Weightlifting Across the Lifespan: Form, Progression, and Practical Tips for Teachers

In this episode of FIT to Teach, host Kyle Pfaffenbach (associate professor at Eastern Oregon University and director of the EOU Lab for Exercise Assessment and Performance) and LEAP intern Cole Jorgensen welcome guest Dr. Alysia Cohen (EOU health and human performance faculty member, certified athletic trainer, Olympic lifting coach, and strength and conditioning certified) to discuss resistance training across the lifespan. Cohen shares her career path through athletic training, teaching, burnout, research, and returning to EOU, with work spanning high schools, colleges, and professional sports (including rodeo). The conversation emphasizes that while training should be individualized, foundational movement principles remain similar from youth to older adults, with key distinctions around developmental milestones versus sport-performance expectations, the risks of early sport specialization, and the value of multi-sport exposure and unstructured play. Cohen highlights non-negotiables for lifting—technique and form—and explains how progression, consistency, and appropriate intensity differ by training status and age, including the importance of heavy lifting for older adults (especially women around menopause) while stressing gradual progression. They discuss practical barriers for teachers (time, resources, limited access to trainers) and strategies to improve technique independently, such as using mirrors, recording movement, and video feedback/online coaching, while noting that general fitness apps can help people move but may not deliver true strength-training overload at higher fitness levels. Cole asks about strength vs. power training (including percent 1RM concepts) and youth safety, with Cohen recommending low-load technique work pre-maturation and more intensive strength/power training post-maturation, guided by maturation rather than age. Cohen’s closing advice is to find personal meaning and enjoyment in strength training, explore resources and coaches to find a good fit, and build long-term autonomy as one’s own trainer.

00:00 Welcome to FIT to Teach + Meet the Hosts

01:01 Introducing Dr. Alysia Cohen: Why Strength Training Matters

02:45 Alysia’s Career Journey: Athletic Training to PhD & Teaching

04:53 Credentials, Coaching, and the Value of Being a Generalist

07:42 Movement Across the Lifespan: Same Basics, Individualized Progressions

10:31 Youth Sports: Milestones vs. Skill, and Why Multi-Sport Helps

13:31 Variety vs. Consistency: Building a Sustainable Exercise Routine

16:54 Repetition for Learning: How Training Changes for Youth, Athletes, and Older Adults

21:51 Rest, Play, and Recovery: Lessons for Kids and Adults

22:57 Programming for Older Adults: Start Small, Progress Smart, Train vs. Just Be Active

26:24 Getting Buy-In: Start With Movement That Feels Good