If you’re into fitness, you’ve probably noticed a pattern. Every decade there seems to be a new “best” workout. In the early years, it was jogging. Then step aerobics took center stage. Spinning had its moment, followed by CrossFit, barre, Zumba, Pilates, and now the latest headline making the rounds: Women need to lift heavy. One thing I wholeheartedly agree with is that strength training deserves the spotlight it’s receiving. Due to sarcopenia, the gradual loss of muscle as we age, maintaining muscle becomes increasingly important for everything from bone health to metabolism and independence. Add in the growing popularity of GLP-1 medications, which can contribute to muscle loss, and it’s easy to understand why preserving muscle is a hot topic. Strength matters. Muscle matters. Eating enough protein to support our muscle matters, too. Personally, I don’t spend hours lifting heavy weights, yet at 63 I’ve found a way to build and maintain strength that works for me. I’m genuinely happy to see strength training becoming more popular among women because, for many, it’s exactly what they need. My experience has simply taught me that there are many paths to building strength.
The only thing that makes me uneasy is when the conversation shifts from “this works” to “this is the only thing that works.” That’s the message I sometimes hear when I see headlines like, “Drop cardio and lift heavy.” Our bodies thrive when we challenge them in different ways. Strength is an important piece of the puzzle. So are cardiovascular fitness, power, balance, mobility, coordination, reaction time, cognitive challenge, stress reduction, and the simple joy of moving with other people. Each one contributes something unique, and no single workout develops all of them equally. Over the years, I’ve watched the fitness pendulum swing from one trend to the next. Every new approach brings something valuable, and I genuinely believe we’ve learned from each one. The problem begins when a good idea becomes the only idea. I’ve always believed our bodies thrive on variety. I know mine does, which is one of the reasons I created Mojo. While I love what we do in class, I’m also a big believer in mixing it up, especially when our bodies begin to adapt and feel less challenged. Mix it up. - Lift weights
- Walk
- Ride bikes
- Hike with friends
- Dance
- Try Pilates
- Try yoga
- Challenge yourself in different ways
Every activity has something valuable to offer. Together they help make us stronger, healthier, and more resilient. Our bodies respond to challenge, variety, and, most importantly, consistency.
Another piece of the conversation I wish we talked about more is sustainability. The “best” workout on paper doesn’t matter if you dread doing it, constantly battle injuries, or quit after six months. After all, the workouts that transform our lives aren’t just effective. They’re the ones we actually look forward to doing. The workouts that change our lives are the ones we enjoy enough to keep doing year after year. They’re challenging enough to help us grow, but sustainable enough that we can do them whether we’re 30, 50, 80, and beyond. Many of our members also do weight training, and I think that’s fantastic
Fitness isn’t a competition between methods. It’s a collection of abilities that work together to help us live well. The healthiest people I know rarely rely on just one activity. They build a lifestyle around movement…and good nutrition. So the next time someone declares they’ve found the one workout everyone should be doing, I encourage you to pause before jumping on the bandwagon. Does it make me stronger?
Challenge my heart?
Engage my brain?
Enhance my mobility?
Is it safe?
Is it sustainable?
Will I still enjoy doing it years from now? There is no one-size-fits-all workout. The goal isn’t to find the “best” workout. The goal is to build the best version of you. | 
