Sep 1612 min read

WHY STRENGTH TRAIN?

Turning 40, 50, 60, or beyond doesn't mean you can't become functionally younger and stronger over the next 10, 20, 30 years or more. For women over 40, strength training is the most effective method to maintain youthfulness, fitness, and strength, enabling you to enjoy life as you age.

Read on for a comprehensive overview of the why's for aging strong through strength training backed up by research!

woman getting stronger with strength training

Regrettably, it's all too common for women to reduce their workout intensity with age, often limiting themselves to walking.

"I take my dog for long walks every night," exclaim many women experiencing weight gain during menopause.

While long walks are beneficial, prioritizing weightlifting can make a significant difference for women during this stage of life.

The sooner you start strength training, the better, so start now.

In fact, one thing many of us in the fitness business hear from women in their 60s is, “I wish I would have started serious strength training earlier.”

No matter your age, you can achieve amazing results in your health and lifestyle by improving your fitness level, increasing your physical strength and endurance, and improving your aerobic capacity.

Even people in their 80s who start lifting weights can get stronger with each workout.

It’s never too late to start. The best day to start was 20 years ago, but the second-best day to start is right now!

Let’s look at some reasons why making strength training a priority is crucial to enjoying life to the fullest beyond 40 years old.

STRENGTH TRAINING INCREASES LONGEVITY

Do you wish to extend your lifespan and witness more of life's milestones? Imagine watching your grandchildren wed, being involved in your great-grandchildren's lives, and featuring in numerous family photos and memories, thus cementing your legacy with your loved ones. A 2017 study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that "a moderate amount of time dedicated to strength training may be beneficial for longevity, regardless of aerobic activity" (Kamada et al., 2017).

Remember, longevity is only valuable if accompanied by a high quality of life.

The stronger and more fit you remain as you age, the more prepared you will be to actively participate in life's moments.

As you age, do you want to be on the sidelines or in the game of life?

Making strength training a priority will keep you ready to jump into the arena and participate.

Turning 40, 50, 60, or beyond doesn't mean you can't become functionally younger and stronger over the next 10, 20, 30 years or more. For women over 40, strength training is the most effective method to maintain youthfulness, fitness, and strength, enabling them to enjoy life as they age.

If you’ve never been an athlete, that’s okay, too.

You might find your inner athlete as you gain confidence in your strength and fitness. It makes longevity much more interesting when you can participate in all you missed out on or said no to before you discovered your newfound strength and fitness.

STRENGTH TRAINING IMPROVES YOUR ODDS OF AVOIDING AND OVERCOMING INJURY AND DISEASE

The prospect of spending our later years in poor health, frailty, and without the ability to enjoy life is a common fear. "Younger Next Year" by Chris Crowley suggests that over 50 percent of the illnesses and injuries in the last third of life can be prevented by initiating a fitness regimen (Crowley and Lodge, 2004).

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) lists falls, heart disease, and cancer as the leading causes of injury and death among older Americans (Xu et al., 2022).

By maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle, you can keep your strength and balance to avoid falls, dodge chronic illnesses including heart disease and many cancers, and reduce your risk of conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, and even Alzheimer’s.

Can training in your 40s through their 60s help you avoid being put on medications? Yup!

Arthritis is the nation’s number one cause of disability, with 29.3 percent of people aged 45 to 64 years and 49.6 percent of people aged 65 year or older reporting doctor-diagnosed arthritis (CDC 2021). I suspect that more people have arthritis, with many people over 40 complaining of some kind of joint pain at some point. Arthritis refers to joint pain or joint disease, and there are more than 100 types.

Studies indicate that strength training is highly beneficial for individuals with arthritis. It supports and protects joints by fortifying the surrounding muscles.

Enhancing muscle strength around the joints can alleviate pain and diminish the stiffness and swelling associated with arthritis (Hurkmans et al. 2009).

Weightlifting could be considered a potent remedy against arthritis. A client who was in her 70's and trained with me mentioned that unlike her acquaintances, she wasn't suffering from arthritis.

Women tend to be hypermobile at both the knee and hip joints and need more stability to prevent injuries.

