Walking Is Great — But It Won’t Keep You Strong as You Age

If you’re over 40, you’ve probably said (or heard):

“I’m active. I walk every day. Isn’t that enough?”

Walking is great for your heart, lungs, and mood.
But when it comes to preserving muscle, preventing falls, staying confident on stairs, getting out of chairs, and maintaining real independence, walking alone isn’t enough.

The real key to aging strong?

Strength training — specifically, training global movement patterns.

What Happens to Muscle as You Age

Starting around age 30, your body naturally begins to lose muscle mass and strength unless you challenge it.
This process — sarcopenia — accelerates in your 50s, 60s, and 70s.

This leads to the very things people often blame on “old age”:

• Difficulty rising from chairs
• Feeling unsteady on stairs
• Trouble carrying groceries
• Slower walking speed
• Feeling “wobbly” or off-balance
• Higher fall risk

Here’s the truth:

You’re not losing muscle because you’re aging.
You’re losing muscle because your muscles aren’t being asked to do enough.

Walking keeps you moving.
It does not keep you strong.

Why Walking Isn’t Enough

Walking is repetitive, low-load, and uses a very limited range of motion.
It never asks your muscles to truly work — so your muscles slowly give up strength they no longer need.

• It doesn’t build leg strength
• It doesn’t challenge your balance
• It doesn’t strengthen your upper body
• It doesn’t stimulate your bones
• It doesn’t train the muscles needed to catch yourself during a slip

Walking is great for health…
but strength training is what protects your independence.

What Strength Training Actually Means (and why older adults NEED it)

Most people think strength training means building big muscles or lifting heavy weights at a gym.

But that’s not what I teach.

I train MOVEMENTS, not muscles.

Because movements are what keep you independent.

When you train global movement patterns, you automatically strengthen all the major muscles of your body — in the way your body naturally works.

Here are the five key movement patterns every older adult needs:

1. Push

You use this every time you push open a door, get up from the floor, or catch yourself during a stumble.
Example: countertop push-up

2. Pull

Critical for posture, balance, and preventing falls backward.
Example: band or cable row

3. Hip-Hinge (Hip-Dominant)

Strengthens the glutes and hamstrings — the power muscles that protect your spine and improve balance.
Example: hip hinge practice, hip-dominant step-ups

4. Squat (Knee-Dominant)

This is standing up, sitting down, climbing stairs, and getting out of cars.
Example: sit-to-stand or bodyweight squat

5. Rotation / Anti-Rotation + Carries

Life requires twisting, reaching, carrying groceries, lifting grandkids, and stabilizing your core.
Example: farmer carry, suitcase carry, anti-rotation press

By training these patterns, you build:

• Strength
• Balance
• Joint stability
• Confidence
• Real-world capability

This is the difference between “I can’t do that anymore” and “I’m stronger than I thought.”

A Simple Starting Point

Here’s a beginner-friendly plan based on these movement patterns (general information):

• Push: Countertop push-ups
• Pull: Band rows
• Hinge: Hip hinge drill
• Squat: Sit-to-stand
• Carry: Farmer carry (or holding weights while walking)

Two or three sessions per week — even 20–30 minutes — can dramatically reduce your fall risk and restore strength.

Why In-Home Care Works So Well for Older Adults

Many older adults struggle with:

• Pain
• Balance issues
• Fear of falling
• Transportation challenges
• Feeling intimidated in a gym

That’s why I come directly to your home.

I evaluate how you move in your environment and build a plan that fits:

• Your home
• Your goals
• Your abilities
• Your lifestyle

It’s private, personal, and built around YOU.

The Bottom Line

Walking keeps you healthy.
Strength training keeps you capable.

If you want to stay strong, independent, and confident as you age, you need more than steps — you need strength.

And the best way to get stronger safely?

Train movement patterns, not muscles.

📞 If you live in the Five Towns and want in-home strength-focused physical therapy, call me at (516) 732-8726.
Let’s help you stay strong for the life you want.

About the Author — Moshe Richmond, DPT, ATC, CSCS

Moshe Richmond is a concierge physical therapist, licensed athletic trainer, and strength & conditioning coach serving the Five Towns community.
His approach blends advanced clinical care with performance training to help adults stay strong, mobile, and independent at any age.

Moshe’s passion for strength comes from his own recovery journey. After a life-changing spinal cord injury in 2002, he used physical therapy and strength training to rebuild mobility, return to outdoor sports, and reclaim his life. That experience fuels his belief that the human body is adaptable, resilient, and stronger than most people realize.

Today, Moshe brings expert, in-home care directly to clients — helping them move with confidence, reduce pain, and unlock their athletic potential, no matter their age or diagnosis.