One statement my clients are going to hear me say in 2025 is we all need to improve our strength. As a Personal Trainer, I have always known the importance of strength training for both men and women. Many of my clients are women over 40 and they are often told about the benefits of strength training as they head into the peri/post menopausal stage of life. However, a lot of people aren’t aware that going head first into a strength training plan can create some issues for our bodies, as this is a time of change for us. It is not unusual for injuries to occur, which means that we get despondent and stop exercising.
Since 2020, I have been teaching an online Strength and Cardio class every Saturday morning at 9am. I record the class every week for all attendees and the recording is available for 2 weeks. This recording can also be purchased for anyone who can’t make the class.
To avoid injury and to encourage movement, I incorporate the MELT Method at the start and end of each class. You can find out more about how MELT and Strength work hand-in-hand on my blog.
My classes have evolved over the years and I am keen to keep up my knowledge and training, so that I incorporate the most recent research in helping women get the most out of their strength workout. I have recently signed up for a new course by Dr Stacey Sims, which is a course designed for instructors, who want to help women in their menopausal years. We know that it is important for us to build strength at any age, but it is even more important when we head towards middle age.
The British Journal of Sports Medicine recently published a review of high-intensity exercise and mental health and found that short bouts of intense exercise was a winner for improving mental well-being and reducing anxiety and depression.
In my strength classes, we lift weights so that we can boost our metabolic rate. For postmenopausal women, more muscle may also help you burn more fat while you exercise, according to a study published in the American Journal of Physiology—Endocrinology and Metabolism.
Strength training will also help to help build bone. This is important because the menopause transition is a precarious time for bone density, with up to 20% of a woman’s bone loss happening during this time of life.
Another benefit of strength training is an improvement to our cardiovascular and general health. Resistance training improves insulin sensitivity, lowers blood pressure, reduces visceral (deep belly) fat, and improves immunity.
My strength classes are adapted to meet the requirements of my individual clients who are all at different stages of life and fitness.It is always important that if you are new to strength training, that you work your way into lifting weights and going heavier. As I always say to all of my clients “You Do You”.
If you would like to find out more, or join my strength class then please do get in touch – I’d love to hear from you.
