As we age our body undergoes physical and mental changes, some of which negatively affect our health. Aging coupled with major hormonal changes, like menopause, only exacerbate those changes. Though this is an inevitable part of aging, efforts can be made to combat these changes. This is why it is important for postmenopausal women to engage in regular resistance training.
Why Resistance Training?
Resistance training involves exercises that cause your muscles to contract against an external resistance. This resistance can come from weights, resistance bands, or even your own body weight. The goal is to improve muscle strength, endurance, and overall physical function.
For postmenopausal women, resistance training is especially important. Menopause brings about significant changes in a woman’s body, including a decline in estrogen levels, which can lead to a decrease in bone density and muscle mass. This makes resistance training not just beneficial, but essential.
The Benefits of Resistance Training for Postmenopausal Women
1. Improving Bone Mineral Density
One of the most well-documented benefits of resistance training is its positive impact on bone mineral density. After menopause, women are at an increased risk of osteoporosis due to the loss of estrogen, which plays a crucial role in maintaining bone strength. Resistance training helps combat this by stimulating bone formation and slowing the rate of bone loss. Though this can only be achieved using an external load. By regularly lifting weights or utilizing bodyweight exercises, you can delay the onset of osteoporosis.
2. Building Muscle Mass
Muscle mass naturally declines with age, a condition known as sarcopenia. However, resistance training can help counteract this process. Although prevention of sarcopenia is not realistic, reducing the prevalence can reduce risk of injury and improve overall physical function. Increased muscle mass also aids with respiration, reducing sarcopenia of the respiratory muscles and improving lung function.
3. Improving Cognitive Function
Commonly seen with age is a reduction in cognitive ability. Through regular resistance training, improvements can occur to short term memory; dual tasking ability, the ability to perform two tasks simultaneously; and global cognitive function. However, these benefits are only achieved through consistent exercise (14-23 weeks), emphasizing the importance of the “regular” in regular exercise.
4. Enhancing Quality of Life
By improving bone mineral density, muscle mass and cognitive function through regular resistance training, physical and mentally capacity will be greater resulting in a higher quality of life. Improvements can be seen in mobility, strength and mental capacity making activities of daily living easier and more enjoyable.
Fun Fact: Optimizing Results
In order to reap the most benefits, training should be a minimum of 2 sessions per week at a moderate to high intensity. Although lower than minimal training frequency and intensity is better than no training at all, to optimize the above benefits, higher frequency and intensity is more favorable.
Conclusion
Women post menopause face evolving obstacles that likely will not improve without deliberate intervention. However, implementing a resistance training program with the right parameters and remaining consistent can help combat the inevitable obstacles of this stage of life. Time cannot be rewound, but that which is ahead can be used to make a impact on your health.
By,
Mason Goodell, CSCS, CFSC
Relentless Performance
58 Farmington Ave. Suite 5
Farmington, CT 06032
References
Coelho-Júnior HJ, Gonçalves IO, Sampaio RAC, et al. Effects of Combined Resistance and Power Training on Cognitive Function in Older Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(10):3435. Published 2020 May 14. doi:10.3390/ijerph17103435
Flor-Rufino C, Barrachina-Igual J, Pérez-Ros P, Pablos-Monzó A, Martínez-Arnau FM. Resistance training of peripheral muscles benefits respiratory parameters in older women with sarcopenia: Randomized controlled trial. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2023;104:104799. doi:10.1016/j.archger.2022.104799
Shojaa M, von Stengel S, Kohl M, Schoene D, Kemmler W. Effects of dynamic resistance exercise on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis with special emphasis on exercise parameters. Osteoporos Int. 2020;31(8):1427-1444. doi:10.1007/s00198-020-05441-w