Ep198. Two Studies That Changed How I Think About Training

Apply for Coaching Here 👉🏻 www.coachianwood.comIn this episode, I break down two major peer-reviewed studies that together make one of the most compelling cases for consistent strength training ever backed by science.Study one: a 30-year study of 147,374 people published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that 90 to 120 minutes of resistance training per week reduces the risk of dying early by 13%, the risk of cardiovascular death by 19%, and the risk of neurological disease death — including dementia — by 27%. Combined with regular cardio, the risk of early death from any cause drops by up to 58%.Critically: doing more than two hours a week added zero extra benefit. This is the minimum effective dose — and it's lower than most people think.Study two: a University of Michigan study of 3,873 older adults tracked for 12 years used two of the most validated biological ageing clocks — GrimAge and PhenoAge — to measure cellular age through DNA methylation. People who exercised regularly were biologically 1.26 to 1.70 years younger than inactive counterparts. Both long-term and recent activity were independently protective. Starting later still counts.Together, these studies tell us the same thing: consistency over time is what drives outcomes. Not intensity. Not perfection. Just showing up, regularly, for the long term.If you've ever felt like you're not doing enough, or that you've left it too late — this episode is for you.What You'll Learn:What the 30-year British Journal of Sports Medicine study found about resistance training and mortality riskWhy doing more than two hours of strength training a week offers no extra benefitHow scientists are now measuring biological age through DNA — and what exercise does to itWhy starting later still meaningfully changes your biologyThe practical minimum effective dose for longevity and healthy ageingKeywords / Tags: strength training, resistance training, longevity, biological age, epigenetic ageing, how much should I train, exercise and dementia, exercise and heart disease, healthy ageing, women's fitness, fat loss, consistency, minimum effective dose, GrimAge, PhenoAge, DNA methylation, strength training for womenSources Referenced:Zhang Y, Lee DH, Rezende LFM, et al. Long-term resistance training with all-cause and cause-specific mortality: assessing dose-response and joint associations with aerobic physical activity. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2026.Ammous F, Peterson MD, Mitchell C, Faul JD. Physical Activity Is Associated With Decreased Epigenetic Aging: Findings From the Health and Retirement Study. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 2026.