Source: Exercise New Zealand
29 September 2026
Cardiovascular fitness has long been recognised as a powerful predictor of longevity. Now muscle power is attracting attention, with one study reporting roughly six- to seven-fold differences in mortality hazard between the lowest and highest-power groups. The findings put strength applied at speed firmly in the longevity conversation, although they do not yet establish whether power outperforms cardiovascular fitness.
For decades, cardiovascular fitness, commonly assessed through measures such as VO₂ max, has been central to our understanding of exercise and long-term health. Strength has increasingly become part of that conversation too. Emerging research highlights why we also need to distinguish between how much force someone can produce and how quickly they can apply it, also known as power.
A study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings in 2025 followed 3,889 men and women aged 46 to 75 for a median of 10.8 years. Researchers found that muscle power relative to body weight was a much stronger predictor of mortality than relative handgrip strength.
Men in the lowest-power group had 5.88 times the mortality hazard of those in the highest-power group. For women, the equivalent figure was 6.90. These associations remained after adjustment for age and several other health factors. For context, a major cardiovascular fitness study reported approximately five times the mortality hazard among those with low fitness compared with elite fitness. The new power findings show an association with mortality of a broadly comparable magnitude, reinforcing why power deserves attention alongside cardiovascular fitness in the longevity conversation.
Exercise New Zealand Chief Executive Richard Beddie says the findings warrant greater attention to power in the way people exercise as they age.
“We’ve spent years telling people to stay fit and build strength as they age. Those messages remain important. Now we need to make sure power is part of the conversation too.”
Research published in Experimental Gerontology in 2026 adds to this evidence. The study examined 2,134 adults aged 65 and older, comparing sit-to-stand muscle power with handgrip strength and their relationships with physical function and mortality. Low sit-to-stand power was associated with poorer functional ability and higher all-cause mortality in both men and women. Among men, it also had a stronger association with slow walking speed than low handgrip strength.
Power, Falls and Maintaining Independence
Strength is the capacity to produce force. Power combines force with speed. Getting out of a chair, climbing stairs or taking a sudden step to regain balance all involve applying strength at speed.
“Everyday life doesn’t happen slowly. If you stumble, you need to react quickly,” says Beddie.
Related research published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science, involving 1,876 adults aged 65 and older, linked low sit-to-stand power with a history of falls and fractures in men and hip fractures in women.
Low power also predicted hospitalisation in women and was associated with longer hospital stays and higher all-cause mortality in both sexes.
Beddie says these findings underline the practical importance of maintaining physical capability through middle and older age, from managing stairs to continuing recreational activities.
“Exercise for longevity is also about maintaining the physical capacity to keep doing the things that make life worth living.”
What Does This Mean When You Go to the Gym?
The studies establish associations between muscle power and survival. They do not prove that power training itself extends lifespan or that it should take priority over cardiovascular exercise.
Exercise New Zealand encourages people to develop power alongside cardiovascular fitness and strength.
For the average gym-goer, this can mean building a foundation of strength and movement skills, then learning to move with appropriate resistance more quickly while maintaining good technique. The approach should reflect each person’s age, ability, experience and health.
A registered exercise professional can help people incorporate suitable power exercises into their programme and progress them appropriately.
Beddie says the research clearly shows the need to broaden how people think about staying physically capable as they age.
“The message for New Zealanders is simple: don’t just train to stay strong, train to stay powerful.”