KEY TAKEAWAY:​ Strength training isn’t just for the young or the seasoned athlete; it’s a powerful tool for women at any age to enhance their strength, confidence, and overall well-being. Scroll down to the TAKE ACTION section for this week’s actionable steps.

Today, I want to revisit strength training because two people close to me have reached out in recent months to ask me for tips on it, which I have given them.

Now?

Now, hardly a week goes by that I don’t hear from them about how great they’re feeling, how much stronger they’re getting, and the results they’re seeing.

Both of these individuals, like myself until 35, have had little to no consistent strength training in their lives. Now, in their 50s, they are seeing that not only does strength training make a difference, it can make a difference at any age!

(And that is one of the beautiful things about strength training: The vast majority of us can do strength training in some shape or form. That is not necessarily the case with high-impact cardiovascular activities like running. And those of us who are of a certain age and, in particular, have had children can probably especially relate to this, ahem.)

Strength training is truly a fountain of youth tonic. If you want to feel younger, look younger, and stay younger and fully functioning, ensure that strength training is a part of your self-care routine to achieve that.

The good news is that you don’t have to spend hours in the gym to achieve results. I strength train three times a week, and I do not kill myself. What I do do is show up consistently and challenge myself more than I am challenged doing normal activities.

Granted, I’m not going to enter any bodybuilder competition, but I feel good in and about my skin — still at 56 — and that is in large part due to strength training. While I do cardio activities regularly, too, strength training has played a material role in helping me build muscles and maintain them and my shape over the years.

So, let’s go over some basics, and I’ll include my current strength training routine. Note that I’m skipping over the other benefits — besides helping you stay strong, fully functioning, and looking and feeling good, there are also tremendous health benefits. However, the bottom line is that exercise, of which strength training is an essential component, is awesome for our outsides and insides, and you can read more about it in my post, Want a simple way to feel younger, happier & more alive?

HOW MUCH?

The general recommendation is to do two days of moderate- or high-intensity muscle training each week that challenges the muscle more than normal activities and that targets the key muscles (legs, butt, back, chest, core, shoulders, and arms).¹ Overtraining aside, the more you do, the greater the benefits.

My recommendation for you: Start somewhere. Even if you can’t hit that target right away, don’t worry. Start somewhere and build from there.

WHAT TO DO?

Examples of strength training activities include lifting weights or working with resistance bands, climbing stairs, hill walking, push-ups, sit-ups, squats, and yoga. I’ll focus on lifting weights here.

Before You Begin

• Seek medical clearance: Safety first. While most people can start exercising without issues, seeing a doctor before you begin any exercise program is always a good idea. That is especially true if you haven’t exercised for a long time or have health or other unique circumstances to consider.
• Consider getting a guide. I’m not sure I’d be on this page talking about strength training if I hadn’t begun the strength training journey that finally stuck with a personal trainer (it wasn’t my first strength training attempt, but it was my first attempt with a trainer). My PT not only trained my muscles, but he trained me on what to do and how. It also gave me a greater degree of comfort and confidence, which was important, especially in a public gym, because I felt like I knew what I was doing, which is one reason why women don’t strength train. Feeling self-conscious and lacking confidence about what to do are two common barriers to why more women don’t strength train.²
• Have a plan. Set your schedule of which muscles you will target, when, and the exercises you will do. My strength training schedule and workout plan is as follows:Tuesday: Focuses on shoulders, triceps, biceps and core.
  Thursday: Focuses on the lower body and core.
  Saturday: Focuses on chest, back, and core.

You can get access to my 2- and 3-day strength training programs here.

Note that you can structure your workout in many ways, and the best way for you will be what fits you and what you will do. So, what is that for you? Meet yourself where you are and build from there.

