This week’s Trainer Talk is about improving the quality of life through strength training. What I mean by that is, what are all of the benefits that you get from resistance training or high intensity training that are outside of just physical appearance of your body. Some would argue that improving your aesthetic appearance improves your quality of life but that is something to unpack another day. As we age, more importantly we want to be able to continue to do the things we enjoy in life. Strength training can help us do those things. Whether it is golfing 9-18 holes without using a cart, playing with grandkids, staying sharp mentally at work, or traveling the world, strength training can help us keep our independence and physical function at its highest. One of the most interesting changes your body makes from strength training is the reduction of age characteristics of your mitochondria which are the powerhouse of the cell. Your cells will actually start functioning as a younger cell. A study was done with 68 year olds who were strength training and their cells started to function as 24 year olds after the strength training stimulus. Strength training also helps to improve flexibility, preventing the onset of dementia by reducing white lesion matter build up in the brain, and reduction in depression.