How strong you are has a huge impact on your longevity. The stronger you become in your 30s, 40s, and 50s, the stronger you will likely remain in your 60s, 70s, and 80s.
Obviously there will be a decline that we all face, but the higher you can make your peak, the longer you will have until you reach your valley.
And what is the valley?
In terms of strength, it is not being strong enough to do the things in life you want to do or the things you need to do.
This can look like not having the arm strength to pick up and carry your grandkids. Not having the core strength to sit up off the floor. Not having the leg strength to go up and down stairs. Not having the hand strength to open jars.
In short, the thing that becomes the most limiting for your enjoyment, safety, and overall well being is your strength.
So how do you build your strength and keep it high?
Lifting weights and doing strength training is the obvious answer, but do you need to keep piling on the weights multiple times a week in order to make progress?
At what point is the risk of injuring your knees, shoulders, or back outweighing the potential increase in muscle strength?
If this kind of question has ever crossed your mind, we want you to know there is another alternative.
Yes, you still need to lift weights, but how you lift them makes all the difference. Moving the weight up and down through the air won’t get you stronger. There is another factor at play that is too often overlooked by the mainstream fitness industry, and in doing so, many people end up injuring themselves and in chronic pain.
So what is this factor that will make all the difference in your strength and health?
The intention you put behind lifting the weight.
We’re not talking about the goal you have or what thing you are going after. We’re talking about what is going through your mind while you are lifting the weight and being very strategic with your thoughts to get you better results.
Now, this is not some woo woo magic where you think strong thoughts and you become stronger. This is a scientifically sound concept of using your focus to influence how your nervous system and muscles interact.
If you are trying to get stronger without hurting yourself, there is only one thing you want to be thinking about while lifting weights–squeezing your muscles.
By focusing on squeezing the muscles you are trying to strengthen, your nervous system will start sending more signals to those specific muscles. These signals are the driving force behind you getting stronger muscles, and the more signals your muscles receive, the stronger they will get.
But understand this–focusing on squeezing your muscles while you strength train is a difficult skill to master. It takes consistent commitment and focus every time you workout to not let yourself get distracted, especially as your muscles start to tire.
However, after a few months of really solid effort, it will soon become your new default way of lifting weights.
So how can you learn what muscles you should be squeezing and make sure your mind stays on task with it? That’s exactly what we help you to do in the Intentional Strength program, found exclusively within The Exercise For Life Membership.
Throughout this program, we walk you through step by step exactly what you need to do and focus on during each exercise of every workout. We are there cuing you continuously to keep your focus where it needs to be to make sure you get the exposure and practice necessary to build your strength.
You can get full access to the Intentional Strength program for free for the next 30 days when you join The Exercise For Life Membership.
All you have to do to get started is click here to sign up and you will have full access to everything within this program and all the programs within the membership.
Building and maintaining your strength as the years go by is of the utmost importance if you want to maintain your physical independence and quality of life, and within the Intentional Strength program we show you how to do exactly that.
Join us in The Exercise For Life Membership to experience it for yourself!
We can’t wait to see you there!
In strength and health,
Julie & Charlie