Working Out

• Warm up and cool down. Yes, you should do both. Warming up prepares your body for the main workout and can give you a more effective training session while cooling down eases your body back to a natural state.³ I spend about 5–10 minutes warming up for a strength training session with some light cardio (walking, jogging, or using the elliptical machine, depending on where I am and what body part I’m working out) and then do some stretches and exercises with lighter weights to ease into my main workout. To cool down, I walk if I need to bring my heart rate down and stretch the muscles I worked, spending about 5–10 minutes depending on the intensity of my workout.
• Challenge yourself right: Choose the sets, repetitions, weight/resistance/intensity, and tempo that support your goals.⁴
• Choosing the right weight/resistance: A general guideline is to pick a weight where the last set is difficult but possible to complete with good form. If you can’t maintain proper form throughout the set, adjust the weight or the number of repetitions. How do you know when to increase the weight or resistance? Generally, it’s time when you can complete all sets with your planned repetition count plus two while maintaining proper form for two consecutive workouts.⁵
• Sets, repetitions & tempo: Strength training generally involves doing a certain number of sets with a target number of repetitions per set and rest periods between sets. One repetition is one movement or lift. For example, one bicep curl is one repetition. You combine repetitions into sets, doing a targeted number of repetitions per set and a targeted number of sets per exercise.

For example, if you are doing bicep curls, you may target to do three sets of 10 repetitions each, for a total of 30 (3 x 10) bicep curls. Between each set, you rest. How do you determine the number of repetitions and sets to do or how long to rest between sets?

Following are some general recommendations for different goals (note that even if you focus primarily on one specific goal, you can still gain benefits in other areas):

• Muscle Endurance: Endurance is your muscles’ ability to continue to exert force against resistance, which is generally supported by a higher number of repetitions with lighter weight/resistance and shorter rest periods (e.g., 30 seconds or less).⁴ While there are varying recommendations, to build muscle endurance, you would generally target 2–3 sets of 12 or more repetitions per set.⁴
• Muscle Strength: Strength refers to the amount of force a muscle can exert at once and is generally supported by doing fewer repetitions with heavier weight/resistance and longer rest periods (e.g., 2–5 minutes).⁴ While there are varying recommendations, to build muscle strength, you would generally target 1–6 sets of eight or fewer repetitions per set.⁴
• Muscle Size: Generally, a medium number of reps with heavier weights and medium rest periods (e.g., 30–90 seconds) is considered good for building muscle size.⁴ Again, recommendations vary by source, but to focus on building muscle size, you’d do around 3–6 sets of six to 12 repetitions per set.⁴

The above depends on the person, their goals, and other factors. However, I generally target three sets of 10 repetitions, adjusting as necessary for different exercises. If you’re unsure what to do, this can be a good target; you can see how you progress and adjust as you go. If you’re new to strength training, you may want to begin with two sets and work up to three after two weeks of training.

• Track what you do: It’s easy to forget what you did during your workout — how many sets or repetitions or what weight or resistance you used — so keep note of what you did on a piece of paper or your iPhone or other smart device. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but tracking what you did will help you have more effective workouts and identify where you may want to mix things up, which is my next tip.

As Your Progress

• Mix things up: When it’s time — meaning you don’t feel you are still seeing or feeling any progress or you’re getting bored — mix up your routine. Change your workout structure, the number of sets and repetitions, the weight/resistance or intensity you’re targeting, and/or the exercises you do.

IF YOU WANT IT TO WORK, YOU NEED TO WORK

If you invest the time and effort to strength train, you want to see results. You don’t need to spend hours every day in the gym to get results. You do, however, need to challenge yourself and the right amount. After all, if your level of effort doesn’t change, how much can your effort change you?

The takeaway is this:

If you want it to work, you need to work.

“Work” doesn’t mean you have to kill yourself, but it does mean that your workout shouldn’t be a walk in the park. You need to exert yourself more than you do with your normal activities.

IF YOU’RE WORRIED ABOUT GETTING BULKY

A common goal for many of us women is to have less fat and more toned, shapely muscles. However, we may associate strength training with brawny characters, characters we we don’t necessarily want to emulate, which may be one reason we abstain from or don’t really challenge ourselves when lifting weights.

So, if you are worried about getting too big, then consider the following:

• First, there is muscle, and there is fat. If you want more toned and shapely muscles and less fat, you (1) build your muscles with strength training so you can see them and (2) reveal them by having less fat.

