7 Ways Strength Training Saves Women After 40
For decades, women have been told that cardio is the key to weight management and overall health.
While cardiovascular exercise has its benefits, it doesn't fully benefit women's long-term well-being.
As we age, preserving muscle mass, maintaining bone density, and supporting metabolic function become increasingly essential.
And there’s one non-negotiable factor that makes all the difference: strength training.
As we'll explore in this article, incorporating resistance training into your fitness routine isn't just beneficial - it's life-changing.
Quick Facts
- Starting around age 30, women lose approximately 3% of their muscle mass per decade
- Between ages 50 and 70, we experience a 30% reduction in strength, with a dramatic decline thereafter
- According to The Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation, up to 50% of women over the age of 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis
- The Alzheimer's Association reports that two-thirds of people with Alzheimer’s are women
- Your ability to stay independent as you age largely depends on your muscular strength
- Research shows that resistance training is as effective - if not more - than cardio in lowering the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
The science is clear.
Here’s why strength training is the ultimate game-changer for women after 40.
1. Brain Health
According to Dr. Stacy Sims, lifting heavy weights enhances brain function & health through two mechanisms:
- Activating specific muscle-based proteins
- Releasing a hormone called irisin
Important for women over 40 and 50 especially, as strength training also improves cognitive function with age.
Since getting stronger is a central nervous system adaptation, doing strength training directly benefits brain health.
2. Heart Health
“Resistance training not only can improve or maintain muscle mass and strength, but also has favorable physiological and clinical effects on cardiovascular disease and risk factors.”
- American Heart Association
People who do strength training can lower their risk of:
- heart attack
- stroke, or
- death related to heart disease
by a remarkable 40-70%, compared to those who avoid the weights section in the gym.
This finding was published in Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, following a study of more than 12,500 men and women.
The kicker is that the 40-70% reduced risk persisted even among individuals who performed aerobic exercise but skipped strength training.
A separate study from 2021 study also found that:
- women with high muscle mass are less likely to die from heart disease
- fat mass presented a greater heart disease risk in men than in women
3. Weight Management
The idea that cardio is for fat burning while weights are only for muscle building is a misleading oversimplification of the truth.
Adding to endless failed efforts is the outdated obsession with a "caloric deficit" approach, which remains widespread in the online space.
This closed-minded perspective often leads to disappointment and frustration for women trying to lose excess weight.
Too many so-called experts overlook (or don't know about) the profound hormonal responses triggered by specific exercises, heavy weights, and well-structured workouts.
Research confirms that strength training significantly boosts fat metabolism both during and after workouts.
It is also particularly effective at reducing visceral fat - the deep belly fat linked to serious health risks.
The more muscle mass you have, the higher your resting metabolism (when you lie on the couch watching Netflix).
As women transition into perimenopause and menopause, our anabolic hormones decline.
This makes workouts that stimulate a strong hormonal response essential for fat loss and muscle definition.
4. Bone Density
Think about this:
- Leading up to and around menopause, women may lose as much as 20% of their bone mass in certain areas.
- By age 50, as many as half of all women have diminished bone density.
Resistance training serves as a fundamental strategy for preserving bone density.
The American Heart Association (AHA) reports that "resistance training improves bone mineral density in the femoral neck and the lumbar spine in pre- and postmenopausal women. Resistance training, when combined with other weight-bearing, high-impact, aerobic activities (eg, jumping rope, tennis), appears most beneficial for bone health in women."
5. Metabolic Health
A study on post menopausal women with type 2 Diabetes demonstrated significantly improved insulin sensitivity when resistance training was added to their aerobic exercise regime.
Improved insulin sensitivity leads to better blood sugar control and reduces your risk of developing type 2.
Your muscles soak up glucose from the bloodstream without requiring insulin.
Therefore, strength training and muscle building represent powerful strategies for managing blood sugar levels and reducing insulin resistance - without unwanted side effects.
6. Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is one of several conditions for which people often rely on medication - yet it can also be significantly improved through strength training.
Many assume that only aerobic exercise helps lower blood pressure, but that’s not the case.
A systematic review and meta-analysis found that resistance training is a highly effective way to reduce high blood pressure.
