Strength Training Helps Older Adults Maintain Muscle
A 72-year-old powerlifter shows how targeted exercise can help offset natural muscle loss during the later years of life.
Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Body Building
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In March 2026, 72-year-old St. Louis resident Sally Haas won her age category at the USPA Tested Missouri State Championships. Her performance highlights the potential for sustained strength training to support physical independence in older adulthood.
Why it matters
Strength training is a critical intervention for counteracting the age-related muscle loss that typically accelerates after age 60. By maintaining muscle mass, older adults can better preserve the functional strength required for daily independence.
Muscle mass typically peaks between age 30 and 35, with loss accelerating at 3 to 5 percent per decade after that point. Sally Haas demonstrated the potential to offset these trends by competing at age 72, though the clinical long-term joint outcomes of heavy lifting at this age are unknown.
The players
Sally Haas
A 72-year-old athlete and social media creator who trains at The Edge Fitness Clubs.
Zach Cayer
The personal trainer who oversees the strength training program for Sally Haas.
The Edge Fitness Clubs
A fitness facility in Shrewsbury where Sally Haas conducts her strength training.
The details
Sally Haas achieves her results through compound movements including barbell squats, deadlifts, and bench presses. Her training protocol focuses on lifting to failure, which involves performing repetitions until proper form can no longer be maintained. This method promotes muscular hypertrophy and neuromuscular adaptation, which are essential for offsetting the natural decline in muscle fiber size and density.
Timeline
2023: Sally Haas moved from Chicago to St. Louis.
March 2026: Sally Haas won her age category at the USPA Tested Missouri State Championships.
October 23, 2026: Article publication date.
Health Landscape
Current public health guidelines emphasize 150 minutes of weekly moderate aerobic activity for older adults to maintain cardiovascular health. This story underscores the importance of resistance training as a necessary, complementary pillar for preserving functional independence as muscle mass naturally declines.
If you are interested in starting a strength-training routine, it is worth discussing appropriate compound movements with a qualified trainer or your physician. Focus on a program that challenges your current physical state safely while prioritizing the maintenance of independence.
The takeaway
Maintaining muscle mass is a key factor in protecting your long-term independence as you age. Consider talking to your primary care physician about integrating safe, supervised resistance training into your weekly movement goals.
Further reading
For more on building functional strength at any age, explore our Body Building section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by St. Louis Magazine.
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