Need a Reason to Lift Weights? Pumping Iron Might Cut Early-Death Risk by Nearly Half

Researchers found that those who pumped iron cut their early-death risk by a whopping 46 percent.

For the study published in the journal Preventative Medicine, researchers tracked 30,162 adults aged 65 and older for 15 years, and 9.6 percent of them (about 2,900) strength-trained regularly. Researchers found that those who pumped iron cut their early-death risk by a whopping 46 percent, and the results remained true even after taking in account participants' past medical history and health behaviors.

Strength training obviously keeps your muscles strong, which gives you better stamina and balance, and also increases bone density—all things that can reduce your risk of falls and fractures, according to study co-author Dr. Jennifer Kraschnewski.

Study co-author Jennifer Kraschnewski, MD, told Men's Health that there's a simple explanation: Strength training obviously keeps your muscles strong, which gives you better stamina and balance, and also increases bone density—all things that can reduce your risk of falls and fractures. And that's important to note since 2.8 million people aged 65 and older are treated in emergency departments for fall injuries every year.

Even better, you don't need to turn into a professional bodybuilder to live a longer life: The study participants strength-trained twice a week, and doing so gave them a 41 percent decreased risk of cardiac death and a 19 percent decreased risk of dying from cancer, according to the press release.

Well, strength-training certainly carries a lot of…weight, but this celebrity trainer's advice can help you get into a routine if you're new to lifting.

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