A longevity expert has revealed the simple exercise that may predict how healthy you age.
Dr Peter Attia, a physician who specializes in longevity medicine, said in a TikTok that men and women in their 40s and 50s should be able to carry a certain percentage of their body weight in each hand for one minute.
In women, they should strive to be able to carry 75 percent of their body weight in both hands. If they weigh 100lbs, that is 75lbs split between each hand – 37.5lbs in each.
Men, meanwhile, should be able to carry 100 percent of their body weight split between both hands.
This, he said, is key to longevity and health in old age.
The exercise, called a farmer’s carry, involves holding a weight or dumbbell in each hand. It is a full-body exercise that works out large muscles, including the heart.
It involves standing tall with feet hip-width apart, bracing your core, bending at the hips, and lifting to a standing position, keeping your chest lifted and your back flat.
This engages the forearms, wrists, and biceps, improving grip strength, which is essential for daily activities and other exercises that may become more challenging with age.
If people can do this, Dr Attia said, experts ‘are very confident’ that by the time they are in their last decade of life, they ‘will have the strength to open a jar, for example, do the types of things we think really matter to people.’
Dr Peter Attia says men and women in their 40s and 50s should be able to carry a set percentage of their weight in each hand for one minute
Lifting and holding the weights in a farmer’s carry demands the heart to work harder to pump oxygen-rich blood to muscles.
As a result, the heart beats faster to meet the increased need, becoming more efficient. Weight-bearing exercises like the farmer’s carry can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease over time.
The more you do it, the more efficient your heart becomes, which improves your overall stamina for other physical activities.
Having the strength in later years to carry out basic life tasks has a significant bearing on whether an elderly relative can live independently.
On top of improving grip strength, the farmer’s carry exercise can help seniors maintain a safe gait and balance in their walk, both crucial for preventing potentially dangerous falls.
Dr Attia suggested starting at a lower weight for about 20 seconds and working up from there: ‘Go to half percent of your body weight until you can get up to a minute, and then slowly advance the weight.’
Muscle mass decreases as part of the normal aging process. It declines by about three to eight percent per decade after a person reaches 30, with that rate accelerating further after 60.
Doctors often recommend strength training to their older patients, though younger people also benefit from it.
The farmer’s carry mimics lifting and carrying heavy grocery bags. It strengthens grip, core, and overall stability, making everyday tasks like carrying groceries easier and safer
The farmer’s carry improves grip strength, which helps seniors perform simple tasks such as opening jars. Having the strength to do this can mean the difference between living independently or in an assisted living facility
The farmer’s carry specifically targets the forearms, deltoids, traps, upper back, and hands, as well as the upper legs.
Healthy muscles help older adults carry groceries, pick up their grandkids, and lift boxes.
They can make the difference between independent living and requiring outside care as an aide or an assisted living facility.
Without strength training, a person can lose up to 30 percent of their muscle mass between the ages of 50 and 70.
Low muscle mass means weaker muscles, which impair mobility and balance and make it difficult to react to unexpected movements or recover from a stumble.
The act of physically carrying three-quarters of one’s weight requires a stable core.
The abdominals, obliques, and lower back are the central link between the upper and lower bodies. A strong core promotes proper posture and more controlled movement, which can be lifesaving to a senior.
The exercise also builds up a person’s grip strength, which is linked to healthy bone mineral density in the spine and hip, according to a 2005 report in the journal Rheumatology.
Dr Attia suggested starting at a lower weight for about 20 seconds and working up from there: ‘Go to half percent of your body weight until you can get up to a minute, and then slowly advance the weight’
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The study, conducted by researchers from the European Prospective Osteoporosis Study Group, included 1,265 men and 1,380 women aged 50 and older.
Women with low grip strength had significantly lower bone mineral density at the spine and femoral neck and a higher risk of developing spine fractures.
In men, low grip strength was also associated with lower bone mineral density at the spine and hip, but the results were less clear due to small sample sizes.
Bone density loss is another hazard of aging. Once they reach 50, men and women lose one to three percent of their bone mass every year. This raises the odds of developing osteoporosis, a condition marked by weak or brittle bones more prone to breaks.
