I found an important study on Clarence Bass’ website here. A study of strength training among retirees found that hard training is essential for preserving muscle mass. The study compared a group doing heavy resistance training vs a moderate intensity group, and also vs a control group that did not exercise. Muscle mass was only effectively preserved for the heavy resistance group after four years. The heavy resistance group used weight machines, while the moderate group used resistance bands and bodyweight exercises. I’d like to clarify that you can still lift heavy using resistance bands, you just have use more of them.

Bottom line, go heavy! Clarence emphasizes this all the time and I’ve mentioned it a time or too also. It’s nice to see it proven, specifically for us older folk, in a clear study like this one.