Lifting weights is your menopausal superpower
It’s common knowledge that we start losing muscle mass from the age of 30 at a worrying rate. By perimenopause, it’s possible to lose up to 10% of muscle mass.
Perimenopause is a great time to start weightlifting because that’s when we see the biggest amount of body composition changes and this means we can then go on to keep getting stronger through our menopause.
If you are someone who wants to keep enjoying life and living independently and well, then you need to start resistance training.
Research has shown that oestrogen works with our nervous system to cause nerve signals to recruit our muscle fibres. When we lose oestrogen at peri/menopause, we need something else to stimulate a good strong muscle contraction; that’s why we need resistance or strength training.
So should you lift light with lots of reps or heavy at lower reps? Well, that all depends on your starting point.
If you can’t even support your own body weight in a press up or plank for example then start with body weight strength training. Go for compound exercises which work multiple joints and muscles like modified push ups on the wall or a bench, squats to a chair, half planks and split squats . As you build confidence you can add light weights and think about ¾ sets of 10 repetitions to build endurance in your muscles. When the light weights get easier, you can gradually start to lift heavier. This needs to be gradual and done with the expertise of a Personal Trainer who can advise you on correct body position and technique. The last thing you want is an injury , it is important to go slow. At menopause we become more susceptible to injury as our collagen fibres decrease and degrade making our muscles, tendons and ligaments more injury prone. Alongside your lifting, you’ll be doing some mobility training and flexibility work which greatly helps with injury prevention.
Other benefits of resistance training in menopause are to help keep your bones strong. We know that lower levels of circulating female hormones will mean our bones can become weaker from menopause onwards. By placing a stress or force on the joint via the muscle lifting a weight, we strengthen our bones and reduce the risk of fractures.
Lifting heavier is your ultimate goal, since moderate intensity won’t create the nervous system response that we need for a really good strong muscle contraction. Remember, work with a specialist personal trainer who understands the menopause and resistance training. This is going to help you reach your goals safely and effectively.
Other benefits to the menopausal period? Lean muscle is more metabolically active than fat. This means that as you develop more muscle, you use more energy to maintain it and this helps keeps your weight at a healthy level. Resistance training will help improve body composition and prevent weight gain overtime by increasing your muscle mass. What’s not to like!
Brain health is a lesser known perk of resistance training. Lifting heavier weights helps to stimulate the central nervous system which recruits more neural pathways in the brain.
How often should you train? I would go for 3 times a week, 20 minutes at a time. You can do less minutes. It’s about the quality of what you are doing not the time. Go for slow and steady and remember to breathe rather than breathe hold.
Working with a specialist personal trainer during peri/menopause can be really helpful You’ll get the right nutritional advice to fuel your body and combat those low circulating hormones and learn good technique, bio-mechanics and how to prevent injury.
Building strength is your superpower. You’ll gain muscle mass, reduce fat, get stronger bones and joints, improved brain health, confidence and faster metabolism
Go lift some weights!!!
