Author: the fitness cult

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Menopause & Perimenopause

Why Your Pelvic Floor Feels Different After 40 and How to Strengthen It

A woman performing a weighted step-up exercise to address midlife pelvic floor changes by integrating functional strength training and core engagement.

If you’ve noticed subtle (or not so subtle) midlife pelvic floor changes, you are not imagining it.

Maybe you leak a little when you cough.
Maybe intimacy feels different.
Maybe your core feels weaker even though you’re still working out.

And here’s the part no one talks about enough: Pelvic floor dysfunction is not just a postpartum issue.

Midlife is another major hormonal transition. And just like pregnancy changes tissue, so does perimenopause and menopause. The difference? Fewer women are warned about it.

Let’s break down what’s happening and, more importantly, what you can do about it.

Why We Only Talk About the Pelvic Floor After Baby

A diagram of the pelvic floor, illustrating the importance of pelvic floor strength during pregnancy and postpartum

Culturally, pelvic floor conversations center around childbirth. And yes, pregnancy and delivery do place enormous strain on pelvic tissues. But midlife introduces a different kind of stressor: hormonal change.

If pregnancy is a rapid surge of hormones, perimenopause is a gradual and fluctuating withdrawal. And that shift affects the same tissues.

The truth is, your body is navigating another rebuild phase. And that includes your pelvic floor.

The Role of Estrogen in the Female Body

Estrogen is not just a reproductive hormone. It plays a structural role throughout your body.

Estrogen helps support:

  • Collagen production
  • Connective tissue elasticity
  • Blood flow to pelvic tissues
  • Muscle protein synthesis
  • Nervous system signaling

It is protective. In the pelvis specifically, estrogen supports:

  • Vaginal tissue thickness
  • Urethral support
  • Ligament integrity
  • Muscle tone and coordination

When estrogen levels are stable, tissues tend to be resilient. When they decline, tissues require more intentional loading and support.

(If you want a deeper dive into estrogen’s impact on connective tissue, see Menopause and Joint Pain: The Estrogen Connection for a broader look at how hormones influence structural integrity.)

What Happens to Estrogen in Perimenopause?

Perimenopause can begin in your late 30s or 40s; long before your period officially stops.

A graph illustrating the decline of estrogen levels over time, showing a corresponding decrease in muscle mass and bone density along with increased injury risk and faster bone loss.

It is not a straight decline. It’s a rollercoaster.

Estrogen fluctuates unpredictably before it eventually trends downward. That fluctuation is why symptoms can feel inconsistent:

  • Some months feel normal.
  • Some months feel inflamed, dry, weak, or unstable.

Eventually, estrogen levels settle at a lower baseline after menopause. And that shift directly influences midlife pelvic floor changes.

How Declining Estrogen Affects the Pelvic Floor

Let’s get specific.

Comparison of pelvic floor changes after childbirth and during menopause

Reduced Tissue Elasticity

Lower estrogen reduces collagen production.

That means:

  • Vaginal tissues may thin
  • Connective tissues may feel less elastic
  • Support structures may feel less firm
  • Dryness can increase

This is not “just aging.” It is tissue remodeling in response to hormone shifts.

Decreased Muscle Mass

After 40, women naturally begin to lose muscle mass at a faster rate if they are not strength training. This includes pelvic floor muscle.

When muscle mass decreases:

  • Contraction strength decreases
  • Endurance decreases
  • Reaction time slows
  • Pressure control weakens

This is why learning about core and pelvic floor coordination matters. Your deep core system is designed to function as a team. (For a deeper look at this synergy, revisit The Core & Floor Connection: Why Traditional Abs Are Outdated for Women 30-60.)

Impact on Core Strength and Pressure Management

Your pelvic floor is part of your pressure management system.

It works with:

  • Diaphragm
  • Deep abdominals
  • Glutes
  • Spinal stabilizers

If the pelvic floor weakens or loses elasticity, managing intra-abdominal pressure becomes harder.

That’s when you may notice:

  • Leaking with jumping
  • Leaking with heavy lifts
  • Feeling of heaviness
  • Difficulty “connecting” to your core

This is not a failure. It is a sign your tissues need strategic strength work.

Signs Your Pelvic Floor Needs Support

Midlife pelvic floor changes can show up as:

  • Urinary leakage
  • Pelvic pressure or heaviness
  • Pain with intimacy
  • Constipation
  • Lower back instability
  • Difficulty stopping urine mid-stream
  • A sense that your core feels disconnected

These are not things you have to “just live with.” They are feedback.

