Three-time reigning Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC) champ, Strongest Man on Earth (SMoE), and 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Mitchell Hooper recently spoke at the University of Texas in Austin. He also deadlifted 700 pounds at the H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports.
Hooper explained that although life expectancy is increasing, overall health isn’t necessarily improving. Sleep, diet, and cardio exercise are essential for health and well-being. Still, strength training is equally important, enhancing metabolic efficiency, helping control blood sugar, strengthening bones and muscles, and enabling older adults to maintain independence. (1)
[Related: The Stoltman Brothers Train to Defend and Rebuild via Heavy Dumbbell Pressing]
Strong triceps help push out of a chair, out of a car, and live independently.
—Mitchell Hooper
The triceps are the rear upper arm muscles between the shoulders and elbows. Since they extend the arm and elbow, weighted presses, close-grip push-ups, and overhead extensions are some of the best ways to build and strengthen them.
Strength might be more important than just lifting weights; it improves people’s lives more than just feeling stronger.
—Mitchell Hooper
Start Lifting Early
Hooper believes strength training can and should start young. “The best time to prevent osteoporosis is by resistance training in your late teens.” Bone density slowly declines from early adulthood and accelerates after 50. (2) Studies show strength training helps preserve bone density. (3)(4)
There’s never a time too early to start…where it’s unsafe… where it’s not appropriate.
—Mitchell Hooper
“The Moose” addressed the misconception that resistance training stunts growth in younger years, and the most recent scientific literature supports his assertion. (5)
“The injury risk of resistance training is less than any other sport,” Hooper affirmed. If done safely, strength training is one of the healthiest and most rewarding habits, with physical and mental benefits for youth.
[Related: “I Don’t Drink Water” — How Much Mitchell Hooper Spends on Groceries]
The Role of Fast Twitch Muscles for Well-Being
Fast-twitch muscle fibers produce fast movement, balance, and maintain mobility. Muscle loss means losing fast-twitch muscle performance, posing greater risks of falls and fractures. (6)
“When you see an elderly person stumble and think, ‘Why are they moving so slowly?’ That’s the fastest they can move,” Hooper described.
[Related: Learn the Dumbbell Clean & Press for Full-Body Strength and Power]
Strength Training Simplified
Many overcomplicate training. “Myself and other professional athletes must carefully consider rep ranges, rest days, and tempos. The average person who resistance trains to any degree will add muscle,” Hooper advised.
Take what you want to do, try to do it, fail a couple of times, work hard at it, and you’ll probably get better. That’s lifting, life, and business.
—Mitchell Hooper
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References
- Strasser B, Volaklis K, Fuchs D, Burtscher M. Role of Dietary Protein and Muscular Fitness on Longevity and Aging. Aging Dis. 2018 Feb 1;9(1):119-132. doi: 10.14336/AD.2017.0202. PMID: 29392087; PMCID: PMC5772850.
- Agnusdei D, Civitelli R, Camporeale A, Parisi G, Gennari L, Nardi P, Gennari C. Age-related decline of bone mass and intestinal calcium absorption in normal males. Calcif Tissue Int. 1998 Sep;63(3):197-201. doi: 10.1007/s002239900514. PMID: 9701622.
- Massini DA, Nedog FH, de Oliveira TP, Almeida TAF, Santana CAA, Neiva CM, Macedo AG, Castro EA, Espada MC, Santos FJ, Pessôa Filho DM. The Effect of Resistance Training on Bone Mineral Density in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Healthcare (Basel). 2022 Jun 17;10(6):1129. doi: 10.3390/healthcare10061129. PMID: 35742181; PMCID: PMC9222380.
- Layne JE, Nelson ME. The effects of progressive resistance training on bone density: a review. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1999 Jan;31(1):25-30. doi: 10.1097/00005768-199901000-00006. PMID: 9927006.
- Falk B, Eliakim A. Resistance training, skeletal muscle and growth. Pediatr Endocrinol Rev. 2003 Dec;1(2):120-7. PMID: 16437017.
- Tøien, T., Nielsen, J. L., Berg, O. K., Brobakken, M. F., Nyberg, S. K., Espedal, L., Malmo, T., Frandsen, U., Aagaard, P., & Wang, E. (2023). The impact of life-long strength versus endurance training on muscle fiber morphology and phenotype composition in older men. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 135(6), 1360–1371. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00208.2023
Featured image: @mitchellhooper on Instagram
