If your usual exercise routine feels harder to manage during perimenopause or menopause, you do not need to respond by doing more of everything. Strength training during menopause can be one manageable place to start.
Sleep, energy and symptoms may be changing. A useful strength programme should fit around that reality and give you a starting point you can return to consistently.
Why consider strength training during menopause
NHS advice includes resistance and weight-bearing exercise as part of supporting bone health during menopause. Exercise can also contribute to general wellbeing.
It is one part of care. A training programme should not be presented as a treatment for every menopause symptom or a replacement for discussing symptoms and treatment options with your GP.
Start from your current experience
If you are new to strength training, ask for help with selecting exercises and using equipment. If you already train, explain what has changed and which parts of the routine have become difficult.
The starting plan might be shorter or simpler than the programme you hoped to follow. That is a reasonable place to begin. You can build from a routine you understand and can manage.
Give each exercise a purpose
Think about the activities you want to support. Carrying shopping, walking hills or feeling confident in the gym are all useful goals.
Ask how the exercise connects to that goal and what progression might look like. You should also know which symptoms mean you need to stop or seek advice. There is no requirement to leave every session exhausted for the plan to be worthwhile.
Let strength training during menopause flex with your week
A poor night’s sleep or a difficult day may affect what feels manageable. Discuss how to adjust the plan rather than repeatedly choosing between completing the hardest session and doing nothing.
If joint pain, an injury or another health condition is limiting exercise, have it assessed. Symptoms should not automatically be attributed to menopause without considering other explanations.
For diagnosed osteoporosis or previous fractures, seek advice about suitable activity before beginning a new programme. Tell the person supervising your exercise about the diagnosis.
Get the right support
Contact your GP if symptoms are affecting daily life or you want to discuss menopause treatment. A clinician or qualified exercise professional can then help you plan activity around your needs and any relevant restrictions.
Our strength and conditioning service can help with an individual programme. If pain is the main obstacle, contact Summit to discuss an assessment. The aim is to find a routine that supports your life, rather than another target to feel behind on.
Further reading: NHS 1
