drills, with pogos, skipping, box jumps and broad jumps to follow.

•          Injury prevention evidence for runners is mixed. Expect better load tolerance, not a guarantee.

•          In a session, power work generally goes first, then heavy lifting, then accessories.

Work With Avos Strength

If you are a runner in Vancouver wondering how to fit strength and power into your training, get in touch and we can build a plan around your goals and race calendar.

References

Balsalobre-Fernández, C., Santos-Concejero, J., & Grivas, G. V. (2016). Effects of strength training on running economy in highly trained runners: A systematic review with meta-analysis of controlled trials. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 30(8), 2361-2368. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001316

Blagrove, R. C., Howatson, G., & Hayes, P. R. (2018). Effects of strength training on the physiological determinants of middle- and long-distance running performance: A systematic review. Sports Medicine, 48(5), 1117-1149. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-017-0835-7

Eihara, Y., Takao, K., Sugiyama, T., Maeo, S., Terada, M., Kanehisa, H., & Isaka, T. (2022). Heavy resistance training versus plyometric training for improving running economy and running time trial performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine - Open, 8, 138. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-022-00511-1

Lauersen, J. B., Bertelsen, D. M., & Andersen, L. B. (2014). The effectiveness of exercise interventions to prevent sports injuries: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 48(11), 871-877. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2013-092538

Llanos-Lagos, C., Ramirez-Campillo, R., Moran, J., & Sáez de Villarreal, E. (2024). The effect of strength training methods on middle-distance and long-distance runners’ athletic performance: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 54(7), 1801-1833. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-024-02018-z

Paavolainen, L., Häkkinen, K., Hämäläinen, I., Nummela, A., & Rusko, H. (1999). Explosive-strength training improves 5-km running time by improving running economy and muscle power. Journal of Applied Physiology, 86(5), 1527-1533. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1999.86.5.1527

Rønnestad, B. R., & Mujika, I. (2014). Optimizing strength training for running and cycling endurance performance: A review. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 24(4), 603-612. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12104

Støren, Ø., Helgerud, J., Støa, E. M., & Hoff, J. (2008). Maximal strength training improves running economy in distance runners. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 40(6), 1087-1092. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e318168da2f

You Should Not Get Injured During a Training Session

Written by Evelyn Calado, MKin, CSCS, RKin

If you leave a training session injured, something has gone wrong.

That is not normal. It should not be expected. And it is not part of “training hard.”

I have been in this industry for over a decade, and I have seen far too many situations where clients get hurt in the weight room. Not because of bad luck, but because of poor decisions.

The Gym Should Be One of the Safest Places You Train

Think about it.

The weight room is a controlled environment.

• You control the load

• You control the movement

• You control the pace

• You control the rest

Compare that to sport, where there are opponents, unpredictable movements, and variables you cannot control.

In theory, your injury risk in the gym should be extremely low.

That does not mean training is easy. You should still be challenged. You should still push your limits.

But it should be done in a controlled and intentional way.

Where Things Go Wrong

Most training-related injuries are not random. They come from avoidable mistakes.

1. Ego-Based Training

This is one of the biggest issues.

A client walks in, maybe they look strong or athletic, and the session becomes about proving something. The load goes up too quickly, technique breaks down, and fatigue is ignored.

That is how people get hurt.

2. No Plan

This is more common than people think.

Clients come in and have no idea what they are doing that day. The trainer is choosing exercises on the spot with no structure, no progression, and no record of previous sessions.

Without a plan, there is no progression. Without progression, there is no direction. And without direction, you are just accumulating risk.

3. Poor Exercise Sequencing

Fatigue matters.

If someone is pushed to the point of exhaustion through their legs and core, and then asked to perform a heavy compound lift, that is a problem.

That is not “hard training.” That is poor decision-making.

4. Ignoring the Individual

Not every client should move the same way.

Mobility, injury history, movement patterns, and training experience all matter. If those are ignored, you are forcing someone into positions they are not prepared for.

That is where breakdown happens.

Soreness Is Not the Goal

Another misconception is that a good session should leave you unable to move.

If your trainer’s goal is to completely destroy you, that is a red flag.

