25 Benefits of strength training for women over 50.

Written By Charmaine Voigt

Why you should start now.

Inhouse Pilates blog banner 25 Benefits of strength training for women over 50.

One in five (22.4%) adults aged 18–64 years met the physical activity guidelines in 2022, an increase from one in six (17.0%) in 2017–18. More than half (56.4%) completed 30 minutes of activity on five or more days. - Australian Bureau of Statistics.

What is strength training?

Strength training, also known as resistance training or weight training, can be anything from body-weighted strength exercises to lifting very heavy weights. It looks different for everyone, which is the beautiful thing about strength training—it can be adapted and individualised to suit your specific needs.

Why you need strength training as you age?

Building strength improves your ability to do everyday tasks, like standing up from a chair, carrying groceries, or lifting luggage.

As we get older, these tasks can become harder, especially without regular strength training. That’s why it’s important to stay active and keep using your muscles, or you might lose that ability.

InHouse Pilates blog 25 Benefits of strength training for women over 50.

Why is this important for you?

Building more muscle and strength creates a "physiological reserve," similar to a financial safety net.

Just like you save money for security in case something goes wrong, building muscle gives your body reserves for when your health is challenged, like after an accident.

Every time you work out, you're adding to this reserve.

Strength training is essential because muscle mass naturally decreases with age—up to 8% per decade after 30, and it speeds up after 60.

By 80, inactive people may lose up to 50% of their muscle, but you can reduce this loss with strength training.

The 25 benefits of strength training: -

  • We reach our peak bone mass between ages 25 and 30.

    After that, our bodies continuously replace old bone with new bone.

    Up until around age 40, this replacement is steady. However, after 40, less bone is replaced, leading to gradual bone loss.

    Most women experience menopause between ages 42 and 55, which causes a significant drop in estrogen and can lead to rapid bone loss.

    After menopause, women may lose up to 40% of their spongy inner bone and 10% of their hard outer bone, increasing the risk of fractures.

    Resistance training can help prevent osteoporosis by increasing bone density.

    When you do resistance exercises, bone-building cells create denser bone tissue, making bones stronger with more minerals like calcium and phosphorus.

    For resistance training to be effective, it needs to challenge your bones more than everyday activities do.

    Studies show that progressive resistance training can increase bone density in the hips and legs, especially in older adults.

    While exercise alone can't fully reverse osteoporosis, it can slow its progression and increase bone density, particularly in women with osteoporosis.

    Weight-bearing exercises like strength training are beneficial for maintaining bone strength and delaying the onset of osteoporosis as you age.

  • As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass, strength, and function, a condition known as sarcopenia.

    This loss becomes more noticeable if we are inactive, making tasks like getting up from a chair or walking more difficult.

    Muscle mass starts to decline around age 30, decreasing by about 3–8% per decade, with a faster decline after age 60.

    This loss of muscle can lead to increased weakness, reduced mobility, and a higher risk of falls and fractures.

    People with stronger muscles often have better balance, bone density, and overall physical function.

    If we don’t work to maintain muscle mass, body fat percentage will increase over time.

    Strength training can help preserve and even build muscle mass at any age, helping to counteract the natural decline and improve overall strength and mobility.

  • Strength training strengthens the muscles that support our skeleton, which helps support our joints and improves joint stability.

    This is especially important for our legs and core, which are crucial for balance.

    Strong muscles stabilise the joints, making them less likely to wobble or shift. For example, this helps when standing up from a seated position.

    Strength training also improves proprioception, which is our awareness of how our body is positioned in space. This helps us make precise adjustments to maintain balance.

    Strong muscles also improve reaction time if we sway or stumble, which is important for preventing falls.

    In addition to its benefits for muscle strength, strength training positively impacts bone health.

    Strong bones are less likely to break, which is essential for maintaining balance and stability.

    Many strength exercises also improve the muscles that help maintain good posture.

    When we stand upright, aligning our head, neck, and spine correctly, our centre of gravity is balanced, making it easier to maintain balance and prevent falls.