How to Train the Pelvic Floor in Midlife

First: Kegels alone are not enough.

Isolated contractions have their place, but the pelvic floor does not function in isolation in real life.

It works during:

  • Squatting
  • Lifting
  • Carrying
  • Walking
  • Breathing
  • Rotating

Strength training provides the mechanical load needed to stimulate tissue adaptation.

If estrogen is declining, your strategy must increase intentional loading.

That means:

  • Coordinated breath
  • Progressive resistance
  • Glute engagement
  • Core integration

If you need additional movement ideas beyond traditional Kegels, revisit 5 Pelvic Floor Exercises That Are Not Kegels for supportive variations.

3 Foundational Moves to Strengthen the Pelvic Floor

These movements teach pressure control while building real strength.

Glute Bridge with Breath Coordination

Why it works:

  • Activates glutes (key pelvic support muscles)
  • Encourages coordinated exhale during effort
  • Reinforces core connection

Coaching cues:

  • Inhale to prepare
  • Exhale as you lift hips
  • Gently engage pelvic floor as if lifting a blueberry with the vaginal muscles
  • Avoid clenching or bearing down

Deadlift Pattern (Dumbbell or Kettlebell)

Why it works:

  • Builds posterior chain strength
  • Teaches pressure management under load
  • Reinforces spinal stability

Coaching cues:

  • Inhale before hinge
  • Exhale during lift phase
  • Maintain rib cage stacked over pelvis
  • Avoid pushing breath downward

This movement trains the pelvic floor to function during real-life lifting.

Step-Up or Split Squat

Why it works:

  • Builds unilateral hip stability
  • Improves pelvic alignment
  • Challenges balance and deep core activation

Coaching cues:

  • Slow, controlled tempo
  • Exhale on effort
  • Maintain tall posture

These movements help rebuild tissue capacity, not just tone.

Red Flags: When to See a Pelvic Floor Therapist

Strength training is powerful. But some symptoms require evaluation.

See a pelvic floor physical therapist if you experience:

  • Persistent or worsening leakage
  • Pelvic heaviness that increases throughout the day
  • Pain during intimacy
  • Pain with exercise
  • Difficulty emptying bladder or bowels
  • Visible or diagnosed prolapse

Stop exercise immediately if you notice:

  • Sharp pelvic pain
  • Sudden increase in heaviness
  • Bulging sensation
  • New or worsening incontinence

There is no shame in needing support. Therapy and strength training often work best together.

The Big Takeaway: Your Pelvic Floor Is Trainable at Any Age

Midlife pelvic floor changes are common. They are physiological. And they are responsive to strength.

This is not about shrinking; this is about rebuilding.

Just like postpartum, midlife is a transition. And transitions require intentional strategy.

When you:

  • Load your muscles
  • Coordinate breath
  • Train your hips
  • Strengthen your core system

You create resilience. Your pelvic floor is not failing you. It is simply asking to be trained differently.

Medical Disclaimer

This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. If you are experiencing pelvic pain, prolapse symptoms, or persistent incontinence, consult a licensed pelvic floor physical therapist or healthcare provider.

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Menopause & Perimenopause Nutrition & Fuel

The Truth About Creatine for Women After 40

Learn about the benefits of creatine for women experiencing perimenopause and menopause to preserve muscle mass and protect bone mineral density

If you hear “creatine” and picture 22-year-old bodybuilders in tank tops, you’re not alone. For years, creatine has been marketed almost exclusively to men chasing bigger biceps. But here’s what the research now makes clear: Creatine for women, especially women over 40, is not about getting bulky. It’s about protecting muscle, supporting brain health, and potentially strengthening bones during one of the most hormonally demanding transitions of your life.

If you’re navigating perimenopause or menopause and wondering whether creatine belongs in your routine, let’s break it down clearly, honestly, and without hype.

What Is Creatine (And Why Have We Ignored It?)

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound stored primarily in your muscles. It plays a key role in producing ATP, the energy currency your cells use for quick, powerful movements.

You already:

  • Make creatine in your liver and kidneys
  • Get small amounts from red meat and fish

Supplementing simply increases the available creatine stored in your muscles and brain.

So why has creatine been overlooked for women?

