Why Strength Training Must Stand at the
By Dr. Noelle Cutter
What I have come to understand, both through my work and my lived observations, is that recovery is not simply about survival. It is about restoration. And at the center of that restoration—far more than we currently acknowledge—sits strength training.
We often default to endurance-based models when we think about exercise: running, cycling, long-duration cardiovascular work. These are valuable, no question. But when we look more closely at what athletes—and particularly cancer survivors—actually need, a different picture begins to emerge. Strength training is not just a supplement. It is foundational.
Strength
Training vs. Endurance: A Critical Distinction
Endurance exercise has long been associated with the release of endorphins—the so-called “runner’s high.” It is effective, but it is also transient. Anyone who has completed a long-distance run knows that the experience is not uniformly positive. There are peaks and valleys, moments of motivation followed by fatigue, even frustration.
Strength training, in contrast, offers a different physiological and psychological profile. The workouts are shorter. More focused. More controlled. And the effects—particularly at the neurochemical level—appear to be more sustained.
From what we are beginning to understand, strength training promotes the release of dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin in ways that extend beyond the workout itself. It is not just about how you feel during the session—it is about how you feel hours later, even the next day. That sustained elevation matters. It builds consistency. It builds adherence. And most importantly, it builds confidence.
For someone recovering from cancer, this distinction is everything.
The
Power of Frequency and Sustainability
One of the most powerful aspects of strength training is its accessibility. You do not need hours each day. In fact, you do not want them. Two to three sessions per week, done correctly, can produce meaningful changes—not just in muscle, but in mindset.
Shorter sessions. Measurable progress. Clear endpoints. These are not small details—they are the difference between participation and avoidance. When someone can complete a session, feel stronger, and carry that feeling forward into the next day, we begin to create momentum. And momentum is what drives recovery.
Strength
as a Universal Foundation
Regardless of the sport—whether someone is a triathlete, a runner, a cyclist, or simply someone trying to return to daily function—strength training underpins everything. Muscle is not isolated. When we rebuild muscle, we are rebuilding systems. We are supporting cardiovascular health. We are enhancing neurological function. We are improving metabolic efficiency. We are stabilizing joints and preventing injury.
In cancer recovery, this becomes even more significant. Treatments often deplete muscle mass. They alter metabolism. They affect coordination and balance. Strength training addresses all of these deficits simultaneously. It is not an add-on. It is the base.
The
Missing Piece: Long-Term Neurochemical Impact
Despite all of this, there remains a gap in our understanding. We know that strength training influences neurotransmitters. We know that it improves mood. But we do not yet fully understand the long-term neurochemical adaptations that occur with consistent resistance training. This is an area that demands further research.
If we can quantify how strength training sustains dopamine or serotonin levels over time, we can begin to position it not just as physical rehabilitation, but as a core psychological intervention. We can begin to prescribe it with the same intention that we prescribe medication. And for populations dealing with anxiety, depression, or post-treatment emotional fatigue, that could be transformative.
Reclaiming
the Athlete Identity
For athletes, recovery is not just about regaining physical capacity—it is about reclaiming identity.
When a diagnosis occurs, especially something as disruptive as cancer, the athlete is often stripped of the very behaviors that define them. Training stops. Competition disappears. The body feels unfamiliar, unpredictable.
What
replaces that identity?
This is where strength training becomes more than exercise. It becomes a bridge. Each session is an opportunity to reconnect with the body. To experience control. To see progress. To feel capable again. These are not abstract benefits—they are deeply psychological anchors. Exercise provides emotional regulation. It restores self-worth. It creates a sense of normalcy in a time that is anything but normal. And perhaps most importantly, it reintroduces the idea that improvement is still possible.
Exercise
Oncology: A New Frontier
The integration of exercise into cancer care—what we now refer to as exercise oncology—is gaining traction, but we are still at the beginning. What excites me most about this field is its potential to redefine recovery. Not as a passive process, but as an active, participatory one.
For young patients, and especially for athletes, the goal cannot simply be remission. It must be restoration. A return to sport. A return to function. A return to self. Strength training plays a central role in this.
It allows us to rebuild systematically. To progress safely. To track improvements. And to do so in a way that supports both physical and emotional resilience. We are not just helping patients survive—we are helping them re-engage with life.
Returning
Stronger Than Before
What if the goal is not to return—but to rebuild beyond? With the right approach, with structured strength training, with proper nutrition and support, there is an opportunity for patients to come back stronger. More aware of their bodies. More intentional in their training. More resilient in their mindset. This is not unrealistic. It is already happening. But it requires a shift in how we think.
