Why Most Men Over 60 Stop Lifting Heavy — And The Science That Proves They Shouldn't

Men over 60 should continue heavy lifting at 70-85% of one-rep maximum because research shows this intensity range provides joint health benefits (35% reduction in joint pain and increased cartilage thickness) and muscle growth (2.1 kg lean mass gain over 20 weeks), while light training fails to provide the mechanical tension needed for muscle maintenance and actually deprives cartilage of nutrients through mechanotransduction.