Women have a higher incidence than men of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears of the knee—3.5 times greater incidence in basketball and 2.8 times greater in soccer—according to a study published in the Journal of Orthopedics (The Female ACL 2016).

In addition, women experience a higher incidence of injuries to the hip joint; hip dysplasia and labral tears are reported more often in females than males (Groh and Herrera 2009).

A strength training program can decrease the risk of both ACL and hip injuries by improving stability. The only way to create more stability is to develop strength.

Improving your hip strength and mobility also can decrease back pain, which is experienced by 80 percent of adults at some point in their lives (Taylor et al. 2022).

Evidence suggests that rupture of the Achilles tendon, which is much more common in people ages 30 to 46, can also be avoided or treated without surgery by emphasizing range-of-motion exercises and weight-bearing activities early in life (Sheth et al. 2017).

If you do require surgery or medical treatment, such as hip surgery or ACL repair, because of disease or injury, the stronger and more fit you are, the better your recovery and ability to overcome and maintain quality of life. As American fitness coach Mark Rippetoe said, “Strong people are harder to kill, and more useful in general.”

Even after being diagnosed with cancer and starting treatment, a stronger, healthier, and fitter body will get you through the treatment more likely to survive for many years.

Train to be prepared for anything.

STRENGTH TRAINING INCREASES BONE MASS AND REDUCES THE RISK OF OSTEOPOROSIS AND OSTEOPENIA

Research suggests that women can reverse bone loss through strength training (Hoke et al. 2020). A 2018 article published in Endocrinology and Metabolism showed resistance exercise was highly beneficial for the preservation of bone and muscle mass as women age (Hong and Kim 2018).

That's aging strong!

Some key factors to improve bone mass that need to be included as part of your training are weight-bearing activities using linear or undulating periodization, progressive overload, higher-intensity training, and compound movements.

STRENGTH TRAINING INCREASES METABOLISM AND REDUCES BODY FAT

During perimenopause and menopause, women often find it challenging to preserve their desired body composition.

Typically, they may gain between 10 to 15 pounds (5 to 7 kg) of fat, predominantly around the abdomen, as a result of hormonal shifts.

Insulin resistance can also develop in some women during this period (Monash University 2023).

A common sentiment expressed by women experiencing these changes is, "I've never had a belly before. Where did this come from?"

flatter belly, less bloat and leaner muscles with strength training

I feel this personally as I've been there, done that, am there! ;)

A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning published in January 2021 compared the effects of resistance training on body fat percentage and blood biomarkers in untrained women (Cunha et al. 2021).

Sixty-five women more than 60 years old were assigned to one of three groups: low volume, high volume, or control.

Both the low-volume and high-volume groups performed resistance training for 12 weeks.

The low-volume group performed 1 set of 8 exercises for 10 to 15 repetitions, and the high-volume group performed 3 sets.

The study concluded that high-volume resistance training was the most effective strategy to reduce body fat and trunk fat and improve biomarkers in older women.

The high-volume group lost almost 4 percent more body fat than the low-volume group and over 6 percent trunk fat.

Perimenopause could be the optimal period to harness the benefits of strength training, according to a 2022 study published in the journal Menopause (Gould et al. 2022).

This research assessed the body composition of 72 women between the ages of 35 and 60, revealing that perimenopause was associated with changes such as muscle loss, increased body fat percentage, and reduced metabolism.

The findings suggest that perimenopause is a critical time for lifestyle interventions.

By lifting weights and stressing your muscles, you will increase your lean mass.

The benefits of resistance training for enhancing muscular strength in healthy older adults have been validated (Borde, Hortobagyi, and Granacher, 2015).

Since lean mass, or muscle tissue, burns fat, it allows you to burn more fat even while at rest.

The appropriate strength training regimen can boost your metabolism and result in an afterburn effect. When combined with a moderate level (different from moderate "intensity" mind you) of cardiovascular exercise, your body becomes an efficient fat-burning, athletic machine.

However, excessive cardio in later life could be counterproductive, as it might lead to the consumption of your hard-earned lean muscle tissue for energy, which is not the intended outcome.

I often see this when women do too much cardio or high intensity HIIT type training and in effect can catabolize (take away from) rather than anabolize (add up/build) their muscle.