  • Strength training often involves multi-joint movements, which require coordination between different joints and muscle groups.

    Doing these exercises helps improve overall coordination.

  • As we age, the risk of falls increases.

    As previously mentioned in point 3, strong muscles also improve reaction time if we sway or stumble, which is important for preventing falls.

    Strength training can help reduce this risk by boosting muscle strength and overall stability.tem description

  • Strength training increases the production of neurotransmitters, leading to a better mood.

    Research shows that people who are inactive are 44% more likely to be depressed.

    Another study found that exercising for 90 minutes each week can produce similar benefits to antidepressants for those with mild to moderate depression.

    This is likely due to the release of brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, which help lift mood and reduce stress.

    Harvard Medical School notes that exercise can lessen both the incidence and severity of clinical depression.

  • As we age, our metabolism naturally slows down.

    Strength training can help slow this decline by preserving muscle mass and bone density.

    Resistance training involves contracting our muscles to lift heavy objects against gravity.

    The more weight we lift, the faster our bodies use up adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a molecule that provides energy to our cells.

    While lifting weights or doing other demanding exercises, our ATP reserves are replenished through a complex metabolic process.

    This process involves short-term changes in the DNA of muscle tissue, making them better at using proteins that support sugar and fat metabolism.

    Having more muscle mass means our body needs more energy (calories) to maintain muscle, even when at rest. This is known as resting metabolic rate (RMR).

    After a strength workout, our body continues to need extra energy to repair muscle tissue, clear metabolic waste products, and replenish energy stores.

    Dr. Roger A. Fielding notes that resistance or strength training affects important molecular chains that relay signals between cells, creating lasting positive effects.

    Even a low-intensity strength and walking program can have substantial benefits.

    Strength training can also improve body composition by increasing lean muscle and reducing body fat.

    Dr. Barb Nicklas suggests building a strong muscle base to prepare for the natural loss of muscle and strength that occurs with age.

  • Strength training enhances our ability to perform everyday activities, such as getting up from a chair, climbing stairs, carrying groceries, picking up grandkids, and doing garden work.

    This helps us live independently and enjoy a higher quality of life.

  • Strength training lowers the risk of various chronic health conditions common in older adults, like arthritis, back pain, obesity, heart disease, depression, and diabetes.

    A systematic review and meta-analysis of 10 studies on resistance training and mortality risk found that it:

    • Reduced the risk of all-cause mortality by 15%

    • Reduced cardiovascular disease mortality by 19%

    • Reduced cancer mortality by 14%

    • Showed a maximum risk reduction of 27% with around 60 minutes of resistance training per week

    Strength training can help manage and reduce the risk of chronic conditions, contributing to better overall health as we age.

  • Strength training can improve insulin sensitivity, meaning cells use blood glucose more effectively.

    This helps regulate blood sugar levels and lowers the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

    Promotes muscle protein synthesis:

    Strength training stimulates the process of building and repairing muscle proteins, which is crucial for maintaining and increasing muscle mass.

    As we age, muscle mass naturally declines, leading to weakness and frailty.

    Strength training helps counteract this by boosting protein synthesis, preserving and building muscle tissue.

    Enhances mitochondrial function:

    Mitochondria, the "powerhouses" of our cells, produce energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

    As we age, mitochondrial function can decline, reducing energy production and contributing to cellular ageing.

    Strength training improves mitochondrial function, leading to more efficient energy production and potentially slowing down cellular ageing.

    Reduces oxidative stress:

    Oxidative stress occurs when there's an imbalance between free radicals and the body's ability to neutralise them, leading to cellular damage and ageing.

    Strength training can reduce oxidative stress by boosting the body's production of antioxidants and enhancing its ability to combat free radicals.

    Improves insulin sensitivity:

    Age-related insulin resistance is common and can lead to metabolic problems.

    Strength training improves insulin sensitivity, meaning your cells respond better to insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar levels and reduces the risk of diabetes and metabolic issues.

