#428 Chad Landers - Building Strength and Muscle After 50

#428 Chad Landers - Building Strength and Muscle After 50

Author: Andrew Coates December 24, 2025 Duration: 50:19

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


SUPPORT THE SHOW


If this episode helped you, you can help me by:
• Subscribing and checking out more episodes
• Sharing it on your social media (tag me — I’ll respond)
• Sending it to a friend who wants to stay strong without burning out


FOLLOW ANDREW COATES


Instagram: @andrewcoatesfitness
https://www.andrewcoatesfitness.com


PARTNERS AND RESOURCES


RP Strength App (use code COATESRP)
https://www.rpstrength.com/coates

Just Bite Me Meals (use code ANDREWCOATESFITNESS for 10% off)
https://justbitememeals.com/

MacrosFirst – FREE Premium Trial
Download MacrosFirst → During setup, answer “How did you hear about us?”
Type: ANDREW

KNKG Bags (15% off)
https://www.knkg.com/Andrew59676

Versa Gripps (discount link)
https://www.versagripps.com/andrewcoates

TRAINHEROIC – FREE 90-Day Trial (2 steps)
Go to: https://www.trainheroic.com/liftfree
Reply to the email you receive (or email trials@trainheroic.com) and let them know Andrew sent you



Andrew Coates hosts Lift Free And Diet Hard, a conversation grounded in the belief that strength and wellness are built on more than just routines. This podcast moves beyond quick fixes to examine the principles and personal stories that shape a sustainable, intentional life. You’ll hear from a variety of inspiring guests who share not only their expertise but also the real-world challenges and triumphs they’ve faced. The discussions naturally weave together the science of fitness with the practicalities of daily choices, offering a nuanced look at what it means to truly care for your physical and mental health. Each episode is designed to provide actionable insights you can use to navigate your own path, fostering resilience and confidence whether you're in the gym or the kitchen. By focusing on informed decision-making over dogma, the Lift Free And Diet Hard podcast becomes a resource for anyone looking to cut through the noise of wellness culture. Andrew facilitates these explorations with a focus on empowerment, ensuring every conversation adds a layer of understanding to the complex journey of building a strong, healthy life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Lift Free And Diet Hard with Andrew Coates
Podcast Episodes
#411 Dr. Ben Rein - Social Interaction and Your Health [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:01
Dr. Ben Rein is a neuroscientist and the author of the new book Why Brains Need Friends.Ben guest stars on my podcast to share his expertise about:-Is loneliness as dangerous as smoking, and why-How social interaction im…
#409 Dr. Joey Munoz - Fat Loss and Long Term Health [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:12
Dr Joey Munoz is one of my favourite authorities and communicators about exercise science and nutrition. Joey joins me for a masterclass on fat loss, muscle, and health outcomes. Joey shares his expertise on:-Does losing…
#408 Christian Thibaudeau - How to Get Stronger [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:18
Christian Thibaudeau is a legend in strength and conditioning and joins me for a quick masterclass on how to train strength, plus his expertise on:-How quickly do we lose strength if we don’t train it-How much of our str…
#406 Dr. John Rusin - Pain Free Performance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:41
Dr John Rusin is back with details about his new book, Pain Free Performance. John joins me to share his expertise on:-How to approach your training and stay pain free-How to improve your odds of living pain free with ot…
#405 JP Tremblay - Trailer Park Health, Fitness, and Nutrition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:33
JP Tremblay is a Canadian entertainment icon famous for his role as Julien of the Trailer Park Boys in addition to being a founding creator and writer of the show. JP joins me in a rare out of character interview to shar…
#404 Dr. Susan Kleiner - Women’s Performance Nutrition Masterclass [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:46
Dr Susan Kleiner is a PhD of Nutrition and Human Performance and a Registered Dietician who’s worked with the highest level athletes in sports. Susan guests in this masterclass on performance nutrition to share her exper…
#403 Sharelle Grant - Using Your Weekend to Get Ahead Not Fall Behind [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:34
Sharelle Grant is a nurse turned online coach and founder of the Women’s Health Movement. Sharelle joins me to share her philosophy on success in fitness, health, and life including:-Setting and maintaining boundaries -W…