• You should not struggle to sit at your desk

• You should not be unable to walk for days

• You should not feel worse instead of better

Anyone can make you tired.

It takes skill to build a program that challenges you, progresses you, and still allows you to function.

What Good Training Actually Looks Like

Good training is not random. It is structured.

• There is a clear plan

• There is progression over time

• Your loads and performance are tracked

• Exercises are selected for a reason

• Intensity is managed, not guessed

You are pushed, but within your capacity.

You improve, without being completely broken down in the process.

Playing the Long Game

At Avos Strength, the focus is simple:

Train. Play. Repeat.

The goal is not to win a single session. The goal is to keep you training consistently, improving over time, and continuing to do the things you enjoy.

That means:

• Checking your ego at the door

• Building progressively

• Respecting your current capacity

• Training with intention

The Bottom Line

The gym should not be where you get injured.

Can things happen occasionally? Yes. But injuries should be rare, not expected.

If you have worked with a trainer and felt unsafe, unsupported, or left sessions worse than when you walked in, that is not something you should accept.

You deserve better coaching than that. If you're looking for a coach who trains you with a plan, not just intensity, you can learn more about 1-on-1 training here.

Osteopenia and Strength Training for Women: What Happens Before Menopause

Written by Evelyn Calado, MKin, CSCS, RKin

There is a persistent misconception that bone loss is something that “just happens” after menopause. By the time many women start thinking seriously about bone density, the process of loss is already well underway.

Osteopenia and strength training are directly linked, yet most women are not told how early bone loss actually begins.

Bone health is not a passive outcome of aging. It is an active, dynamic process shaped by hormones, mechanical loading, and energy availability across the entire female lifespan.

Understanding osteopenia requires understanding one central principle: bone is living tissue, constantly undergoing remodeling through the opposing actions of osteoblasts and osteoclasts.

Bone Remodeling: The Balance Between Formation and Breakdown

At any given moment, your skeleton is not static. It is metabolically active.

• Osteoblasts are responsible for bone formation

• Osteoclasts are responsible for bone resorption

In a healthy system, these processes are tightly coupled. Bone that is broken down is replaced with new, strong bone. The integrity of your skeleton depends on the balance between these two forces.

Estrogen plays a critical regulatory role in maintaining this equilibrium.

Estrogen as a Regulator of Bone Turnover

Estrogen is not just a reproductive hormone. It is deeply involved in musculoskeletal health.

It functions, in part, by:

• Inhibiting excessive osteoclast activity

• Supporting osteoblast survival and activity

When estrogen levels are stable, bone turnover remains balanced. But when estrogen becomes low or erratic, this regulatory system begins to fail.

Estrogen does not “leach calcium from bone.” Its decline removes inhibitory control over osteoclasts, allowing bone resorption to outpace formation.

The result is a gradual reduction in bone mineral density, what we clinically recognize as osteopenia, and eventually osteoporosis if left unchecked.

Perimenopause: The Underappreciated Inflection Point

Much of the conversation around bone health focuses on postmenopause. However, perimenopause is a critical and often overlooked phase.

This is not simply a state of low estrogen. It is a state of hormonal volatility.

During perimenopause:

• Estrogen levels fluctuate unpredictably

• Progesterone exposure becomes inconsistent

• The coordination of tissue remodeling processes becomes impaired

These fluctuations influence:

• Bone turnover

• Muscle protein synthesis

• Recovery capacity

The net effect is a physiological environment that becomes increasingly catabolic, meaning tissue breakdown can begin to exceed tissue formation.

This is why bone density decline can begin before menopause is complete.

The Muscle–Bone Unit: Why Strength Matters

Bone does not exist in isolation. It is functionally linked to muscle through what is often referred to as the muscle–bone unit.

When muscle contracts, it exerts mechanical force on bone. This mechanical strain is the primary stimulus for bone adaptation.

Without sufficient loading, the body interprets bone as metabolically expensive and unnecessary, and osteoclastic activity increases accordingly.

Strength training directly targets this system.

