The NHS recommends that adults do activities that strengthen muscles on at least 2 days a week, working all the major muscle groups: legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms (Source: NHS, 2026). This applies at every adult age, including through midlife and beyond, and it doesn't require lifting heavy weights: bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, and even heavy gardening or carrying shopping all count.
Who this is for
You're in your 40s, 50s or 60s and you've noticed that staying strong takes a bit more deliberate effort than it used to, or you simply want to build a habit that supports how you move and feel for years to come. This article covers what strength training actually involves and how to start, whatever your current level.
What counts as strength exercise
The NHS's list of muscle-strengthening activities is broader than most people expect. It includes lifting weights and using resistance bands, but also bodyweight exercises like push-ups and sit-ups, yoga, pilates, tai chi, heavy gardening such as digging or shovelling, and carrying heavy shopping bags or children (Source: NHS, 2026). The guidance is to work each activity to the point where you'd need a short rest before repeating it, which is the signal that your muscles are being properly challenged.
This means you can build a genuine strength routine at home, with no equipment, using bodyweight moves and everyday activities, and still meet the recommended guidance.
Why it matters more as you get older
For adults aged 65 and over, the NHS recommends the same strength guidance, at least 2 days a week working major muscle groups, alongside balance and flexibility work (Source: NHS, 2026). The guidance specifically links strength and balance exercise to feeling steadier on your feet: "if you've fallen or are worried about falling, doing exercises to improve your strength, balance and flexibility will help make you stronger and feel more confident" (Source: NHS, 2026).
Starting or maintaining strength training through midlife, rather than waiting until later, means you're building and keeping that strength and balance ahead of when it matters most.
How to start
If strength training is new to you, start with bodyweight exercises you can do at home: squats, wall push-ups, sit-to-stands from a chair, and simple resistance band work. Two sessions a week, working your legs, back, chest, shoulders, arms and core across the week, meets the NHS guidance. You can build up gradually, adding repetitions or resistance as exercises start to feel easier rather than jumping straight to something heavy.
If you have an existing health condition, haven't exercised in some time, or are recovering from an injury, it's worth checking with a GP or physiotherapist before starting, particularly with anything involving weights or high-impact movement.
The NHS recommends strength exercise on at least 2 days a week for adults of every age, working all major muscle groups, and this doesn't require weights: bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, yoga, pilates and even heavy gardening all count (Source: NHS, 2026). The same guidance applies for adults aged 65 and over, with an added link between strength and balance exercise and feeling steadier on your feet (Source: NHS, 2026). Building a strength habit through midlife, rather than starting later, means you're maintaining strength and balance ahead of when it matters most. Starting with bodyweight exercises at home is a reasonable, accessible way in for most people.
Questions people often ask
The NHS recommends strength exercise on at least 2 days a week, working all the major muscle groups: legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms (Source: NHS, 2026).
Lifting weights and resistance bands count, but so do bodyweight exercises like push-ups and sit-ups, yoga, pilates, tai chi, and even heavy gardening or carrying heavy shopping (Source: NHS, 2026). The key sign is working the muscle to the point you'd need a short rest before repeating it.
No. Bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, and activities like heavy gardening all meet the NHS's strength exercise guidance without any weights at all (Source: NHS, 2026).
The NHS's strength exercise guidance applies to adults of every age, including through midlife, and continues into older adulthood with an added focus on balance to help reduce fall risk (Source: NHS, 2026). Building the habit earlier rather than later supports strength and balance for the years ahead.
Yes. The NHS links strength and balance exercise directly to feeling steadier on your feet and reducing fall risk, particularly for older adults (Source: NHS, 2026).
This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are concerned about a specific symptom, please see a GP or other qualified healthcare provider.