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Life Kit: Start Strength Training

Life Kit

There are a lot of myths about strength training. But one thing is true: resistance training has massive benefits for your physical and mental health. This collection of Life Kit episodes are your starter pack to get stronger at your own pace. Want even more information about strength training? Sign up for Life Kit's Guide to Building Strength here: npr.org/stronger

Episodes

  1. Life Kit: Start Strength Training Trailer

    3 FEB

    Life Kit: Start Strength Training Trailer

    There are a lot of myths about strength training. But one thing is true: resistance training has massive benefits for your physical and mental health. This collection of Life Kit episodes are your starter pack to get stronger at your own pace. Want even more information about strength training? Sign up for Life Kit's Guide to Building Strength here: npr.org/stronger Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

    29 sec
  2. How to move more this year

    2 JAN • LIFE KIT+ ONLY

    How to move more this year

    Looking to be more active in the new year? Here are four expert tips on how to fit movement into your hectic schedule and stay motivated with research-backed strategies.

    15 min
  3. How to crave movement more than screen time

    10/07/2025 • LIFE KIT+ ONLY

    How to crave movement more than screen time

    Oftentimes, it's easier to scroll through our phones than do some squats. So what can we do to motivate ourselves to pick movement? In this episode of Life Kit, we speak with clinical psychologist Diana Hill and movement specialist Katy Bowman about how to retrain your brain to crave physical activity more than your phone.

    20 min
  4. Want to build muscle? Eat more plants

    26/06/2025 • LIFE KIT+ ONLY

    Want to build muscle? Eat more plants

    It's long been thought that eating protein from animals (eggs, meat, chicken, fish) can help you become stronger. But a new study out of the University of Illinois shows that plant protein is just as effective at building muscle. NPR health correspondent Will Stone explains how the science around plant protein is shifting.

    13 min
  5. How to maintain an exercise routine as you age

    20/03/2025 • LIFE KIT+ ONLY

    How to maintain an exercise routine as you age

    It's important to exercise as we age. Regular movement can help not just with cardiovascular health and maintaining muscle mass — it can also foster community.

    17 min
  6. Reduce soreness after a workout

    22/02/2025 • LIFE KIT+ ONLY

    Reduce soreness after a workout

    Whether you're a pro athlete or new to fitness, here are four essential activities to do after hitting the gym — and why you should do them, according to science.

    24 min
  7. A beginner's guide to strength training

    13/08/2024 • LIFE KIT+ ONLY

    A beginner's guide to strength training

    Weightlifting is a great way to exercise efficiently while preventing injury. But a big barrier to getting started is "gymtimidation." People worry they'll hurt themselves, that others will judge them or that they'll look stupid at the gym. Or that their body doesn't fit the gendered (and unrealistic) norm of what an "athletic" body looks like. To overcome this fear, fitness experts say you'll need careful planning and willpower to fight against the ingrained social messages about who strength training is for and isn't for. Because weightlifting is for everyone.

    21 min
  8. What to know about protein and muscle mass

    18/03/2024 • LIFE KIT+ ONLY

    What to know about protein and muscle mass

    Our bodies need protein to maintain muscle. That's important because muscle mass peaks in our 30s and then declines. In this episode, tips about understanding how much protein you really need.

    21 min

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There are a lot of myths about strength training. But one thing is true: resistance training has massive benefits for your physical and mental health. This collection of Life Kit episodes are your starter pack to get stronger at your own pace. Want even more information about strength training? Sign up for Life Kit's Guide to Building Strength here: npr.org/stronger

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