I think that is missing the point a bit; regardless of how healthy a lifestyle you live you still will end up suffering from some kind of disability. Perhaps of a cause completely outside your control (stroke, heart problem, accident).
Not to say that strength training isn't good for you of course. But it may not actually prepare you for things to come (unlike having a healthy family life, an identity outside work and physical fitness).
Its not a binary thing. On my dad's side, there is a history of hip issues, sciatica, upper back and shoulder mobility issues.
One of his siblings is in his early 60's, retired, and can only be described as "active". He's not powerlifting or anything like that but gym, cycling, gardening, every day or other day. He's on his second hip, soon to be third.
His other sibling is late 50's, also on their second hip about to get their third. They're limited to 2-300 yards of walking, can't really stand unaided for long periods of time, struggle with their sleep, etc etc.
The easiest comparison is that the older one is, and always has been more active. Sure it's complicated, sure you can't prepare for an unexpected diagnosis, but I'd you're 60 with no active health scares, your quality of life is going to be dictated by how much you looked after yourself, not just luck.
just because at some point you might (or I guess you and the author are arguing will) get injured doesn't mean strengthening yourself is invalid. in fact healthier and in better shape you are the less likely you are to suffer debilitating injury.
tweaking my strong knee that is used to squatting heavy weights and otherwise supporting active lifting is way different than my father tweaking he's knee with artificial joint.
at least for me the problem is lettings things get worse. I should learn to seek help/corrective action right away, but I always just want to "see if I can ride it out" which can then turn into months of unnecessary suffering with long lasting issues. pre-emptively starting resistance training is very beneficial for most people.
Strengthening yourself is beside the point. I don't think anyone is saying that that strength training is invalid. You're trying to debate a point that no one is disagreeing with.
Lifting weights isn't going to do much to prevent your hearing going bad, or eyes degrading and needing corrective lenses, or not being able to move otherwise you'll wake the newly born baby who's finally gotten to sleep.
This article is a rebuttal against the myth that "accessibility" is for "other people", that "disabled" and "abled" are two different camps, and accessibility tech is only something used by completely blind people in wheelchairs, which will never happen to me. We're all just temporarily abled. Even throughout the day we go through a range of ability with our physical body - even if it's just needing to respond to a phone while cooking and your hands are covered in raw chicken.
"We all die" yes, yes, but you can die gracefully or pitifully.
Lifting weights won't help you with your eyes or ears, but being in better physical health translates to better mental health, which translates to better ability to cope with all limitations.
People who just sit still as they age deteriorate incredibly fast in more ways than one.
I guess this article can be eye opening for anyone who has lived in a bubble without them, their relatives, or friends suffering from any issues, but that has to be exceedingly rare.
You can prepare for injuries. You can strengthen your body and joints to prevent physical injuries, you can keep active mind to prevent mental issues, you can wear PPE to protect from most sudden sight and hearing losses. You should wear gloves while handling raw meats, it is more hygienic and makes cleaning a lot faster and more pleasant.
Eating a good meal today doesn’t prevent you from going hungry 6 months from now.
Of course you know how to put food in your mouth and eat, but do you understand how to deal with the physical/emotional/mental challenges of living as a person who’s without enough food?
> Eating a good meal today doesn’t prevent you from going hungry 6 months from now.
Sure it does. Angus Barbieri fasted for 382 days successfully.
In the same vein, working on one's body strengthens future potential disabilities, but not all, such as sight and hearing. However, most people who become disabled later in life begin to have orthopedic injuries rather than completely losing sight and hearing, which of course they lose but not to the same extent as getting arthritis etc. So the point of strengthening one's body is still valid.
I read the article. And guess what, I also injured a limb recently so not only have I read the article, I have and currently am experiencing the same issues the author is experiencing. Even still, I can recognize that the points made in the article and the points made by those you're replying to are not incompatible, so they're not "still missing the point," they're adding on to it.
>Of course you know how to put food in your mouth and eat, but do you understand how to deal with the physical/emotional/mental challenges of living as a person who’s without enough food?
I think we are so far ideologically from each other that we can't even communicate. I can not follow this logic at all.
Not to say that strength training isn't good for you of course. But it may not actually prepare you for things to come (unlike having a healthy family life, an identity outside work and physical fitness).