    Promotes cellular repair:

    Strength training stimulates the release of growth hormone and other factors that aid tissue repair and regeneration, helping to maintain healthy cells and tissues throughout the body.

    Enhances cellular communication:

    Effective communication between cells is vital for tissue and organ function.

    Strength training may improve cell signalling pathways, leading to better coordination and communication between cells, which supports youthful cellular function.

    Supports telomere length:

    Telomeres are protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that shorten with age.

    Longer telomeres are linked to better cellular health and longevity.

    While more research is needed, some studies suggest that exercise, including strength training, may help maintain or even lengthen telomeres.

  • A review of studies published on February 28, 2022, by the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that strength training is linked to a 10% to 17% lower risk of premature death from all causes, including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

    This adds to the growing body of evidence showing the health benefits of strength training.

    Strength training triggers various body responses that protect against chronic diseases, like:

    • Reduces blood sugar:

      Muscles help store blood sugar, and strength training improves their ability to do this. This reduces the amount of sugar in the bloodstream, lowering the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

    • Lowers blood pressure:

      Increased muscle mass creates more blood vessels for blood to flow through, which reduces pressure on the cardiovascular system.

      High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, according to Dr. Deepak Bhatt, a cardiologist.

    • Burns calories:

      Muscles burn calories around the clock.

      More muscle mass means more calories burned, which helps reduce fat and control weight.

      Obesity is a risk factor for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

    • Discourages chronic inflammation:

      Strength training helps reduce certain fat cells that release signals increasing inflammation.

      Dr. Edward Phillips explains that chronic inflammation is linked to heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other chronic conditions.

  • Strength training enhances joint health by building up the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that support your joints.

    This leads to greater joint stability and helps reduce the risk of injury.

    By improving your balance and mobility, strength training can also help prevent falls.

    By targeting the muscles around the joints, strength training helps alleviate joint pain.

    When these muscles are strong and functional, they bear the pressure, reducing unnecessary strain on the joints.

    Regular strength training strengthens the muscles surrounding your joints, which supports joint health and helps maintain balance and stability.

    According to Dr. Mufaddal Gombera, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist, consistent strength training is essential for building and maintaining these crucial muscles.

  • Moderate-intensity exercise can improve your memory and thinking skills within six months.

    Regular exercise benefits overall health by preserving muscle strength, keeping the heart strong, maintaining a healthy weight, and preventing chronic diseases like diabetes.

    Exercise stimulates growth factors in the brain, which promote the development of new blood vessels and brain cells.

    Studies show that people who exercise have larger brain regions related to thinking and memory.

    Additionally, exercise can enhance memory and thinking indirectly by improving mood, sleep, and reducing stress and anxiety.

    While most research has focused on walking, other forms of aerobic exercise are likely beneficial for brain health.

    Tai chi, for example, has shown potential in improving cognitive functions like planning and problem-solving in older adults.

    To maximise brain benefits, Dr. Scott McGinnis recommends making exercise a regular habit.

    It usually takes about six months to notice cognitive improvements, so be patient and make exercise a lifelong commitment.

  • Research suggests that resistance training, like lifting weights, may improve sleep more than aerobic exercises, such as running or cycling.

    A recent study found that people who did resistance training for a year slept about 40 minutes longer each night compared to those who only did aerobic exercise, who slept about 23 minutes longer.

    Combining both types of exercise resulted in a smaller increase of 17 minutes of sleep per night.

    Resistance training might be more effective because it boosts hormones like testosterone and growth hormone, which are linked to better sleep.

    It may also signal your brain to enter a deeper restorative sleep state.

    Study author Angelique Brellenthin, an assistant professor of kinesiology at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa said “Another theory might be that when you do weight training, those microscopic tears in tissue that forces the muscle to adapt are sending a stronger signal to the brain to put the person in a deeper state of restoration at night,” she said.

