Lift Free And Diet Hard with Andrew Coates

#428 Chad Landers - Building Strength and Muscle After 50

Dec 24, 2025

Chad Landers, a former NSCA Personal Trainer of the Year and veteran coach, discusses the nuances of training after age 50. He highlights that training should focus on consistency over intensity as we age, debunking myths that aging limits progress. Chad emphasizes the importance of listening to one's body, gradual progression, and choosing appropriate exercise equipment. He also explores how lifestyle stresses can impact fitness routines and the essential role of social connections in sustaining long-term training success.

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ADVICE

Prioritize Slow, Consistent Progress

Take a slow, methodical approach to training after 50 and avoid chasing fast results.
Prioritize long-term consistency over short-term intensity to keep training sustainable.

INSIGHT

Wear, Lifestyle And Hidden Health Issues

Joint wear and tear and accumulated lifestyle factors drive many training limits in your 50s.
Blood work and medical checks reveal hidden health issues that training alone won't fix.

ANECDOTE

Knee Damage Changed Chad's Squat Strategy

Chad recounts developing Baker's cysts and losing knee cartilage from heavy squatting.
He shifted to hex bar deadlifts and leg press to stay strong and pain-free.

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Chad Landers is a former NSCA Personal Trainer of the Year award winner, with over 30 years of hands-on coaching experience and more than 20 years as a gym owner. Chad is also the author of the new book Building Strength and Muscle After 50, which draws on decades of real-world coaching rather than trends or fear-based messaging.

In this episode, Chad joins Andrew Coates to discuss what actually changes with training as we age—and what often gets blamed on aging that’s really the result of lifestyle, consistency, and accumulated stress.

Rather than promoting limitations, Chad makes a strong case for intelligent progression, long-term thinking, and creating training environments that people can sustain well into their 50s, 60s, and beyond.

In this episode, Chad shares insights on:

• Whether strength training truly needs to change after age 50
• What is physiologically different as we age vs. what is lifestyle-driven
• Why long breaks from training become less forgiving over time
• How consistency becomes more valuable than intensity with age
• Whether younger lifters should proactively adjust how they train
• If and when exercise selection should change as we get older
• The trade-offs between recreation, recovery, and strength goals
• Home gym vs. commercial gym training later in life
• Why coaching experience matters more than certifications alone
• How relationships, environment, and social connection influence long-term success
• And much more

Instagram: @chadlanders

CHAPTERS

00:16 Chad Landers’ New Book
00:51 The Journey to Becoming an Author
04:25 Training After 50: Do We Need a New Approach?
07:36 The Importance of Consistency Over Intensity
08:41 Physical Changes and Smarter Training Adjustments
16:41 Balancing Life, Stress, and Fitness
22:33 Proactive Training Strategies When You’re Younger
25:49 Recreational Activities and Performance Trade-offs
26:36 Gym Life and Training Adjustments With Age
27:55 Different Training Approaches Across Age Groups
29:42 Home Gym vs. Commercial Gym Training
32:46 The Value of Coaching Experience
41:04 Client Relationships and Long-Term Retention
47:50 Final Thoughts and Book Promotion

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