You’re probably aware that staying fit and exercising are keys to a long and healthy life. What may surprise you to learn is that how you workout can be just as important as the exercise itself. A new study has found that those who build muscle rather than simply exercise live longer.

The 2019 study involved 3,878 non-athletes between the ages of 41 and 85 years. Each person performed a maximal power test, which measured how much they could lift at one time. At a 6.5 year follow up, 247 men and 75 women had died.

The researchers found that those who had higher muscle strength were more likely to live longer from all causes of mortality compared to those who don’t. These findings are backed up by a 2018 study conducted by University of Michigan, who pinpointed that those with weaker muscles were 50% more likely to die.

 Why this may occur

Researchers are working on discerning why exactly more muscle can mean a longer lifespan, but the answer is complicated. Some reasons of course, are obvious. You are less likely to fall if you have stronger muscles, and those who regularly exercise are more likely to remain fit in other respects as well.

The reason more muscle may help you live longer could be deeper than that however. One 2018 study found that muscle memory may exist at the DNA level, and that building strong muscles could alter your DNA itself. Even if you grow too old to lift anymore, your muscles may still remember and benefit from that memory.

While research is still ongoing, one thing is clear—it pays to build those muscles no matter what age you are, especially if you want to live a long and healthy life.