Through high-load resistance exercise:

• Muscle force increases

• Mechanical strain on bone increases

• Osteoblast activity is stimulated

• Bone mineral density is preserved or improved

This is not a marginal effect. It is one of the most powerful non-pharmacological interventions available for maintaining skeletal integrity.

If you are unsure where to start, an individualized approach begins with an initial assessment.

Why Endurance Alone Is Not Enough

Many active women assume that being “fit” is sufficient to protect bone health. However, endurance training does not provide the same osteogenic stimulus as resistance training.

In fact, without adequate nutrition and strength work, high volumes of endurance exercise can:

• Increase cortisol and systemic stress

• Contribute to low energy availability

• Impair bone formation

Bone health requires specific, targeted mechanical loading, not just general activity.

Why Strength Training Is Essential for Women’s Bone Health

Dr. Stacy Sims is explicit. Strength training is not optional for women. It is a lifelong requirement.

General recommendations include:

• At least 2 to 3 strength sessions per week

• Emphasis on heavy resistance, not just light weights

• Inclusion of compound lifts and power-based movements

This becomes even more critical during perimenopause and beyond, when:

• Muscle mass becomes harder to maintain

• Hormonal support for tissue repair declines

• The risk of accelerated bone loss increases

Strength training is not simply about preserving aesthetics or performance. It is about maintaining structural integrity.

For most people, this requires structure, progression, and accountability, which is exactly what personalized training provides.

The Compounding Effect of Muscle Loss

Muscle loss and bone loss are interconnected.

As muscle mass declines:

• Mechanical loading on bone decreases

• Bone formation signals weaken

• Risk of fragility increases

Hormonal environments during this phase can also increase muscle protein breakdown, making it harder to maintain lean mass without intentional intervention.

This creates a feedback loop:

Less muscle leads to less bone stimulus, which leads to weaker bone and higher injury risk.

Strength training interrupts this cycle.

Bone Health Is Built, Not Preserved

One of the most important reframes is this:

You are not trying to hold on to bone. You are trying to continually build and reinforce it.

Bone is responsive tissue. It adapts to the signals it receives.

• If the signal is inactivity, bone loss occurs

• If the signal is chronic stress without adequate fuel, bone loss occurs

• If the signal is heavy loading with adequate nutrition, bone strength improves

Perimenopause does not mark the end of this adaptability. It simply raises the stakes.

Final Thoughts

Osteopenia is not an inevitable consequence of aging. It is, in large part, the result of mismatched physiology, where hormonal changes are not met with appropriate mechanical and nutritional support.

Estrogen may set the stage, but behavior determines the outcome.

Strength training, done consistently and with sufficient intensity, provides the necessary stimulus to:

• Maintain bone mineral density

• Preserve lean muscle mass

• Counteract the catabolic shifts of hormonal fluctuation

For women entering perimenopause, this is not optional. It is essential.

And the earlier this foundation is built, the more resilient the system becomes over time.

This is why most of the women we work with are already incorporating structured resistance training before these changes begin, many of them through our hybrid coaching program.

Source

Dr. Stacy Sims, ROAR

Is Two Days per Week of Strength Training Enough for Longevity?

Written by Evelyn Calado, MKin, CSCS, RKin

If you look at most public health guidelines, the answer seems straightforward. Adults are advised to perform muscle-strengthening activities at least two days per week. This recommendation appears in Canadian, American, and international guidelines and applies to both adults and older adults.

But this raises an important question.

Is two days per week simply the minimum needed to check a health box, or is it actually enough to support long-term health, independence, and longevity?

The short answer is that two days per week can be enough, but only under specific conditions. Frequency alone does not determine whether strength training meaningfully impacts longevity. The quality and intensity of the stimulus matter far more than the number of days on a calendar.

What the Guidelines Actually Mean

Public health recommendations are designed for populations, not individuals. Their goal is to identify the lowest effective dose of activity that meaningfully reduces disease risk at a broad scale.

When guidelines recommend strength training twice per week, they are not suggesting that this is optimal for strength, muscle mass, or performance. They are identifying a threshold below which health risks increase, particularly as we age.

In other words, two days per week is a floor, not a ceiling.

