If you’re a woman over 40, you’ve probably heard the message loud and clear:
You need to strength train.
And it’s a message I wholeheartedly agree with.
As we move through perimenopause, menopause and beyond, maintaining muscle and strength becomes increasingly important. Resistance training supports our muscles and bones, helps us remain capable and independent, and should absolutely be part of the way we exercise as we age.
But somewhere along the way, I think the message has become a little too simple.
Because strength training is important.
But it isn’t the whole story.
We need to train for life
I’ve worked in health and fitness for many years, first as a nurse and now as a personal trainer and Menopause Wellness Coach.
And my view of fitness has changed enormously during that time.
I’m less interested in how exhausted a workout can make someone and far more interested in what that workout enables them to do.
Can you walk up a steep hill without feeling completely out of breath?
Can you carry heavy shopping?
Can you get yourself up from the floor?
Can you balance confidently?
Can you walk for several miles with friends?
Can you run for the train, climb the stairs and still have enough energy left for everything else your day demands?
That is fitness.
And building it requires more than lifting weights.
Your heart needs training too
Cardiovascular fitness remains hugely important as we age.
Walking briskly, climbing hills, running, cycling, swimming or other activities that raise your heart rate all have a place alongside resistance training.
Then there are the things that don’t always look impressive on social media but matter enormously: mobility, balance, posture, recovery and simply moving more throughout the day.
Rather than choosing between cardio and strength, I want women to think about building a body that can do both.
This is why we STOMP
This thinking sits at the heart of the STOMP Method.
We take purposeful walking and combine it with exercise stations along the way.
We might squat, lunge, push, pull, balance, work our core or challenge our mobility — and then we keep moving.
Add hills, uneven terrain, fresh air, changing seasons, conversation and a community of people around you, and exercise becomes about much more than completing a workout.
And importantly, it’s sustainable.
You don’t have to finish every session on your knees for exercise to be doing you good.
For women over 40, I think we need to move away from extremes.
Not cardio or strength.
Not pushing hard or taking it easy.
Not the gym or walking.
Our bodies need variety.
Get strong. Get your heart working. Walk. Move. Recover. Get outside. And keep doing it.
Because the goal isn’t simply to be good at exercise.
The goal is to build a strong, healthy body that allows you to keep saying yes to life.
No shouting. No pressure. Just progress.