Because most early marketing, and much early research, focused on young male athletes. Meanwhile, women entering perimenopause were told to focus on walking more and eating less.

That advice is incomplete at best. After 40, your physiology changes. And so should your strategy.

How Creatine for Women Supports Muscle and Training Performance

One of the most significant changes during perimenopause and menopause is accelerated muscle loss (sarcopenia).

Infographic titled 'How Does Creatine Work?' illustrating the process of energy production in the body, featuring four key points: A.T.P. as the energy source, energy used during workouts, A.D.P. as a by-product, and how creatine supplementation helps regenerate energy.

Declining estrogen contributes to:

  • Reduced muscle protein synthesis
  • Lower recovery capacity
  • Increased fat storage
  • Decreased strength and power

And muscle isn’t just aesthetic.

Muscle is:

  • A metabolic organ
  • A blood sugar regulator
  • A fall-prevention tool
  • A longevity predictor

(If you haven’t read my post on grip strength as a longevity marker in Grip Strength: A Powerful Predictor of Women’s Lifespan, that’s a powerful companion to this conversation.)

Does Creatine Help Women Build Muscle?

Yes, when combined with resistance training.

Research consistently shows creatine:

  • Improves strength output
  • Increases training volume
  • Enhances power production
  • Supports lean mass retention

That matters after 40 because:

More strength → better workouts
Better workouts → better muscle retention
Better muscle retention → better metabolic health

Creatine doesn’t build muscle by itself. It enhances your ability to train effectively. It helps you squeeze more adaptation out of the work you’re already doing.

Age-related muscle loss in women during menopause

And if you’re already prioritizing strength training, it may give you a meaningful edge.

(You can also explore how hormones affect muscle retention in HRT and Muscle Growth After 40: What Science Says for additional context.)

Creatine for Women and Brain Health

This is where things get especially interesting.

The brain is an energy-demanding organ. It uses ATP just like your muscles do. Emerging research suggests that creatine may support:

  • Cognitive resilience
  • Mental fatigue resistance
  • Memory performance
  • Mood stability

For women in perimenopause experiencing:

  • Brain fog
  • Mental fatigue
  • Reduced sharpness
  • Mood variability

Creatine’s role in brain energy metabolism is a promising area of study.

Important note: Research here is still evolving. While early findings are encouraging, creatine is not a treatment for cognitive disorders. But supporting cellular energy in the brain during hormonal fluctuation is a compelling area of longevity science.

Creatine and Bone Density: What We Actually Know

Creatine is not a calcium supplement. It doesn’t directly increase bone density.

However, here’s where it becomes relevant: Bone responds to load.

If creatine helps you:

  • Lift heavier
  • Train harder
  • Maintain muscle mass

Then indirectly, you’re increasing the mechanical stimulus that supports bone strength.

Some studies suggest that creatine combined with resistance training may enhance bone health markers more than training alone, but this area needs more research.

The real takeaway? Creatine amplifies strength training. Strength training protects bone. That’s the chain reaction that matters.

Will Creatine Make Me Bulky or Cause Weight Gain?

Let’s clear this up. Creatine may cause:

  • A small increase in water retention inside muscle cells

This is intracellular water, not bloating under the skin.

You may see:

  • 1–3 pounds of scale increase initially

This is not fat gain.

Creatine does not:

  • Cause fat gain
  • Make women bulky
  • Create masculine features

Building significant muscle requires years of progressive overload and calorie surplus. Creatine simply supports performance, not extreme hypertrophy.

Who Should Not Take Creatine?

Creatine is well-studied and considered safe for most healthy individuals. However, it may not be appropriate if you:

  • Have kidney disease or impaired renal function
  • Are on medications affecting kidney health
  • Are pregnant or breastfeeding (insufficient long-term data)
  • Have been advised by your physician to avoid creatine

If you have any medical conditions or take prescription medications, talk to your healthcare provider before starting.

Creatine is optional, not mandatory. Your foundation should always be:

  • Strength training
  • Adequate protein intake
  • Sleep
  • Recovery

(And yes, respecting recovery matters! See How to Balance Exercise and Rest to Avoid Burnout and Support Long Term Fitness if that’s your current focus.)

