Strength Training and Menopause: One Surprising Key to Thriving Through Life’s Changes
October is Menopause Awareness Month, and it’s the perfect time to shine a light on an incredibly effective yet often overlooked way to navigate menopause and perimenopause: strength training. As your body undergoes hormonal shifts, loss of bone density, and muscle mass, it can feel like you’re losing control. But did you know that strength training, especially incorporating heavier weights, is one way to help you take back that control?
Many people associate menopause with hot flashes and mood swings, but the effects start much earlier. Perimenopause, the transitional phase before menopause, can begin as early as your mid-30s, bringing gradual hormonal changes that lead to many of the same symptoms associated with menopause. As Dr. Noor Al-Humaidhi of Lifestyles by Noor points out, “The fact that menopause is defined as one year since your last period is arbitrary and not remotely relevant to the experience of most women. It creates a 'start date' and 'end date' when there isn’t. Symptoms can start as early as 35 and go on for many years.”
One of the most significant—and lesser-known—effects of menopause is accelerated muscle loss. In fact, after the age of 30, women naturally lose about 3-5% of their muscle mass per decade. As menopause approaches, that loss increases significantly, affecting not just your strength but your metabolism as well. This means that even if your diet hasn’t changed, muscle loss can make it harder to maintain your weight. But there’s good news: strength training can help reverse this trend.
The Benefits of Strength Training for Perimenopause & Menopause
Strength training offers powerful benefits during both perimenopause and menopause, from preserving muscle to improving bone health, boosting mood, and helping manage stress. Whether you’re new to strength training or already active, it’s one of the more effective ways to manage these natural life transitions.
Preserve and Build Muscle: As estrogen levels fluctuate and eventually decline, so does your ability to maintain muscle mass. Muscle mass is crucial for maintaining your balance – an automatic function involving your brain, nerves and muscles that happens without your awareness. The loss of muscle mass associated with menopause can significantly increase your risk of falling (and therefore fracture risk!). Strength training helps counteract muscle loss. And the more muscle you retain, the better your body is at burning calories, preventing falls, supporting metabolism, and maintaining overall health.
Boost Bone Density: Did you know that one in two women over the age of 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis? With estrogen levels dropping, bone density also declines during perimenopause and menopause. Strength training—especially lifting heavier weights—helps stimulate new bone growth and slows bone loss. If you're curious about your own bone density, a DEXA scan is a tool to consider to get a detailed look at your bone health and helping guide your strength training efforts. A great resource locally for this is Dr. Noor Al-Humaidhi, who offers DEXA scans at her clinic in Exeter.
Improve Insulin Sensitivity: Hormonal changes during this phase increase the risk of insulin resistance, which can lead to weight gain and type 2 diabetes. Strength training, particularly heavy lifting, improves your body’s insulin sensitivity, helping regulate blood sugar levels and reducing the risk of metabolic disorders.
Enhance Mental Well-Being and Stress Management: Perimenopause and menopause can bring with them emotional changes such as anxiety, mood swings, and difficulty managing stress. Strength training is a powerful tool in this regard. Weightlifting releases endorphins, which improve mood, combat brain fog, and reduce anxiety. Additionally, by building physical strength, you gain a sense of empowerment that carries over into mental resilience, helping you manage stress more effectively.
Why Heavy Weightlifting is Worth Considering
While any form of strength training can provide these benefits, lifting heavier weights (70-85% of your one-rep max) offers even greater rewards. It’s not about lifting the heaviest weight in the gym but about progressively increasing your strength in a way that is both safe and challenging.
For example, research from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research suggests that women can gain more muscle and strength from lifting heavier weights for fewer repetitions compared to lighter weights for higher repetitions. This approach is particularly effective in increasing muscle mass, improving bone density, and boosting metabolism—areas that are critically affected by perimenopause and menopause. A study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research found that postmenopausal women who engaged in high-intensity resistance training increased their bone density by 2% in just 12 months.
The Limitless Approach to Strength Training
Perimenopause and menopause are transformative stages, but they don’t have to be about loss. They can be about strength, empowerment, and a deep connection to your body’s resilience. At Limitless Fitness, we see strength training as a way to help you lean into this transition with confidence. Every workout is tailored to honor your goals and your body’s unique needs, helping you build muscle, maintain bone health, and feel stronger from the inside out.
If you’ve wondered how strength training can support you, we’d love to show you! Whether it’s working toward heavier lifts or building a sustainable fitness foundation, our trainers are here to help you feel energized, capable, and ready for whatever comes next. Reach out and let’s take this journey together—toward strength, health, and a life well-lived.
If you have any pre-existing health conditions be sure to consult a healthcare professional before starting a new exercise program.