If Your Strength Workouts Stopped Yielding Results Once You Hit Menopause, You’re Not Alone. Here’s Why and What To Do

As I’ve navigated by way of menopause, along with sizzling flashes, temper swings, and different not-so-fun signs, I started to note modifications in my physique’s bodily look.

I’ve at all times labored out a number of occasions every week, however as soon as I hit menopause, my muscle groups weren’t as agency, my midsection was increasing, and my garments weren’t becoming effectively anymore. Even upping my typical weekly routine of cardio, yoga, Pilates, and a day or two of energy coaching squeezed in—the identical routine that helped me get again in form after two pregnancies—gave me zero outcomes.

And it wasn’t simply me—lots of my associates and quite a few posts on social posts on menopause assist teams I’m in echoed related experiences and frustrations.

Because it seems, when estrogen ranges plummet in menopause, our go-to exercises won’t lower it anymore.

The excellent news: There are methods to achieve muscle and alter your physique composition in menopause—so long as you’re prepared to do some heavy lifting.

Learn on to seek out out extra about energy coaching throughout menopause.

Why it’s tougher to construct muscle in menopause

In menopause (outlined as going one yr with out a menstrual interval), declining hormones, particularly estrogen, are related to modifications in physique composition. This features a lower in muscle mass and energy, and a rise in fats mass, in keeping with a small 2023 examine in BMC Girls’s Well being that examined the consequences of energy coaching throughout menopause and perimenopause.

Whereas none of us in menopause can be shocked to listen to that, the query is: Why is that this taking place? Because it seems, estrogen (or lack of) has profound direct results on muscle groups, says Patrick Diel, PhD, a professor on the German Sport College Cologne Institute of Cardiology and Sports activities Medication and co-author of the BMC Girls’s Well being examine.

“We all know skeletal muscle has estrogen receptors,” Dr. Diel says. “Estrogen has anabolic [muscle-building] exercise like testosterone, though not as sturdy as that of testosterone, and prompts satellite tv for pc cells.”

Satellite tv for pc cells are muscle stem cells important to muscle development, restore, and regeneration, in keeping with the Nationwide Institutes of Well being.

Estrogen is vital in satellite tv for pc cells’ potential to take care of and renew muscle, per a 2019 examine in Cell Stories². Take away estrogen, and satellite tv for pc cells reduce in quantity and effectivity, resulting in a deterioration in muscle mass, energy, and regeneration for these in menopause.

How menopause impacts your metabolism

Along with its function in repairing and constructing muscle, estrogen additionally is crucial to metabolism, and a key consider regulating weight, vitality expenditure, and physique fats distribution, in keeping with a notable 2012 evaluate in Molecular Endocrinology.

“The operate of estrogen shouldn’t be solely to manage fertility, however to manage metabolism. That is one of many important issues the estrogen hormone does,” Dr. Diel says. With out estrogen, metabolism slows, making it tougher for our our bodies to burn energy, fats, and glucose.

Fortuitously, dropping estrogen in menopause doesn’t imply you are doomed to driving an train hamster wheel the place you go spherical and spherical however get nowhere. Power coaching has been proven to enhance satellite tv for pc cell renewal in older adults, per a 2023 evaluate in Cell Journal⁴. What’s extra, a notable 2012 examine in Present Sports activities Medication Stories discovered that when inactive adults accomplished 10 weeks of energy coaching, they gained muscle, misplaced fats, and elevated their resting metabolic charge as much as 7 p.c.

Nevertheless, because of the lack of estrogen (and testosterone, which additionally drops throughout menopause) individuals going by way of menopause want to coach in a different way, placing the concentrate on energy coaching at larger depth to see outcomes, says Michele Cuffe, CPT, an authorized private coach and authorized wellness coach in Tampa, Florida.

“Our hormones are depleted and we have to work tougher to get them to work,” Cuffe says. “Heavier energy coaching is what’s going to form our our bodies, elevate hormones naturally, and construct muscle and bone,” which can also be vital as we age.

“You’ll be able to construct muscle naturally with heavy weight coaching at any age, even in your 60s, 70s, and past. Power coaching is the rock we need to construct our home on for well being and longevity.” —Michele Cuffe, CPT

Power coaching throughout menopause: What your routine ought to appear like

All of it made sense why my most well-liked technique of low-intensity energy coaching with possibly a day or two of heavier (however temporary) lifting classes per week was not garnering the outcomes I received 10 or 20 years in the past—I wanted to pump up my energy coaching (pun meant).

Power coaching throughout menopause must be finished at a excessive sufficient depth so that you’re creating micro-tears within the muscle that your physique might want to name on estrogen and testosterone to restore, in keeping with Cuffe. “Should you’re lifting weight at a repetition vary of 15 to twenty, that’s not heavy sufficient. You need to get to a weight the place after six or so reps, you begin fatiguing,” she says.

Dr Diel agrees: “Coaching must be tougher and extra frequent” to see outcomes, he says.

Should you’re in menopause, it’s best to goal to energy prepare every muscle group no less than 3 times every week, lifting a weight that’s about 60 to 70 p.c of your one-rep max (essentially the most weight you’ll be able to raise for a single repetition of an train), Dr. Diel advises. Nevertheless, that’s a aim, not a place to begin—particularly when you’re new to energy coaching.

“Should you’re beginning, you desire a sluggish, gradual construct. A candy spot for a newbie is perhaps a weight the place you are able to do 10 reps to fatigue, which means it’s arduous to do 11 reps. When you’re comfy with that, you’ll be able to transfer to heavier weight,” Cuffe says.

