So true, Silver! ... and what blows my mind repeatedly, is that in medical school and residency training, there is ZERO, meaningful, education on fitness and nutrition (unless you are a sports med doc)... the very foundations of good health... pretty ironic in a profession that is supposed to be focused on health and longevity!!!! Thanks for your comment and for reading! :)
Hi Sally! Thanks so much for your question! Yes, lifting weights is a much different stimulus to your muscles and bones compared to exercises like pilates and Barre. All are important, but they do different jobs. Lifting weights is about muscle strength, power, and mass, which become critically important as we age, and are not as easily achieved with Barre. Barre helps to develop body control, balance, flexibility, isometric strength and core conditioning and is a great adjunct to any weightlifting program.... just as weight training is a great adjunct to Barre and pilates. It's truly a powerhouse combo! -Dr. Carla
Such an important point, Cathy, thank you for making it! It just shows how are training is just one part of a highly integrated system! Thanks so much for reading and for your comment. :)
Hi Bryan... thank you so much for reading and for your comment. You are absolutley correct... this generation of mid-life women grew up in a culture of "you can't" or "girls aren't supposed to ... " or "you could hurt yourself".... it's no wonder many don't feel like they belong. Thanks for making this excellent point!
Hi Marni! Thanks so much for reading and for your comment. That is so great to hear that you are still shattering records! I broke my high school bench press record at my CrossFit gym a few months ago, and I said to the coach, "The last time I lifted this weight was before you were even born!". Whether you are a lifelong lifter or just starting later in life, it truly is magical what can be achieved!! Thanks so much for being an inspiration! :)
Perimenopause plays a bigger role here than many people realize. This is the stage when a lot of women suddenly start experiencing more DOMS, tendon irritation, and little injuries that never used to happen before. It can be confusing and discouraging, and many women begin to fear training because their bodies suddenly feel less predictable.
That’s why education matters so much. These changes are real, but they’re also manageable. Even without hormones, there is a lot we can do. The menopause transition is actually a critical window to build strength, muscle, and tendon capacity that will carry us well into older age.
I try to do my small part in spreading that message, and I absolutely love seeing older women actively training. I just competed in the World Rowing Indoor Sprints — a 1000 m sprint on the erg — and got outpaced by a few incredibly strong women aged 62, 62, and 66. But the most inspiring moment was seeing an 87-year-old and several women in their 70s racing hard.
One of the good things about social media is that we get to see these women. They inspire the generations coming behind them.
For those curious, here are the results. Look for the 87-year-awesome lady:
Without a doubt, Irina, hormonal changes play a huge role in pain perception, recovery, tissue care, and the like. One of the things that helped me (I'm 55 and 3 years into menopause) is increasing the amount of mobility work I do. I have a periodic assessment by a Performance PT and she gives me light mobility exercises to do before/after workouts and it has been a game-changer for injury recovery and prevention!
So true, and I keep hearing this from women who have made it through the transition. Mobility goes from nice-to-have to non-negotiable. I still catch myself cutting it when the session runs short, treating it like it's optional. It's not.
The goal is to stay in the game for life, and that requires a real mindshift around what "training" actually means in this chapter. Thank you for sharing your experience — women like you pointing to where the cracks happen first is exactly what those of us still in the thick of perimenopause need.
This feels very real. A lot of women I talk to aren’t avoiding strength training because they don’t care — they just don’t feel like they belong in that space or know where to start.
Once someone shows them how to lift and gives them a bit of confidence, it tends to stick. The bigger gap isn’t motivation, it’s familiarity.
I have been lifting since i was in my 20s, regularly. I can’t tell you HOW many people over the last 40 years people have asked me why I still have a trainer (the same one, btw). Don’t you ‘know everything by now?” Hmmmm… no. And, i have been lifting consistently 3x a week forever. He changes it up regularly. I’m going to be 60 in six months and I’m breaking records at the gym (and that’s fun!) but most importantly my body can do anything I want it to without pain. I’m glad you posted this. I’m glad this is finally new news!!!
Ellen, what a FABULOUS idea! Maybe I can convince @heatherhausenblas to do a follow-up post. I have TONS of resources for this .. equipment, online programs, etc... stay tuned! :)
The numbers you cite of people lifting are concerning. Healthy living also starts by being educated about how to use gym equipment during school years. Neither of my kids ever come home sweaty from school though, and they certainly don’t learn about how to lift weights there.
Hi Alicia.. thanks for reading! Power yoga is an amazing activity for building strength and balance, but it is different from the strength training that Heather and I wrote about. Incorporating both power yoga and weight training into your routine would create some real magic!!
Some people , even women in their 60s LOVE to lift and are lifelong lifters. There’s a wide variety of women in the world- not all of whom need hand holding in the weights area!
We are SO THRILLED to hear that and that is supported by the data that there are absolutely some ladies out there who are just killin' it! So we hope that you will spread the word and join us in inspiring more women to embrace this incredible way to train our bodies!! :)
So true, Silver! ... and what blows my mind repeatedly, is that in medical school and residency training, there is ZERO, meaningful, education on fitness and nutrition (unless you are a sports med doc)... the very foundations of good health... pretty ironic in a profession that is supposed to be focused on health and longevity!!!! Thanks for your comment and for reading! :)
Exercise is medicine!