Strength Training and Longevity: What the Research Actually Shows

Research consistently shows that resistance training is associated with lower all-cause mortality, reduced cardiovascular disease risk, and improved long-term health outcomes. From a public health perspective, even relatively small amounts of strength training appear to provide meaningful benefit.

However, it is important to be precise about what these findings actually represent.

Most large-scale longevity studies are designed to identify the minimum effective dose of strength training required to reduce population-level risk. They are not designed to define what is optimal for building strength, preserving muscle mass, or maximizing physical capacity across the lifespan.

In this context, it is true that one to two well-performed strength training sessions per week capture a substantial portion of the longevity benefit observed in epidemiological research. Beyond that point, additional sessions do not appear to reduce mortality risk in a simple, linear fashion.

This does not mean that training more is unnecessary, nor does it suggest that strength beyond a certain point stops being valuable. It simply reflects how longevity is measured in large populations.

For individuals interested in aging well, remaining strong, and protecting themselves against injury, disability, and loss of independence, the goal should not be to meet the minimum dose, but to build and maintain as much usable strength as possible over time.

Longevity vs Capacity: Two Different Goals

It is worth separating two concepts that are often conflated.

Training for longevity focuses on reducing disease risk and maintaining basic function. Training for capacity focuses on building strength, muscle mass, power, and resilience.

While two strength sessions per week may be sufficient to support longevity-related outcomes and can improve strength and muscle mass, they are often not the most effective approach for maximizing those qualities long term, particularly in trained individuals or as we age.

From a coaching perspective, the objective is not to do the least amount of work required to stay alive. The objective is to build a body that remains capable, robust, and adaptable for decades.

That typically requires more than the minimum.

Grip Strength, Brain Health, and Why Strength Is More Than Muscle

One of the most compelling demonstrations of strength’s relationship to long-term health comes from research on grip strength.

A large prospective study using data from nearly 500,000 adults in the UK Biobank examined the association between hand grip strength and dementia incidence. Grip strength, often used as a proxy for overall muscular strength, was found to be strongly and inversely associated with dementia risk.

Individuals in the lowest quartile of grip strength had a 72 percent higher incidence of dementia compared to those in the highest quartile.

This finding is important for two reasons.

First, it reinforces that muscular strength is closely tied to neurological and cognitive health, not just physical capability.

Second, it highlights that simple, measurable indicators of strength can reflect deeper systemic health. This is one reason grip strength is included in assessments such as the Avos Performance Battery. It provides insight into overall robustness, not just hand function.

Strength training, when performed with sufficient intensity, appears to play a meaningful role in preserving mobility, independence, and long-term brain health.

Strength Still Matters Even When Cardio Is “Good Enough”

Another frequently overlooked point is that strength contributes to longevity independently of cardiovascular fitness.

A long-term study following approximately 1,500 men over the age of 40 with hypertension for nearly 18 years examined the relationship between muscular strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, and mortality risk.

The findings were striking.

Even among men who were only in the bottom half of cardiorespiratory fitness, those in the top third for muscular strength had an almost 48 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality compared to those in the lowest strength group.

In other words, being strong mattered, even when aerobic fitness was not exceptional.

The lowest mortality risk was observed in individuals who were both strong and aerobically fit, but strength alone still provided a substantial protective effect. This reinforces the idea that resistance training is not optional if longevity is the goal.

Is Two Days per Week Enough in Practice?

This is where nuance matters.

For many adults, particularly those with limited time, two well-designed strength training sessions per week can meaningfully support long-term health. When performed with sufficient intensity and progression, this approach can maintain and often improve key outcomes such as:

• Muscular strength

• Muscle mass (particularly in untrained individuals or those returning to training)

• Bone health

• Joint capacity and tissue tolerance

• Metabolic health

• Overall function and independence as you age

However, outcomes depend on the goal, training history, and how the sessions are structured.

If an individual’s goal includes maximizing lean muscle mass, strength, power, or creating a larger buffer against age-related decline, training more than twice per week is often useful. This is not because two days “doesn’t work,” but because additional sessions often make it easier to accumulate more high-quality weekly training volume, practice key movement patterns, and progress without excessively long sessions.

