Strength Training For Perimenopause
- Just Train
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Strength training is one of the most powerful tools for women navigating perimenopause because it directly addresses many of the physical and hormonal changes happening during this stage of life. Here’s why:
Hormonal Balance and Muscle Preservation
Estrogen levels become erratic and progesterone starts to flatten out during perimenopause, which accelerates muscle loss (sarcopenia). Strength training stimulates muscle protein synthesis, helping preserve lean mass and keeping metabolism higher. Your body needs these hormones for hypertrophy (building muscle). If you give your body enough stimilus to build muscle (weight training) It will respond with increasing the needed hormones.
Bone Density and Osteoporosis Prevention
Falling estrogen also leads to decreased bone density (Osteopenia). Resistance training places healthy stress on bones, signaling them to stay strong and reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. The cells responsible for this are called osteoblasts. Osteoblasts respond to stress like impact and the increase of force production experienced during weight traing by building bones with more density.
Weight and Fat Management
Many women notice weight gain—especially around the midsection—during perimenopause due to shifts in hormones and metabolism. Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat, so maintaining and building it through strength training helps manage body composition. When you strenght train you also consume far more calories then at rest. The hunger signals casued by various hormones are also not signaled to the same degree as after cardiovascular specific exercises. In other words, you won't be as hungry after strength training then if you ran or biked.
Mood, Sleep, and Energy
Strength training reduces stress hormones, improves sleep quality, and releases endorphins—all crucial for stabilizing mood swings, anxiety, and fatigue that often come with perimenopause.
What Exactly Is Strength Training
Strength training, sometimes called resistance training, is a type of exercise that focuses on making your muscles stronger and more capable. The core idea is to apply resistance to your muscles so they have to work harder than they normally do (progressive overload), which triggers adaptations that increase muscle strength, size, endurance, and even bone density over time.
What Exercises To Perform
Focus on the six primary lifts for 80% of your workout and their secondary movements for 20%
Squat
Secondary: Lunges, step-ups, reverse lunges, leg press
Deadlift
Secondary: Cleans, hip-thrusts, single leg deadlift, kettlebell swings)
Bench Press
Secondary: Dumbbell press, incline bench, dips, cable chest press, push-ups
Overhead Press (Military Press)
Secondary: One arm shoulder press, Arnold shoulder press, landmine shoulder press
Barbell Row (or Bent-over Row)
Secondary: One arm row, cable row, upright row, high cable row, landmine close grip row
Pull-up / Chin-up
Secondary: Pullover, wide grip pull-up, seated lat pulldown, rollouts
If you need help with exercising during perimenopause or if you have fitness related goals, set up a consultation today.
Your future self will thank you.
Get moving. Stay consistent. Watch your results soar. You’ve got this!
Sources:
Resistance training alters body composition in middle-aged women depending on menopause (Isenmann et al., 2023)
Muscle and bone mass in middle-aged women (Sipilä et al.)
Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
The Efficacy of Strength Exercises for Reducing … (Capel-Alcaraz et al.)
Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Perimenopause, menopause and … weightlifting? Expert explains value for bone health (Mayo Clinic / Mayo News)
Source: newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org
What women need to know about strength training (UCHealth)
Source: uchealth.org
Impact of menopause hormone therapy, exercise, and their interplay (Frontiers)
Source: frontiersin.org
Protect your bones, muscles, and joints during menopause (Regional One Health blog)
Source: regionalonehealth.org
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