How much fat you have is influenced by how many calories you consume compared to the calories you burn. Fortunately, by building muscle, you’re building your metabolic powerhouse because at rest one pound of muscle burns more calories than one pound of fat.

• Second, how big your muscles get depends on what you do.

Men and women alike typically need to make a dedicated effort to achieve bodybuilder-type bodies. Unless that is your goal, don’t worry about strength training making you too bulky if you don’t so wish and are willing to work with dedication to achieve it.

• Third, pound for pound, muscle takes up less space than fat, so the bigger “bulker” is fat.

If you want to have less fat and more toned, shapely muscles, then I recommend consistent exercise — exercise to feel good, not as a punishment because you ate too much or don’t like the number you see on the scale, incorporating enough strength training and cardiovascular activity, combined with an intuitive, eat-to-live lifestyle.

This formula transformed my body over time, and I didn’t have to spend hours in the gym to do it. What it did take was building my exercise-to-thrive habit and making gradual, positive changes to my diet that I could embrace and sustain.

IF YOU WANT OR ARE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT

Many of us want to lose weight, and if you are one of those people, then you will especially love the benefits strength training can give you, not just the ones I’ve mentioned but also when it comes to your weight.

That is because when we lose weight, we often lose muscle, which can have several negative consequences, including:⁵

• Slowed metabolism, since muscle is more metabolically active than fat, can make it harder to lose weight and maintain it.
• Increased risk of sarcopenia, or low muscle mass and impaired muscle function.
• Impact on physical function, since we need our muscles to support our ability to walk, climb stairs, and lift items.

So, strength training will not only help to reshape and sculpt your thinner body but is part of maintaining your metabolism and strength, which is key if you’re trying to lose or maintain a weight loss.

FINAL THOUGHTS

In closing, strength training can produce amazing benefits, benefits that may be difficult to imagine now but are real and available for anyone at any age. And you don’t need to spend hours in the gym to reap them; just show up consistently and challenge yourself enough. It’s never too late to start, and the benefits go far beyond what you will see on the outside. So, if strength training is not a part of your current exercise routine, do yourself and your amazing body a favor and start. Start somewhere with what you can and will do.

And if you feel you need support, get it. It doesn’t have to be cost-prohibitive or be a commitment you make for the long-term; even a few sessions with a personal trainer can be beneficial. Ask for sessions for your birthday or for holidays. Trade some lunches or dinners out for a PT session. The bottom line is that it’s you and your well-being your investing in. What is that worth to you?

TAKE ACTION

Help yourself stay sexy, beautiful, and fully functioning, and enjoy the many wonderful health benefits that strength training can convey by establishing a foundational strength training practice.

1. Before You Begin: It is generally recommended to consult a physician before starting any new workout routine, especially if you haven’t exercised in a while or have specific health concerns. If you’re new to strength training or not making the progress you desire, consider working with a personal trainer. Have a goal and a plan, identifying when you’ll train, what muscle groups you’ll focus on, and the exercises you’ll do. Target to meet the minimum recommended strength training guidelines, but start where you are and work up to that as it fits you best.
2. During Your Workouts: Be sure to warm up before your workout and cool down after. Challenge yourself enough, picking the weights or resistance that makes you work more than you do during normal activities. Support your continued progress by tracking your workouts and noting what you did, the length of your workout or number of sets and repetitions, the amount of resistance or intensity, and any other information you want to remember.
3. Mix Things Up: Support continued progress and stay engaged in your workout by mixing things up when needed. Change your workout structure, the number of sets and repetitions, the weight/resistance or intensity you’re targeting, and/or the exercises you do.

References:

1: Strength Training Guidelines

General Physical Activities Defined by Level of Intensity. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/pdf/pa_intensity_table_2_1.pdf

(2018). Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition (2018) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf

2: Women Weight Training Statistics

Hurley KS, Flippin KJ, Blom LC, Bolin JE, Hoover DL, Judge LW. Practices, Perceived Benefits, and Barriers to Resistance Training Among Women Enrolled in College. Int J Exerc Sci. 2018 May 1;11(5):226–238. PMID: 29795737; PMCID: PMC5955292.