Frequency alone does not determine effectiveness. What matters is whether training provides enough mechanical tension, effort, and progression to challenge the tissues that decline most rapidly with age.

Using five-pound dumbbells indefinitely, avoiding effort, or treating strength training as light activity rather than progressive overload is unlikely to produce meaningful adaptation.

Two high-quality sessions can outperform several low-effort ones. But for many people seeking to age strong, three to four sessions per week can be a practical way to accumulate more total weekly work and drive continued progress, especially once the “beginner gains” phase has passed.

Aging Changes the Equation

As we age, muscle protein synthesis becomes less responsive, strength declines faster than endurance, and power loss accelerates. This means that intensity and intent become increasingly important over time.

For older adults, two days per week may still be sufficient, but only if:

• Exercises are appropriately loaded

• Movements challenge balance and coordination

• Strength is trained through meaningful ranges of motion

• Progression is maintained where possible

Training “often enough” is not the same as training “effectively.”

At Avos Strength, we build programs around your training history and goals, not just the minimum guidelines. If you want to know whether your current training frequency is actually driving progress, you can book an assessment here.

Strength Training for Longevity: Staying Active, Capable, and Competitive as You Age

Written by Evelyn Calado, MKin, CSCS, RKin

For most people, aging means slowing down, getting injured more often, and gradually stepping away from the sports or activities they once loved.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.

At Avos Strength, one of our core goals is helping people stay active and strong enough to keep doing what they love. Whether that’s playing hockey, hiking, running around with grandkids, or competing in tennis well into their seventies.

Longevity isn't just about living longer. It's about being able to play longer.

Strength Training Is the Foundation

The research is clear: strength training is one of the most powerful tools for healthy aging.

The Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines recommend that adults engage in strength training at least two times per week. Not just walking. Not just stretching. Strength work.

Why?

Because as we age, we naturally lose:
• Muscle mass (sarcopenia)
• Bone density (osteopenia)
• Balance and coordination
• Speed and power

None of that is inevitable if you stay consistent and take action early.

Strength training helps maintain lean mass, reinforce bone density, improve joint integrity, and significantly reduce the risk of falls, fractures, and injuries. It improves your ability to move, lift, rotate, decelerate, and react. These skills matter whether you’re skiing or just stepping down a curb.

Our Clients Are Proof

We work with clients in their sixties, seventies, and beyond who are still playing high-level sports. Hockey. Tennis. Pickleball. Soccer.

They’re not outliers because of genetics. They’re still going because they’ve trained consistently for years. They’ve built capacity and resilience. And now they’re seeing all their peers slow down, drop off, or get injured while they’re still showing up and performing.

That’s not luck. That’s training age, smart coaching, and commitment.

It's Never Too Late to Start

You don’t need to start in your thirties or forties to benefit from strength training.

We’ve seen people start in their sixties and still build muscle, improve balance, regain confidence, and feel better than they have in years.

The science backs this up. You still have the ability to increase strength, coordination, and motor control at any age. What matters is that you start now and do it with support and structure.

The Right Attitude Is Just as Important

Training isn’t just physical. It’s mental. And the attitude you bring into the gym matters just as much as the exercises you do.

We don’t work with clients who say things like:
"I can’t do that."
"I’m too old."
"That’s not for someone like me."

Because the more you say you can’t, the more you won’t.

You still have the ability to wire new movement patterns, build new neural pathways, and develop new skills. Research shows that your brain and body are capable of adapting well into later life. You just have to give them the opportunity.

We will always coach you safely and program with purpose. But you need to be willing to try.

The clients who see long-term success are the ones who stay curious, open, and engaged. They say yes more than they say no. That mindset carries them forward.

This Is a Lifestyle, Not a 3-Month Fix

At Avos Strength, we don’t believe in quick fixes or short-term programs. This isn’t a three-month transformation. This is long-term development.

Strength training is not just about lifting weights. It’s about:
• Building confidence in your body
• Staying resilient against injury
• Learning skills that stay with you
• Creating structure in your week
• Building meaningful relationships with coaches and teammates who support you

Our clients train with us because they want to live well and play hard for as long as possible. And they enjoy the process along the way.

The Bottom Line

Strength training is one of the best investments you can make for your future self.

