Why Strength Training is Essential for Menopausal Women

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Are you going through hormone change and discovering that your body feels and responds differently? Read on for our tips on how to future proof your body

From the age of forty onwards, (sometimes earlier) our bodies begin to undergo hormonal flux. And usually when we approach menopause, average age 51, the natural decline in the sex hormone, oestrogen results in a loss in bone density, lean muscle mass and a corresponding increase in belly fat. 

Small wonder that your body begins to feel and respond differently to training, nutrition and lots more besides!

Add to that, a decline in collagen and water in the body after menopause, causing less elasticity and you could be forgiven for thinking you need to acquaint yourself with the sofa!

But fear not! Here’s our tips for transforming your midlife years and beyond.

How to Run Strong and Fast Throughout Menopause

  • Strength train

Strength training can not only help to build greater bone density, but also helps to prevent the loss of muscle, up to 70% by the age of 70 if you DON’T work to replace it.

Why does this matter?

Muscles help to drive metabolism, helping to keep you in shape. But they also ‘pull’ on the bones to help move your limbs. Without sufficient muscles you can’t move functionally, much less continue to run and do the things you love.

Muscles are also related to mobility, the ability to move a joint through a full range of movement. You need to strengthen all the muscles, front and back of the body, to ensure this mobility.

  • How to strength train

Don’t worry, effective strength training does not mean hours in the gym. Short, effective sessions with the right degree of programming and intensity can effectively help you to build muscle for sport, every day function and weight maintenance.

The GRTW digital training platform is created by women for women with programmes, training plans and a library of on demand programmes designed by a team of expert female coaches to support runners and triathletes to achieve their goals.

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