Peter Attia’s Strength Standard: Are You Strong Enough to Age Well?

Byscott

Updated May 16, 2025

What is Peter Attia’s Strength Standard?

If you’ve come across Attia’s work—whether his book Outlive, his podcast, or his newsletter—you’ve likely heard him talk about functional strength. That means strength with a purpose. He’s less interested in max bench presses and more concerned with whether you’ll be able to lift a suitcase into an overhead bin at 85.

His strength standard focuses on real-life tasks you might face later in life, and maps them to measurable fitness goals you can work on now. Some examples include being able to deadlift your bodyweight, carry a grocery bag in each hand for at least a minute, or get off the floor without using your hands. These aren’t tests of gym prowess—they’re proxies for autonomy, especially as you age.

And while Attia customizes plans for individuals, the spirit of his strength standard is universal: build and maintain muscle mass, train your balance, and move with intention.

Why Does Strength Matter So Much for Longevity?

Muscle is protective. It cushions you from falls, helps regulate blood sugar, supports joint health, and even plays a role in metabolic and cognitive health. Muscle mass naturally declines with age—a process called sarcopenia—and that loss is linked to increased frailty, injury, and dependence.

Attia argues that maintaining strength is one of the best investments you can make for long-term healthspan. Think of it like a retirement account for your body. The more you put in now, the more resilience you’ll have later.

That’s not just speculation. Research from Harvard Medical School and Johns Hopkins suggests that resistance training is one of the most effective interventions for preventing age-related decline. And not just for mobility—it’s also been tied to better brain health and lower mortality risk.

How Do You Train for the “Centenarian Decathlon”?

Here’s the Attia twist: instead of training for today, imagine the physical tasks you’ll need to do decades from now. Will you be able to climb stairs with a bag of groceries at 85? Can you hike with your grandkids at 90?

Start with that vision, then work backward. If you want to be able to carry 30 pounds up a flight of stairs when you’re 90, how strong do you need to be at 50 or 60 to make that possible? Attia calls this “backcasting.” It’s like goal setting in reverse.

This approach blends strength training, mobility work, balance drills, and endurance conditioning. Attia often suggests compound movements like squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, and loaded carries—not because they’re trendy, but because they train multiple systems at once.

And here’s the kicker: consistency beats intensity. You don’t need to train like a pro athlete. But you do need to move often, lift regularly, and prioritize form and recovery as much as reps.

What Happens If You Start Late?

Good news: it’s never too late to build strength. Even people in their 70s and 80s can gain muscle and improve balance with the right plan. The key is progression—starting where you are and adding challenges gradually.

Attia’s philosophy is big on personalization. That means accounting for your current fitness level, health status, and goals. It also means adjusting over time as your body changes. Working with a knowledgeable coach or physical therapist can help translate the strength standard into something safe and doable.

If you’ve been mostly sedentary, don’t sweat it. Start small. A walk around the block. A few air squats. Then build. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s momentum.

The Takeaway

Peter Attia’s strength standard isn’t about chasing personal records—it’s about chasing a longer, stronger life. It challenges us to think ahead, train smart, and use today’s actions to shape tomorrow’s freedom.

Think of it less like a to-do list and more like a compass. Where do you want to go, physically? What would you love to be able to still do decades from now? Start there. Then move, lift, and train your way toward it.