Dr. Mike Wehrhahn Featured in Super Age on Strength and Aging

Dr. Mike Wehrhahn, Co-Founder and Owner of Next Level Physical Therapy, was recently featured as an expert in Super Age in an article exploring new guidance from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) on resistance training, strength, muscle growth, power, and long-term physical function.

The article, titled The ACSM Guide to Meeting 3 Common Exercise Goals, looked at updated ACSM recommendations based on a large review of resistance training research and broke down how training can be adjusted depending on whether the primary goal is building strength, increasing muscle, or developing power. :chatgpt-content-reference{index=”0″}

Dr. Mike contributed his perspective on what these findings mean for maintaining physical ability as we age, particularly the role strength and power can play in helping people remain capable, confident, and independent.

What the Super Age Article Explored

The Super Age article focused on a simple question: how should resistance training change depending on what you are trying to accomplish?

The ACSM research highlighted different approaches for three common goals:

• Building strength
• Increasing muscle size
• Developing power

While the specifics of training can change depending on the goal, one of the broader takeaways was straightforward: resistance training improves multiple aspects of physical function, including strength, muscle size, power, balance, walking speed, and general physical ability. :chatgpt-content-reference{index=”1″}

That becomes especially important when thinking beyond short-term fitness goals and looking at what allows people to continue moving well throughout life.

Dr. Mike on Power and Healthy Aging

One section of the article explored which type of training may be particularly relevant to maintaining physical function with age.

Dr. Mike added an important clarification.

The research evaluated strength, muscle size, power, and physical function. It did not directly study lifespan itself. Because of that, the findings should not be interpreted as proof that one training method automatically leads to a longer life.

Instead, Dr. Mike emphasized that the results are especially relevant to maintaining the physical abilities that support confidence and independence as people get older.

Power may play an important role because everyday life frequently requires us to produce force quickly. Reacting when you lose your balance, climbing stairs, getting out of a chair, and catching yourself during a stumble are all examples of movements that require more than strength alone. :chatgpt-content-reference{index=”2″}

Strength, Muscle, and Power Work Together

That does not mean everyone should stop focusing on strength and start training only for power.

As Dr. Mike also highlighted in the article, these qualities do not exist independently.

Power depends on having enough strength and muscle to create force in the first place. That means building a well-rounded foundation matters.

Someone may begin by developing control and strength through resistance training. As those movements become more confident and reliable, training can eventually include faster and more powerful movements when appropriate.

The exact balance depends on the person, their experience, their goals, and what their body is prepared to handle.

The bigger message is that long-term physical function is not built around chasing one isolated quality. Strength, muscle, balance, movement control, and power can all support our ability to continue doing the things we care about.

Why This Matters for Active Adults

At Next Level Physical Therapy, many of the people we work with are not training simply to improve a number in the gym.

They want to stay capable.

That might mean being able to:

• Keep lifting and exercising
• Run, golf, or play pickleball
• Climb stairs confidently
• Travel without worrying about physical limitations
• Carry groceries or luggage
• Get up from the floor comfortably
• Maintain balance and react quickly
• Stay independent as they get older

Those goals require more than avoiding pain.

They require maintaining enough strength, mobility, control, and physical capacity to continue handling the demands of everyday life.

This is one reason resistance training can be valuable for active adults at many different stages of life.

Training for Function, Not Just Appearance

Muscle and strength are often discussed in the context of appearance or athletic performance, but their value extends much further.

The ability to produce force affects daily life.

So does the ability to produce that force quickly.

As people age, training can help preserve the physical qualities needed to keep participating in meaningful activities rather than slowly removing those activities because they feel harder.

That does not require an overly complicated program.

What matters is finding a training approach that matches your goals, building a foundation, and staying consistent enough for your body to adapt.

Read the Full Super Age Article

We appreciate Super Age and writer Lauren Gray for including Dr. Mike’s perspective in the conversation around resistance training, physical function, and healthy aging.

The full article goes deeper into the ACSM recommendations for building strength, muscle, and power, along with perspectives from several experts on how to apply the findings.

Want to Stay Strong and Active for the Long Term?

At Next Level Physical Therapy, we help active adults build the strength, movement, and confidence needed to continue doing the activities that matter most.

Whether you are working through pain, trying to stay consistent with training, or simply want to maintain your physical abilities as you get older, the goal is not just short-term relief. It is building a body that can continue handling the demands of your life.

Learn more about how we help active adults here.