Ultimately, you need to get to the purpose the place you’re lifting weight heavy sufficient you’ll be able to solely knock out about six to 10 reps of three to 4 units of every train, Cuffe says. She likes to interrupt her energy coaching routine down to 2 upper-body and two lower-body days per week, aiming for a complete of eight workout routines in every session. And also you don’t must go hardcore each time you’re employed out—it’s okay to throw in days the place you raise lighter weights, aka “deloading.”

When energy coaching throughout menopause, Cuffe favors compound workout routines—corresponding to squats or rows—that work a number of muscle teams at a time whereas additionally partaking the core. Although utilizing free weights like barbells or dumbbells helps enhance useful motion, it’s completely advantageous to make use of machines when you’re within the fitness center—particularly when you’re a newbie or have any accidents.

Should you’re beginning out, each Diel and Cuffe suggest getting a private coach to point out you the ropes, assist you to construct correct method, and keep away from accidents. Listed here are a couple of extra tricks to take advantage of your exercise:

• Raise and decrease weights in a sluggish and managed method. Ever see somebody “velocity lifting” on the fitness center? Yeah, you don’t need to try this.
• Follow mind-to-muscle connection. Whenever you’re doing an train, be current and take into consideration the muscle groups you’re working, attempting to mentally join with them.
• Don’t neglect cardio. Attempt working in some leaping jacks, working in place, or different quick bursts of cardio between energy coaching units. Diel additionally recommends getting about an hour of low-intensity cardio, like strolling, twice every week.

Lastly, it’s by no means too late to start out energy coaching or amp issues up when you’ve been at it for some time. I’ve already began concentrating on boosting my energy coaching routine and am wanting ahead to seeing the place my physique can go.

“You’ll be able to construct muscle naturally with heavy weight coaching at any age, even in your 60s, 70s, and past,” Cuffe says. “Power coaching is the rock we need to construct our home on for well being and longevity.”

A muscle-building exercise for energy coaching throughout menopause

You need to do that exercise with weights that really feel heavy sufficient that the final one or two reps of every set are troublesome. Should you get drained, it’s advantageous to maneuver to a lighter weight or drop the weights fully to complete your reps or units. Be sure to do all workout routines slowly and with management. (Take a look at this menopause exercise plan for a extra complete train routine.)

1. Sumo deadlift

1. Place weight plates in your barbell and place it on the ground in entrance of you.
2. Step as much as the barbell together with your shins nearly towards it, ft wider than shoulder-width aside, knees bent, and toes barely angled out. Preserve your again straight, chest up, and shoulders again and down.
3. Grip the bar with each fingers about shoulder-width aside, arms prolonged. (Cuffe demonstrates a combined grip above, however you should utilize an overhand grip—each palms dealing with the bottom—if that is extra comfy.)
4. Squeeze your glutes, legs, and core, then drive your ft into the bottom.
5. Straighten your legs and slowly pull the bar up, retaining your arms prolonged.
6. End the transfer standing as tall as potential.
7. Slowly decrease the barbell again right down to beginning place.
8. Carry out 4 units of 10 reps.

Muscle tissue labored: glutes, quads, internal thighs, and hamstrings

2. Barbell again squat

1. Place weight plates in your barbell and place it in your higher traps (just under, however not on, your neck).
2. Place your ft simply exterior your hips together with your toes barely stating.
3. Retaining your head up and core braced, slowly bend your knees as you push your hips again to decrease towards the ground to squat down such as you had been sitting in a chair.
4. Decrease down so far as comfy, or till your thighs are parallel with the ground.
5. Press by way of your heels to return to standing.
6. Carry out 4 units of 10 reps.

Muscle tissue labored: glutes, quads, hamstrings, core, and decrease again

3. Bent-over barbell row

1. Place weight plates in your barbell.
2. Stand simply behind the barbell together with your legs hip-width aside and seize the bar with an overhand grip (palms dealing with down). Your fingers must be shoulder-width aside and your torso must be bent at a 40- to 60-degree angle.
3. Press your ft down into the bottom and pull the barbell towards your higher waist. Squeeze your core and hold your again flat the entire time.
4. Lengthen your arms to decrease the bar to round ankle top to complete the rep.
5. Carry out 4 units of 6 to 10 reps.

Muscle tissue labored: latissimus dorsi, center and decrease trapezius, rhomboids, and posterior deltoids

4. Overhead shoulder press

1. Stand together with your ft hip-width aside holding a dumbbell in every hand (palms dealing with in), arms down by your sides.
2. Raise the weights to your shoulders together with your elbows bent at 90 levels.
3. Brace your core and interact your decrease physique for stability. Exhale as you press each dumbbells instantly over head, rotating your palms barely inward as you raise to cut back the pressure in your shoulders.
4. Preserve urgent till your arms are straight.
5. Inhale as you come the dumbbells to start out place.
6. Carry out 4 units of 10 reps.

Muscle tissue labored: pectorals, deltoids, triceps, and higher again

5. Biceps curl

1. Stand together with your ft hip-width aside holding a barbell with an underhand grip (palms dealing with up). Your arms must be absolutely prolonged down, elbows tucked into your sides.
2. Squeeze your core and glutes, then bend your elbows to deliver barbell as much as your shoulders, retaining your elbows tucked, in a clean movement, whereas retaining the remainder of your physique nonetheless.
3. Slowly decrease the barbell right down to beginning place, retaining management as you deliver your arms again right down to your sides.
4. Carry out 4 units of 10 reps.

Muscle labored: biceps