Exercise is the single most important pro-longevity activity you can undertake.
For example, if you’re over 60 years old, exercising just twice per week with weights (resistance) doing push-pull type exercises (e.g., push-ups, pull-ups, etc.) can reduce all-cause mortality by 50% and lower your risk of cancer three-fold.
A key objective of my own exercise routine has been to increase and maintain overall muscle mass. Last year, I added 10 pounds of additional muscle to my frame, and this year my goal is to maintain it.
In today’s blog, I’ll share a summary of what I personally do to build muscle.
Let’s dive in…
#1 – Frequent, Short Weight Workouts
There’s no way around it, building muscle takes some work. In the past, I used to do two or three one-hour workouts per week. During this past year, I changed my approach and focused on more frequent, intense, “thirty-minute workouts” using heavy weights for both my upper and lower body, 5x per week. I find I can always squeeze in at least a 30-minute weight session, and have made it an absolute priority.
NOTE: I’m tracking exciting advances in biotech to make muscle gain easier. One amazing company is Immunis, which is developing secretome products to address age-driven immune dysfunction and age-related muscle atrophy. Their investigational secretome product, IMMUNA, recently reported 6% muscle gain during bedrest in their Phase 1/2a clinical trial. I’m very proud to have the CEO, Hans Keirstead, PhD, present at my upcoming Platinum Longevity Trip this fall.
#2 – Mixing It Up: Tonal & Katalyst Workouts
Making your workouts easy and fun is critical. If you don’t do it, it won’t work.
Two alternatives that can break up the monotony of a free-weight workout are Tonal and Katalyst.
Tonal is an at-home “all-in-one AI-enabled workout system” that is wall-mounted and harnesses electromagnetic resistance to simulate weights, allowing users to engage in a wide variety of strength training exercises without traditional bulky gym equipment.
Katalyst is another (fun) workout alternative that uses electricity to stimulate your muscles to contract, called electro muscle stimulation (EMS). This is a way to help you build strength or power in a 20-minute, at-home session. This helps me maintain muscle mass when I’m short on time and it also helps me create variety in my workout. NOTE: one recommendation is that you remain very well hydrated when using the Katalyst Suit and don’t overdo it.
#3 – Getting Sufficient Protein
One important addition I made this past year was increasing my protein intake. Typical advice suggests 0.80 grams of protein per pound of body weight (1.6 grams per kg). But what I’ve read suggests that is too low, especially as we need to maintain muscle mass as we get older, so my personal goal is now 1.0 gram of protein per pound of body weight. I take in a whopping 150 grams/day (I weigh about 145 pounds).
It is important not to consume a day’s worth of protein all in one sitting (unless you add digestive enzymes to assist in breakdown and absorption). I personally spread my protein out over three to four servings during the course of the day, and I do a mix of high-quality grass-fed whey protein power-shakes, and plant-based protein supplement shakes (typically K’Chava). I also eat eggs and salmon as my go-to staples. Finally, I love a “hot protein drink” that I have used to replace my coffee in the morning called Nutri11 produced by nutritionist Dr. Guillermo Rodriguez Navarrete. Nutri11 has zero sugar and 11 grams of protein. I LOVE the way it tastes.
#4 – Supplementing with Creatine
Before each heavy weight workout, I consume 5 grams of creatine. Research shows supplementing with creatine can double your strength and lean muscle gains compared to training alone.
Creatine, a natural substance in muscle cells, enhances muscle growth and strength in several ways: by increasing ATP production for high-intensity workouts, promoting cell signaling for muscle repair, boosting cell hydration for muscle size, stimulating protein synthesis, reducing protein breakdown, and lowering myostatin levels to increase muscle growth potential. NOTE: I recently started using a product called Create Creatine Gummies that are easy and fun.
#5 – Measuring Muscle Mass / Whole-Body Composition
Ultimately, “what you measure, matters.” And monitoring my slow and steady progress towards my 10-lb. goal helped gamify the entire process and make it more interesting.
To measure my muscle mass (along with total weight and body fat composition) I used a product called InBody H20N, a smart weight analyzer. NOTE: The most accurate way to measure muscle is via a DEXA Scan which I do every year during my Fountain Life APEX Upload.
Why Increasing Muscle Mass Matters
A number of studies have demonstrated a direct correlation between longevity and muscle mass. For example, one study published in the journal Aging looked at data from over 10,000 people and found that those with the highest muscle mass were 30% less likely to die during the study period than those with the lowest muscle mass.
Another benefit of increased muscle mass is its role in preventing injuries from falling. As it turns out, many deaths occur when prolonged sarcopenia (i.e., loss of muscle mass) ultimately leads to a fall, resulting in a fractured hip or pelvis, followed by hospitalization, pneumonia, and, ultimately, death.
For all these reasons, building and maintaining muscle mass is absolutely critical—and it’s not a “once and done” activity.
Building muscle needs to become part of your regular routine. Muscle mass decreases approximately 3 - 8% per decade after age 30, and this rate of decline is even higher after age 60.
During my upcoming Longevity Platinum Trip, one of the fun and educational elements of the Trip is participating in a variety of fitness experiences, including using advanced workout tech and wearable devices. If you choose to join us, get ready for some life-changing habits!