The research recommends strength training at least twice a week, with noticeable improvements seen in as little as 8 weeks of consistent training.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), strength training is a proven intervention not only for those with high blood pressure or prehypertension but also for individuals at elevated cardiometabolic risk.
7. Quality of Life (forget 'longevity')
As women get older and approach menopause, strength and power are the first things to fade.
Remember that muscle mass loss (sarcopenia) begins around the age of 30.
Strength training becomes foundational to prevent declining functional capacity in everyday tasks.
Losing muscle strength and mass will increase your risk of falls, recovering from those falls, and reduce overall quality of life.
What is the point of living a long life if you cannot keep doing the things you love?
FAQ
When and How Should I Start?
For women approaching perimenopause and menopause, the best time would be to start in your mid to late thirties.
However, it is NEVER too late.
Women who start in their 80s or 90s still make big improvements.
Repetitions and Sets
A typical strength set would usually consist of 6 reps or less.
Having said that, beginners should start with closer to 12 reps and work their way down as they get strong.
In terms of sets, three sets would be a good starting place for a beginner who does 12 reps per set.
Ultimately, the amount of sets you do depends on the rep range you are following at the time.
Roughly:
- 12 reps, 3-4 sets
- 10 reps, 3-4 sets
- 8 reps, 4-5 sets
- 6 reps, 4-5 sets
- 5 reps, 5 sets
- 3 reps, 5-6 sets
How heavy are 'heavy weights'?
One of the biggest hurdles I see with women and weights, is that many are afraid to lift heavy - even when they are able to do so.
You'll need to push past this fear if you want the best results.
No matter what weight you use, maintaining the correct form should always be your top priority.
How to know you have the right weight:
- It should feel heavy from the start of the set.
- The last 2-3 reps should feel very challenging to complete.
How often should you strength train per week?
Three is best.
Two is the minimum.
One is better than none.
Of course, it depends on what other exercise you do in the week.
But aim for two at least.
But I don't want big muscles
Some women will tell you to build muscle quickly.
While it is true that some women will build muscle more easily than other women, the reality is that no woman builds muscle easily.
We simply don’t have the same levels of muscle-building hormones - like testosterone - that men do.
On top of that, hormonal declines after age 40 and especially after 50 make it even more challenging to maintain, let alone build, lean muscle.
Yes, women can build muscle after 40, but doing so typically requires a high volume of weight training (4–6 days per week) and a diet rich in both protein and carbohydrates.
It is not so easy.
It’s also important to understand that training for strength is not the same as training for muscle size. You can become incredibly strong without looking bulky.
Just look at what female Olympic weightlifters in the 60kg weight class are capable of lifting - it's astonishing, and they’re far from looking like bodybuilders.
However, you should NOT fear muscle mass.
Research from 2022 involving over 1,200 adults aged 40 and older found that skeletal muscle mass is a stronger predictor of mortality than BMI or body fat percentage.
Looking for a Workout Plan for Women Over 40?
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CONCLUSION
For women over 40 who want to age well and maintain a high quality of life, strength training isn’t optional—it’s non-negotiable.
It supports key areas of long-term health, including:
- Brain Function
- Heart Health
- Blood Pressure
- Metabolic Health (blood sugar control)
- Sustainable and Effective Weight Management
- Overall Quality of Life / Physical Independence
- Bone Density
HOW TO START:
Begin with a rep range around 12 per set and gradually work your way down to 6 or even 5 reps per set as you get stronger.
The final 2–3 reps of each set should be challenging, but you should always maintain good form.
Aim to do at least 2 sessions per week. Three is ideal.
You won't get bulky lifting heavy weights - unless you have great genetics, do 5-6 sessions per week, and eat loads of protein and carbs.
In fact, building muscle is something to embrace, not avoid.
It improves metabolism, enhances blood sugar control, and offers major protective benefits as you age.
So the real question is:
Are you giving yourself the best chance of a quality of life as you age by doing strength training?
Check out my Workout Plan for Women Over 40
(Gym or Home) - a plan you can follow for the rest of your life!
With complete guidance for lifestyle and diet, and access to me anytime you have a question.
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