Hi Sally! Thanks so much for your question! Yes, lifting weights is a much different stimulus to your muscles and bones compared to exercises like pilates and Barre. All are important, but they do different jobs. Lifting weights is about muscle strength, power, and mass, which become critically important as we age, and are not as easily achieved with Barre. Barre helps to develop body control, balance, flexibility, isometric strength and core conditioning and is a great adjunct to any weightlifting program.... just as weight training is a great adjunct to Barre and pilates. It's truly a powerhouse combo! -Dr. Carla
Such an important point, Cathy, thank you for making it! It just shows how are training is just one part of a highly integrated system! Thanks so much for reading and for your comment. :)
Hi Bryan... thank you so much for reading and for your comment. You are absolutley correct... this generation of mid-life women grew up in a culture of "you can't" or "girls aren't supposed to ... " or "you could hurt yourself".... it's no wonder many don't feel like they belong. Thanks for making this excellent point!
Hi Marni! Thanks so much for reading and for your comment. That is so great to hear that you are still shattering records! I broke my high school bench press record at my CrossFit gym a few months ago, and I said to the coach, "The last time I lifted this weight was before you were even born!". Whether you are a lifelong lifter or just starting later in life, it truly is magical what can be achieved!! Thanks so much for being an inspiration! :)
Perimenopause plays a bigger role here than many people realize. This is the stage when a lot of women suddenly start experiencing more DOMS, tendon irritation, and little injuries that never used to happen before. It can be confusing and discouraging, and many women begin to fear training because their bodies suddenly feel less predictable.
That’s why education matters so much. These changes are real, but they’re also manageable. Even without hormones, there is a lot we can do. The menopause transition is actually a critical window to build strength, muscle, and tendon capacity that will carry us well into older age.
I try to do my small part in spreading that message, and I absolutely love seeing older women actively training. I just competed in the World Rowing Indoor Sprints — a 1000 m sprint on the erg — and got outpaced by a few incredibly strong women aged 62, 62, and 66. But the most inspiring moment was seeing an 87-year-old and several women in their 70s racing hard.
One of the good things about social media is that we get to see these women. They inspire the generations coming behind them.
For those curious, here are the results. Look for the 87-year-awesome lady:
https://log.concept2.com/challenges/indoor-sprints/2026/female/lwt/overall
Without a doubt, Irina, hormonal changes play a huge role in pain perception, recovery, tissue care, and the like. One of the things that helped me (I'm 55 and 3 years into menopause) is increasing the amount of mobility work I do. I have a periodic assessment by a Performance PT and she gives me light mobility exercises to do before/after workouts and it has been a game-changer for injury recovery and prevention!
So true, and I keep hearing this from women who have made it through the transition. Mobility goes from nice-to-have to non-negotiable. I still catch myself cutting it when the session runs short, treating it like it's optional. It's not.
The goal is to stay in the game for life, and that requires a real mindshift around what "training" actually means in this chapter. Thank you for sharing your experience — women like you pointing to where the cracks happen first is exactly what those of us still in the thick of perimenopause need.
This feels very real. A lot of women I talk to aren’t avoiding strength training because they don’t care — they just don’t feel like they belong in that space or know where to start.
Once someone shows them how to lift and gives them a bit of confidence, it tends to stick. The bigger gap isn’t motivation, it’s familiarity.
I have been lifting since i was in my 20s, regularly. I can’t tell you HOW many people over the last 40 years people have asked me why I still have a trainer (the same one, btw). Don’t you ‘know everything by now?” Hmmmm… no. And, i have been lifting consistently 3x a week forever. He changes it up regularly. I’m going to be 60 in six months and I’m breaking records at the gym (and that’s fun!) but most importantly my body can do anything I want it to without pain. I’m glad you posted this. I’m glad this is finally new news!!!
Would love to see some similar on how best to invest in strength training in the home setting- accessible to most, Inspiring post,
Ellen, what a FABULOUS idea! Maybe I can convince @heatherhausenblas to do a follow-up post. I have TONS of resources for this .. equipment, online programs, etc... stay tuned! :)
Keep me posted
Great idea!
do you need to lift if you do body weight type exercises that tone muscles like barre?
Such an important conversation. I would also add that it’s not just access or awareness, but also capacity.
If sleep, stress, and nutrition aren’t in place, the weight room feels harder than it should.
Build the foundation and strength training sticks.
Love this…I’m 100% on board and restacking.
The numbers you cite of people lifting are concerning. Healthy living also starts by being educated about how to use gym equipment during school years. Neither of my kids ever come home sweaty from school though, and they certainly don’t learn about how to lift weights there.
Thanks for sharing this important insight. Would you consider power yoga to be strength training?
Hi Alicia.. thanks for reading! Power yoga is an amazing activity for building strength and balance, but it is different from the strength training that Heather and I wrote about. Incorporating both power yoga and weight training into your routine would create some real magic!!
Some people , even women in their 60s LOVE to lift and are lifelong lifters. There’s a wide variety of women in the world- not all of whom need hand holding in the weights area!
We are SO THRILLED to hear that and that is supported by the data that there are absolutely some ladies out there who are just killin' it! So we hope that you will spread the word and join us in inspiring more women to embrace this incredible way to train our bodies!! :)
Yes, and women like these help lead the way for others who still feel intimidated by the gym.