Therefore, don't hesitate to engage in heavy lifting to build muscle mass that enhances metabolism and enables you to age with strength.

STRENGTH TRAINING IMPROVES AEROBIC CAPACITY AND ENDURANCE

Endurance athletes, as well as those who regularly run or walk, can enhance their performance by incorporating weightlifting into their routine. It is often observed that endurance athletes reach their peak performance in their 30s or 40s. Increased strength contributes to greater efficiency, enhancing power and strength with each stride. This is supported by a study found in the Scandinavian Journal of Medical Science in Sports by Hoff, Gran, and Helgerud in 2002.

This is true for a particular gal who'd started running in college and excelled on the collegiate track team. Realizing she had a talent and a passion for running, being part of a team gave her a purpose. She eventually added in some strength training with basic exercises such as crunches and push-ups to complement her number one priority of running. It wasn’t until she was in her 40s that she started her first structured serious strength training program, lifting weights at the gym.

Before she started lifting, she noticed that her body and particularly her belly were changing in ways she didn’t like.

Starting a consistent lifting program really helped to combat the “menopause belly” and helped her get through menopause with very few symptoms.

Strength training increased her strength, which in turn boosted her running speed. She felt empowered to tackle longer distances and successfully completed her first marathon in her 50s.

Throughout her marathon training, she maintained strength training sessions twice a week, recognizing their significance for her running performance.

Surprisingly, she discovered that less running and more strength training made her faster. Indeed, her newfound strength allowed her to accelerate downhill with confidence, knowing her joints were up to the task, leading to personal bests in her 5K runs.

Her advice is to welcome aging with open arms: "Don't dread getting older; embrace it. You can feel much better and accomplish more if strength training is a staple in your routine. Start now."

The Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging found that aerobic capacity declines through the years (Ferrucci 2008). But we can counteract this!

Without cardiorespiratory exercise, the decline in aerobic capacity is accelerated. Why is good aerobic capacity important? It’s been shown to reduce the risk of high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and some forms of cancer (Warburton et al. 2006).

STRENGTH TRAINING IMPROVES POWER DEVELOPMENT

Power is the ability to move a load or our body weight swiftly.

It's been noted that as people age, falling becomes a leading reason for hospital visits, often due to a decline in power. They lack the speed or power to catch themselves.

Enhancing your power can help you move quickly to react and prevent falls, maintaining independence as you age. Power development is a crucial component of strength training programs.

A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research stated that "the speed of the lower limb is essential for safety-related functional tasks (like crossing a busy street or preventing falls), thus high-speed power training is recommended for older adults to boost power" (Fragala et al., 2019).

One woman began strength training in her 40s and has continued well into her 60's and is a competitive golfer at 69 and has not only sustained her power in her swing but has also improved it.

She lives by the motto, "Use it or lose it," ensuring she exercises her strength, power, and fitness daily.

STRENGTH TRAINING STRENGTHENS THE PELVIC FLOOR MUSCLES

A weakened pelvic floor is a common issue for women as they age, regardless of pregnancy or childbirth history. Pelvic floor dysfunction, which hampers control over the pelvic muscles, can result in urinary incontinence, bowel movement challenges, and lower back pain.

The pelvic floor's role in supporting pelvic organs means that its weakening can cause prolapse, where these organs begin to sag.

Factors contributing to pelvic floor dysfunction include:

- childbirth

- reduced estrogen levels during perimenopause and menopause, and can lead to decreased connective tissue elasticity, obesity, nerve damage, or injury.

While Kegel exercises are well-known for pelvic floor strengthening, they represent just the starting point.

TRAINER TIPS:

Think of your core as a canister:

The deep abdominal muscles make up the front wall, the spinal muscles make up the back, the diaphragm is the top, and the pelvic floor is the bottom. If any of the sides of the canister are not strong or able to function properly, the pelvic floor will be forced to do more work than it can handle, causing dysfunction.

Learning to engage the deep abdominal muscles, strengthen your back muscles, and use your diaphragm will decrease your risk of pelvic floor dysfunction.

Start your workouts with a little diaphragmatic breathing in the warm-up to help you tune into the core. If you’ve been diagnosed with pelvic floor dysfunction, seek out a health care provider’s advice in treating it.

