Midlife is that key point from which everything's up for grabs in older age. This is the moment.

I found that ironically, it's giving yourself permission to fail, giving yourself permission to be middle-aged

and to train for what I call the long game. Just like eating healthy most of the time,

if we return to a framework that is challenging but controlled in terms of strength training,

the future will take care of itself. We build our

strength via that practice and then we go and use that strength via saying yes to life.

David Vaux is an osteopath. He is a vocal advocate for breaking down barriers to strength

training in middle age and training for the long term.

This is the Lizelle Wellbeing Show, the podcast helping us all have a better second half.

I'm Liz Earl and I'm sure, as you know by now, I am truly on a mission to find ways for all of us to thrive in our later life by investing in our health and our well-being today.

Well, a few weeks ago, we had Kate Muir on the show talking about osteoporosis care

and the importance of our bone health as we age.

So today, I want to think about what practical things we can be doing

to put a real spring back into our step,

namely strength training. Yeah, it's not just for our muscles. It's for our bone health, too.

You know, I didn't really start strength training until, ooh, mid-50s earliest. You know,

before that, it was all kind of leaping up and down in the gym,

and nobody ever asked me to pick up a weight or do a push-up. And I have genuinely noticed

a real improvement in just my overall vitality, not just my strength, physical strength,

obviously, that's a given. But I think what's really surprised me has been my sense of energy, vitality,

resilience, all kinds of emotional things that go with being physically stronger. Well, David Vaux

is a former firefighter turned osteopath. He's head of therapy and exercise for a leading UK

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