Whether you're trying to stay in the game, reduce your injury risk, or simply move better and feel stronger, it’s never too late to start. What matters is that you stay consistent, train with intention, and surround yourself with people who care about your long-term success.

Train. Play. Repeat.

If you're ready to build a strong, capable version of yourself, we’re here for that.
Book a session with Avos Strength and let’s get started.

How Long Does It Take to See Results From Training?

Written by Evelyn Calado, MKin, CSCS, RKin

Whether you're lifting to build muscle or grinding through cardio to boost your conditioning, it’s natural to ask: How long until I see results? The answer depends on the type of adaptation you're chasing—and how consistent you are.

This post breaks it down by phase:

• Muscle strength and hypertrophy

• Aerobic conditioning (aerobic base and VO₂max)

• And how long it takes to lose your progress if you stop

Let’s dive into what the research says.

Strength & Muscle Gains: What Changes First?

Phase 1: Neural Adaptations (0–4 weeks)

In the first 2–4 weeks of strength training, most improvements come from neural adaptations. Your brain and nervous system get better at recruiting muscle fibers, stabilizing joints, and coordinating movement. You may lift more—but not because the muscle is larger.

📚 Research Insight: Moritani & deVries (1979) showed early strength gains are primarily neural. Hypertrophy starts later.

Phase 2: Muscle Hypertrophy (4–12 weeks)

Hypertrophy (muscle fiber growth) generally begins around week 4–6, with visible muscle changes occurring between weeks 6–12 depending on genetics, volume, nutrition, and training history.

📚 Schoenfeld (2010) found hypertrophy requires progressive overload, typically ~10+ working sets per muscle group per week for noticeable gains.

What’s a Reasonable Rate of Progress?

• Beginners: 1–2 lbs of muscle per month is realistic (in a calorie surplus)

• Strength Increases: ~2.5–5% increase in working weight every 1–2 weeks for major lifts is reasonable for novices

• Progress slows for intermediate/advanced trainees; expect gains over months, not weeks

Conditioning: Aerobic Base and VO₂max

Building an Aerobic Base (Zone 2)

The aerobic base improves stroke volume, mitochondrial density, and fat utilization—especially through lower-intensity, longer-duration training (Zone 2).

• Beginner Timeline: ~8–12 weeks of 3x/week Zone 2 sessions (~30–60 min) to build a meaningful base

• Markers of Progress: Lower resting HR, improved repeatability, faster recovery between intervals

📚 Seiler & Tønnessen (2009): Elite endurance athletes spend ~80% of training in Zone 1–2, highlighting the importance of the aerobic base.

VO₂max Improvements

VO₂max is partly genetic—but also highly trainable, especially in untrained individuals.

• Beginners: Can see a 15–20% increase in VO₂max within 8–12 weeks

• Trained Individuals: Gains slow dramatically; might take years to improve VO₂max by an additional 5–10%

📚 Bouchard et al. (1999): Genetics account for ~25–50% of VO₂max variability, but training still plays a big role in untrained populations.

How Long Does It Take to Lose Gains?

The process of losing strength or conditioning is called detraining. It’s not instant—but it happens faster than most expect.

Muscle & Strength Loss

• Strength: Maintained fairly well for ~2–3 weeks of no training

• Muscle Size: Minor atrophy starts around 3–4 weeks of full rest

• Total Deconditioning: ~8–12 weeks of inactivity can lead to noticeable reductions in strength and size

📚 McMaster et al. (2013): Power output and strength decrease more rapidly in trained individuals during inactivity.

Conditioning & VO₂max Loss

• VO₂max: Can decline by 5–10% after just 2–4 weeks of inactivity

• Endurance performance: Degrades faster than strength, especially in high-level athletes

• Mitochondrial function: Begins to regress within a week or two

📚 Mujika & Padilla (2000): VO₂max can fall by ~20% within 8 weeks of full detraining.

Train smarter, not just harder. Results take time—and the key is consistency. If you want to build sustainable strength and conditioning, start with a plan that matches your level and lifestyle.

Need a program that does exactly that? Get in touch for custom training options tailored to your goals.