How Strong Is Strong Enough? My Take from CAIRN Strength

"How strong is strong enough?"

That's a question I often hear from patients and clients - and honestly, it's one I've struggled to answer until recently.

On a recent solo episode of the CAIRN Strength Podcast, I realized that answering this question isn't about hitting a specific number - it's about building your body's capacity before life pulls the rug out.

Start by Defining "Too Weak"

Instead of chasing an arbitrary strength target, I encourage people to begin by asking: What does "too weak" look like?

  • Simple functional tests - like the 30-second sit-to-stand or whether you can rise from a chair or bed without using your arms - are great benchmarks.
  • If everyday tasks - like getting out of bed, standing up from a chair, or stepping into the bathtub - start to feel challenging or require assistance, it's a clear sign that your strength has declined and you're running dangerously low on physical capacity.
  • Once you pinpoint that baseline, the message becomes clear: get stronger from here.

💪 My Two Stories of Strength and Frailty

I've seen this play out in real life, twice over:

  1. One of my clients in his 80s dedicated himself to strength training - eventually deadlifting around 170 lbs for reps. When he suffered a hemorrhagic stroke and spent months immobilized, his strength paid off. His body rebounded faster, surprised therapists, and amazed his family.
  2. My dad, once an active firefighter, became more sedentary after an injury and surgery in his 50s. Decades later, he fell down a flight of stairs and broke his hip, shoulder, and wrist. His recovery has been slow, largely because he didn't have a robust strength base to support it.

I often compare these scenarios to flying an airplane. If you're flying at 10,000 feet - with a strong baseline - you can handle unexpected turbulence. But if you're only 500 feet off the ground, there's little margin for error.


🎯 Strength as Your Safety Net

So when someone asks me, "How strong is strong enough?" my answer is simple:

  • "As strong as you possibly can be," within your time, resources, and access to coaching or equipment.
  • Because strength isn't just about lifting. It's about resilience
  • Strong muscles support bone health, balance, and even cardiovascular fitness.
  • If you face illness or injury - stroke, fracture, heart event - your body can bounce back more effectively.
  • Strength helps you maintain independence and reduces the burden on those who care about you.

🔄 My Practical Takeaways 

  1. Start with functional tests - chair rises, stair climbs.
  2. Progressively lift heavier weights - this is how strength grows.
  3. Start now - it's never too early or too late.
  4. Track your progress - monitor reps, load, milestones.
  5. Think long-term - treat strength as your personal insurance policy.

🧭 Wrapping It Up

Here's where I land:

  1. Don't aim for "just enough."
  2. Aim to be as strong as you can be.

Because life is unpredictable. Setbacks happen, but if we build a strong foundation now, we give ourselves the best chance to recover.

physical therapy Memphis TN