Transitioning to Strength: Barriers & Enablers to Resistance Training at Retirement

Three key public health challenges of our time, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, are obesity, physical inactivity and population ageing. All have important potential consequences for muscle weakness. It leads to multiple adverse health outcomes, such as reduced functioning and independence at older ages and increased risk of mortality, falls and hospitalisation. Muscle weakness can be prevented and/or reversed by regular participation in resistance training (e.g. weight training, bodyweight exercises, and using resistance bands), which is particularly important for older people to maintain their health and independence. Yet, worldwide, participation in resistance training at older ages remains low.

Retirement is a key transition period that is often viewed as an opportunity to adopt new habits such as starting new leisure time activities. The aim of the study is to find out how to make resistance training a more attractive leisure time activity that is adopted at this key transition point and maintained though to older ages so that the benefits will be seen by the individuals, their families and society for decades to come.