We must move away from viewing exercise as optional. As something to be added if time allows. Instead, we need to recognize it as a central component of care.
Recovery
as Reclamation
At its core, this is about reclamation. Reclaiming strength. Reclaiming identity. Reclaiming control. When I think about the athletes I work with, and the patients navigating recovery, I do not see fragility. I see potential. I see individuals who, with the right tools, can redefine what recovery looks like.
Strength training is one of those tools. Perhaps the most powerful one we have yet to fully embrace.
It is time we give it the attention it deserves. Because recovery is not just about surviving what happened. It is about building what comes next.
ReBuilding to Last: Strength, Longevity, and the Technology That Multiplies Human Potential
An exclusive interivew with ELLEN TYSON
Written by: Lennard M. Goetze, Ed.D
FROM SURVIVAL TO STRENGTH: A PERSONAL TURNING POINT
What began as a social activity became a physiological reset. Over time, she recognized a deeper pattern: movement changed not only her mood, but her metabolism, bone density, and resilience. This realization reframed fitness from self-improvement to self-preservation. “Resistance training is preventative medicine,” she says.
As her children grew older, Tyson transitioned into professional training. The work resonated because it mirrored her own transformation. She no longer trained clients for appearance. “I care not what I look like in a bikini… I care about being strong and healthy. The byproduct is the lean body.”
The outcome is functional longevity: the ability to walk well, recover faster, and remain metabolically active with age.
Movement as Medicine: My Journey with Exercise Oncology
Sometimes that meant a long walk around the neighborhood. Other days it meant just making it to the mailbox. But movement—any movement—meant progress.
Exercise helps circulation. It helps the body process medications. It helps clear toxins from the system. And maybe most importantly, it gives you back a sense of control. There are many things cancer patients can’t control. We can’t control the cells in our bodies that start behaving badly. But there are things we can control. We can control how we move. We can control how we manage stress. And we can control the food we put into our bodies.
For me, those became the three pillars of survival. Today I still participate in the Livestrong program at the YMCA, working out alongside other cancer survivors in 12-week training groups. I’ve been doing it for more than a decade now. Every time I walk into that room, I’m reminded that movement is one of the most powerful tools we have in the fight against cancer.
Redefining Cancer Care through Exercise Oncology
With credentials that span clinical exercise physiology, strength and conditioning, and cancer-specific training, Fitzmaurice represents a new generation of healthcare professionals bridging performance science with medical care. As a Certified Cancer Exercise Trainer (CET) and Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), his expertise lies not only in optimizing physical performance, but in translating that knowledge into meaningful, life-enhancing outcomes for individuals navigating one of the most challenging diagnoses imaginable.
“My mission is to make exercise the standard of care—not just for some, but for all, and especially for cancer survivors.” While many practitioners enter oncology through traditional clinical routes, Fitzmaurice’s perspective was informed by both personal and professional experiences. Having lost family members to cancer, he carried a personal connection to the disease. However, it was his hands-on clinical exposure that crystallized his purpose.
“I’ve always been connected to cancer through family, but I didn’t become truly passionate until I started working directly with patients and saw the need firsthand.”
How Movement Strengthens Cognition and Extends Longevity
For decades, exercise has been associated with weight control, cardiovascular fitness, and muscular strength. However, modern neuroscience and longevity research now demonstrate that movement may be one of the most powerful tools available to protect the brain, sharpen cognition, and extend healthy lifespan. Far from being simply a lifestyle choice, regular physical activity is increasingly recognized as a biological intervention capable of reshaping the brain, protecting neurological function, and improving mental resilience.
The Brain Was Built to Move
Human physiology evolved around movement. Walking, lifting, running, and coordinated activity stimulated circulation, oxygen delivery, and neural engagement long before modern sedentary lifestyles emerged. When the body moves, the brain receives a cascade of physiological benefits.
Exercise increases cerebral blood flow, delivering oxygen and glucose to neurons that require constant energy to function. Improved circulation also helps remove metabolic waste products from brain tissue, reducing inflammation and oxidative stress—two major drivers of neurological aging.
Studies using brain imaging technologies consistently show that physically active individuals maintain greater brain volume in regions responsible for memory, learning, and executive function. The hippocampus, a critical structure for memory formation, is particularly sensitive to physical activity and has been shown to enlarge in response to regular aerobic exercise.
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If our goal is not only to extend life but to improve the quality and strength of that life, then exercise must be recognized as a central pillar in cancer recovery, rehabilitation, and ultimately, longevity.
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