Objective To investigate the effect of incremental load training on AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation in skeletal muscle satellite cells of aged mice. Methods Experimental mice were divided into 3 groups: young control group (YC group, n=12), old control group (OC group, n=12) and old training group (OT group, n=12). The mice in OT group received incremental load training, and CD45-/CD31-/Sca1-/VCAM (CD106) + cells were isolated by flow cytometry sorting. Desmin, Myod myogenic staining and myogenic differentiation culture were used for identification of muscle satellite cells, and the p-AMPK level of muscle satellite cells was detected by immunohistochemistry combined with Western blotting method. Results The expression levels of AMPK and p-AMPK in skeletal muscle satellite cells in YC group were significantly higher than those in OC group (P<0.05). AMPK expression in OT group and OC group did not change significantly (P>0.05), while p-AMPK expression level in OT group was significant higher than that in OC group (P<0.05). Conclusions Incremental load training can promote AMPK phosphorylation of skeletal muscle satellite cells in aged mice, and improve energy metabolism of skeletal muscle in aged mice.