ScienceDaily (2020, November 5). Researchers study strength-training gender gap, possible solutions. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105115157.htm

3: Warming Up/Cooling Down

Warm Up & Cool Down. American Heart Association. Retrieved from https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/warm-up-cool-down

Warm-up and cool-down. NHS Inform. Retrieved from https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/keeping-active/before-and-after-exercise/warm-up-and-cool-down

4: Strength Training Recommendations

Braverman, Jody (2019, March 20). How Much Rest Between Workouts for Muscle Growth? Livestrong. Retrieved from https://www.livestrong.com/article/374066-how-much-rest-between-workouts-for-muscle-growth/

Geiger, Bill (2021, July 8). When Should You Increase The Amount Of Weight You Lift? Bodybuilding.com. Retrieved from https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/when-should-you-increase-the-amount-of-weight-you-lift.html#:

Marturana Winderl, Amy (2022, January 1). How Many Reps and Sets Should You Do for the Best Strength-Training Results? Livestrong. Retrieved from https://www.livestrong.com/article/557115-training-101-the-ultimate-guide-to-sets-and-reps/

Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf

5: Impact of Weight Loss

Cleveland Clinic. Metabolism. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21893-metabolism

Erin Fothergill, Juen Guo, Lilian Howard, Jennifer C. Kerns, Nicolas D. Knuth, Robert Brychta, Kong Y. Chen, Monica C. Skarulis, Mary Walter, Peter J. Walter, Kevin D. Hall (02 May 2016). Persistent metabolic adaptation 6 years after “The Biggest Loser” competition. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.21538; http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oby.21538/full#oby21538-bib-0038

Hunter GR, Singh H, Carter SJ, Bryan DR, Fisher G. Sarcopenia and Its Implications for Metabolic Health. J Obes. 2019 Mar 6;2019:8031705. doi: 10.1155/2019/8031705. PMID: 30956817; PMCID: PMC6431367.

Janssen, Tom Anthonius Hubertus; Van Every, Derrick W.; Phillips, Stuart M.. The impact and utility of very low-calorie diets: the role of exercise and protein in preserving skeletal muscle mass. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care 26(6):p 521–527, November 2023. | DOI: 10.1097/MCO.0000000000000980

McCarthy D, Berg A. Weight Loss Strategies and the Risk of Skeletal Muscle Mass Loss. Nutrients. 2021 Jul 20;13(7):2473. doi: 10.3390/nu13072473. PMID: 34371981; PMCID: PMC8308821.

Rhee EJ. Weight Cycling and Its Cardiometabolic Impact. J Obes Metab Syndr. 2017 Dec 30;26(4):237–242. doi: 10.7570/jomes.2017.26.4.237. PMID: 31089525; PMCID: PMC6489475.

Sullivan, Kaitlin (2023, May 20). Weight loss drugs can lead to muscle loss, too. Is that a bad thing? Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/weight-loss-drugs-muscle-loss-rcna84936

UCLA Health. Rapid weight loss can lead to loss of muscle mass. Retrieved from https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/rapid-weight-loss-can-lead-loss-muscle-mass#:~:text=As muscle mass diminishes%2C so,medications to address the problem.

Additional reading: Strategies to protect muscle while losing weight

Cava E, Yeat NC, Mittendorfer B. Preserving Healthy Muscle during Weight Loss. Adv Nutr. 2017 May 15;8(3):511–519. doi: 10.3945/an.116.014506. PMID: 28507015; PMCID: PMC5421125.

Healthline.com. How to Lose Fat Without Losing Muscle. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/how-to-lose-fat-without-losing-muscle#healthy-eating

Wooddell, Brody (2024, June 26). How to lose weight and keep your muscle on Ozempic. Retrieved from https://www.wfla.com/bloom-tampa-bay/bloom-fitness/how-to-lose-weight-and-keep-your-muscle-on-ozempic/#:~:text=Strategies for Maintaining Muscle While Using Ozempic&text=Eating the right foods is,%2C beans%2C and Greek yogurt.

IMPORTANT: The information provided is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified professional with any questions you may have regarding the topics discussed here as the topics discussed are based on general principles and may not be applicable to every individual. 

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