STRENGTH TRAINING MAY HELP PREVENT OR DECREASE MENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS

Menopause often brings a host of symptoms, such as hot flashes, weight gain, water retention, insomnia, night sweats, and mood swings.

These symptoms largely result from hormonal fluctuations. Strength training can be beneficial; it has the potential to increase testosterone and growth hormone levels while reducing body fat.

For obese postmenopausal women, adipose tissue becomes a primary site of estrogen biosynthesis, which has been linked to an increased risk of postmenopausal breast cancer (Cleary and Grossman 2009).

Strength training can build muscle mass and balance hormones, mitigating severe menopausal symptoms.

Of women who have trained through 40s through perimenopause and into menopause, 95 percent have reported minimal or no disruptive symptoms.

Furthermore, a study in the journal Menopause indicated that a 16-week exercise program had a beneficial impact on menopause-related symptoms in women aged 45 to 60 (Baena-Garcia et al. 2022).

STRENGTH TRAINING BOOSTS STAMINA AND FUNCTION IN EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES

The consequence of sarcopenia, which is muscle loss due to aging, includes diminished motor coordination that impacts our daily activities. Numerous women juggle demanding schedules, balancing their roles as primary caregivers in many households with their careers, volunteer work, and other community engagements.

By committing to a strength training regimen two to three days a week consistently—not sporadically—you will observe a noticeable increase in your daily energy levels.

Incorporating more activity into your daily routine beyond structured exercise, like increasing your walking or using the stairs, can enhance your prospects for a longer, healthier life.

A study published in the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine indicated that encouraging physical activity among women over 60 reduced their risk of prevalent diseases and injuries with aging (Chavez, Scales, and Kling 2021).

STRENGTH TRAINING REVERSES THE AGING PROCESS

Indeed, it's possible to reverse the aging clock!

On average, a woman may lose a third of her muscle mass between the ages of 35 and 80.

However, strength training can counteract this loss.

After the age of 30, muscle mass typically decreases by about 3 to 8 percent each decade, and the rate of decline increases after 60, as noted in a scientific review of muscle tissue changes with aging (Volpi, Nazemi, and Fujita, 2004).

Fear not the prospect of bulking up; fear the loss of muscle instead. Embrace the only proven method to become younger with each passing day.

STRENGTH TRAINING INCREASES SELF-ESTEEM AND CONFIDENCE

Consistent strength training offers a paramount benefit: it bolsters self-esteem and confidence, particularly in women.

A study featured in the Journal of Extension (Seguin et al., 2013) found that strength training led to notable enhancements in body image, health-related quality of life, and physical activity behaviors, as well as satisfaction and comfort, among women aged 50 to 72.

Engaging in rigorous gym workouts can elevate your self-perception, which in turn, smoothens other aspects of life such as relationships, career, and leisure activities.

The gym transcends a mere workout space; it embodies a transformative mindset.

The physical benefits of a strong, fit body are just an added advantage.

Women over 40 should regard strength training as a non-negotiable aspect of their routine.

Age is merely a number.

Amen!

STRENGTH TRAINING PROVIDES SOCIAL INTERACTION

A strong positive correlation exists between social interaction and the health and well-being of older adults.

strength training increases social happiness

Social relationships are consistently linked with biomarkers of health and aging, according to the National Institute on Aging (2021).

Healthy individuals may exhibit lower levels of a chemical known as interleukin-6, which is associated with positive social well-being indicators. Interleukin-6, which causes inflammation during injury or infection, is also involved in age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers (Omoigui 2007).

Thus, being part of a supportive community, especially in fitness environments, contributes significantly to robust aging.

Find a gym or a personal fitness trainer that helps you feel at home!

CONCLUSION

Many women are unaware that incorporating strength training into their routine can reduce their risk of osteoporosis, lower their injury risk, boost metabolism, aid in fat loss, rejuvenate their energy, enhance daily functioning, elevate self-esteem, and improve their self-perception.

These benefits can make the aging process much more manageable and enjoyable, and as women in or about to enter midlife, allowing us to embrace growing older with strength rather than apprehension.

And on that note, I'm literally going to go and lift some heavy things in my home gym now.

Here's to aging strong,