JJ Virgin4x NYTimes Best Selling Author, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Fitness Hall of Famer

Build Muscle At Age 50!

5 May 2025 · 1 min

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In this segment of her YouTube video, JJ Virgin confronts the common belief that older adults cannot build muscle. She argues that recent research shows aging muscle is physiologically similar to younger muscle and that any age‑related changes can be mitigated with proper training. Virgin reinforces her point with personal testimony, stating she is stronger and in better shape at 61 than she was at 25, and notes she has been weight‑lifting since age 16, even training with her high‑school football team when women’s gym access was limited. The overall message is a call to reject the “old‑people‑can’t‑gain‑muscle” narrative and to embrace strength training at any age.

Chapters

So let's stop listening to this ridiculous narrative because the research is showing the opposite. The research is showing that, that older muscle is no different than younger muscle. There are some specific things that we can see in aging muscle, but we can counteract all of them. So this idea that you cannot build muscle as you age is absolutely ridiculous and wrong. And I actually am stronger and more powerful at 61 than I was at 25. I am in better shape now than I was then. And, and just, you know, I started lifting weights when I was 16. So I've always lifted weights. I literally did it with the high school football team because girls didn't go to gyms back then. Right.