Top 5 Strength Exercises for Women in Menopause
Today, I was approached by a woman in her late 50’s who is going through menopause and she asked me to list five strength exercises that she can do at home on a regular basis. For menopausal women, strength training is crucial because it helps to stimulate bone formation and increase bone density associated with lower estrogen levels. Other benefits of strength training during menopause include increased muscle mass and strength which can lead to a higher metabolism and improved cardiovascular health. Not to mention, it can help boost your mood, reduce anxiety and aid in sleep quality.
First of all, if you are new to strength training, you may want to consult your physician to make sure you have no limitations and start slowly, working up to a greater amount of weight and repetitions. How many times per week should you train? Well, although the recommendation is 2-3 times per week, I have seen both pre- and post-menopausal women increase strength with only one session per week. However, the effort level must be high and the concentration on certain muscle groups must be consistent.
What are 5 strength training exercises for menopause I can do at home? Ideally, you want to incorporate large muscle groups for the upper body, lower body and core.
Squats - If you are new to working out, my suggestion is to do a wall squat. Simply sit against the wall, with feet hip-width apart and feet in front of you. Start with 30-second wall squat, then eventually you can build up to 2 minutes for 3 rounds.
Wall Squat
2. For upper body: Front and Lateral Raises with Dumbbells (seated or standing)
Front Raises
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Lateral Raise
3. Single Tricep Kickbacks with Dumbbells
4. Standing Resistance Band Rows: using a resistance band around a pole or staircase railing
5. Core work on the floor
Butterfly crunch
Keeping your back pressed and knees open, lift your head and shoulders for 20 reps.
As far as sets and reps, I start my clients with 2 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions of weights. As you get comfortable with your workouts, you can increase the weight, but remember do not lose focus of your form. Always begin your workout with a brief cardiovascular warm up including walking, running, jumping rope or biking to increase blood flow. Also, remember to stretch with deep breathing at the end of your workout. Here’s an example of some easy stretches for your cool down.