    “We think the reason we sleep at all is that it’s a restorative process that allows the brain to replenish and repair the body.”

  • Strength training helps you become stronger so that you are able to perform your daily activities and physical tasks like carrying a heavy grocery bag and then lifting them up onto the counter at home or pushing a lawn mower or even getting up off the floor after a fall.

  • It improves the strength, flexibility, and mobility of your muscles, ligaments, and tendons, providing better support for major joints like the knees, hips, and ankles.

    Strength training can also fix muscle imbalances. For instance, strengthening your core, hamstrings, and glutes can reduce the strain on your lower back, lowering the risk of back injuries.

    Athletes, both adults and teens, who do strength training are less likely to get injured.

    A review of 7,738 athletes found that strength training cut the risk of injury by 33%.

    Additionally, for every 10% increase in strength training, the risk of injury dropped by 4%.

  • Strength training helps you tackle challenges, work towards goals, and recognise your body's strength.

    This can increase your belief in your ability to succeed, which improves your confidence.

    A review of studies found that strength training is linked to higher self-esteem and a better view of your physical strength and worth in teenagers.

    Similarly, another review of adults showed that strength training is associated with a more positive body image, including satisfaction with your appearance and reduced anxiety about how others judge you.

  • Research shows that strength training can reduce anxiety and boost your mood.

    It can also increases self-esteem and confidence, and it promotes the release of endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that improve mood.

  • After a strength-training session, your metabolism stays elevated through a process known as excess postexercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), or the afterburn effect.

    This is when your body uses extra oxygen and energy to repair muscles and recover.

    Strength training is particularly good at raising EPOC because it puts more stress on the body compared to cardio exercises.

    However, the impact of EPOC depends on the intensity of the workout.

    For instance, heavy lifting like squats and deadlifts is more effective at boosting EPOC than lighter exercises like bicep curls.

    Research shows that EPOC can increase your basal metabolic rate by about 4.2% for up to 16 hours after a long workout, burning roughly 60 extra calories.

    While EPOC provides some metabolic boost, it’s not huge and lasts from 12 hours to a few days.

    The overall effect on your metabolism depends on various factors like exercise intensity, type, and individual differences.

    "When you do resistance or strength training, very important chains of molecules that relay signals between cells are affected, and these changes linger in the body for hours after exercise, building up a cumulative, positive effect.

    Even a low-intensity strength and walking program has substantial benefits." - Roger A. Fielding, Ph.D., associate director, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University

  • Strength training builds core strength, which supports your spine and improves stability.

    It helps strengthen muscles that support good posture and spinal alignment.

  • It can improve your ability to move freely and comfortably.

  • Building muscle through strength training helps with weight management and reduces fat.

  • Strength training can boost overall energy levels and reduce fatigue.

  • Strength training helps maintain physical function and independence as you age.

  • Weight training can improve flexibility by stretching and strengthening muscles.em description

This list is by no means exhaustive, there are so many more benefits of doing strength training, I’ve only focused on these 25.

How often should you do strength training?

Research has shown that adults 65 plus who engage in at least two strength training sessions per week have a 46% lower risk of all cause mortality compared to those adults who do not engage in such activities building. - Physiotherapist, Jack from Be Mobile Physiotherapy.

Where to start?

I have enjoyed doing Lindsey Bomgren, from Nourish Move Love workouts. Lindsey has workouts that will meet you where you are at, from beginner to advanced workouts, with modifications, anything from 7 minutes to 35 mintues.

“Strength training can be incredibly empowering because it shines a spotlight on all the things our amazing bodies are capable of, rather than on what our bodies look like.”
— Girls Gone Strong
Charmaine Voigt

I am passionate about helping beginners gain a confident understanding of the basics of Pilates principles and continue to work with them to advance levels. I am very patient and love seeing my clients becoming stronger and reaching their Pilates goals. That is very encouraging and gives me great satisfaction. I love what I do, every day!

https://inhousepilates.space
Next

How women over 50 can overcome common strength training barriers.