How to Take Creatine Safely

If you decide to try creatine for women over 40, here’s what matters:

Type

  • Creatine monohydrate is the gold standard
  • Extensively studied
  • Affordable
  • Effective

Dose

  • 3–5 grams daily
  • No loading phase required

Timing

  • Timing is not critical
  • Consistency matters more than when you take it

Hydration

  • Stay adequately hydrated
  • Especially if increasing training intensity

The product I personally recommend is: Nutricost Creatine Monohydrate Micronized Powder. It’s simple, micronized for easier mixing, and contains no unnecessary additives.

👉 You can find it here: https://amzn.to/4kCa7sX

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Is Creatine Right for You in Menopause?

Common myths about creatine supplementation in women

Ask yourself:

  • Am I strength training at least 2–3 times per week?
  • Am I eating enough protein to support muscle?
  • Am I prioritizing recovery and sleep?
  • Do I want to support muscle and cognitive resilience long term?

If the answer is yes to most of these, creatine may be a beneficial addition.

If not, build the foundation first! Supplements amplify strategy. They don’t replace it.

If you’re unsure whether you’re eating enough protein, check out our FREE Calorie Calculator to determine your calorie needs based on age, weight, height, activity level, and goals. Once you have your calorie goal, dial in even more with the $0.99 upgrade and get your personalized macronutrient distribution to know exactly how much protein, carbohydrates, and fat you should be eating.

Muscle Is a Longevity Organ

One of the biggest mindset shifts I want women over 40 to embrace is this:

Muscle is not vanity. It is insurance.

It protects:

  • Your metabolism
  • Your bones
  • Your balance
  • Your independence

We’ve been conditioned to shrink as we age.

But strength is protective.

Creatine for women isn’t about chasing aesthetics. It’s about supporting your ability to stay powerful, capable, and metabolically resilient through menopause and beyond.

Optional? Yes.

Beneficial? For many women, absolutely.

FAQ: Creatine for Women

Is creatine safe for women over 40?

For healthy individuals without kidney disease, creatine monohydrate is widely considered safe when taken at recommended doses.

Does creatine cause bloating?

Some women experience mild water retention inside muscle cells initially, but this is not fat gain.

How long does creatine take to work?

Muscle stores saturate within 2–4 weeks with daily use. Performance benefits may be noticed within that timeframe.

Can creatine help brain fog in menopause?

Research is ongoing, but early evidence suggests potential support for cognitive energy metabolism.

Final Thoughts

Creatine for women after 40 is no longer a fringe conversation.

It’s part of a larger shift toward:

  • Strength as medicine
  • Muscle as longevity
  • Training as a long-term investment

You don’t need every supplement on the shelf.

But if you’re lifting, fueling well, and thinking long-term, then creatine may be worth considering.

Medical Disclaimer

I am an ACE Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist. I am not a physician or registered dietitian. This content is for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before beginning any supplement, especially if you have underlying health conditions or are taking medications.

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Categories
Menopause & Perimenopause

Using Lifts for Better Sleep in Menopause

morning strength training for better sleep in menopause

Sleep often becomes one of the first things to unravel during perimenopause and menopause. You may fall asleep exhausted but wake at 2 a.m. with your mind racing. Or you might feel wired at night and sluggish in the morning, no matter how early you go to bed.

What’s happening isn’t just “bad sleep habits.” It’s a shift in sleep architecture: the natural pattern of light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep; driven by hormonal changes that affect your circadian rhythm and core body temperature.

Here’s the empowering part: movement, especially strength training, can help regulate both. Not by doing more, but by doing the right kind of training at the right time. This is where lifts become a tool for better sleep in menopause, not just stronger muscles.

How Menopause Changes Sleep Architecture

During menopause, fluctuations and declines in estrogen and progesterone affect how your brain regulates sleep and temperature. Estrogen helps stabilize circadian rhythm and supports melatonin production, while progesterone has calming, sleep promoting effects.

sleep architecture perimenopause infographic

As these hormones shift, many women experience:

  • More fragmented sleep
  • Less deep, restorative slow wave sleep
  • Earlier awakenings
  • Increased sensitivity to stress and nighttime temperature changes

Research shows that menopausal changes can disrupt circadian rhythm and core body temperature patterns, which directly impacts sleep quality and sleep timing.

When your internal clock loses clarity, your body struggles to recognize when it’s truly time to wind down.

Movement as a Regulator, Not a Stressor

Exercise is often talked about as a way to “tire yourself out,” but that framing can backfire in midlife.

In menopause, movement works best as a regulatory signal; a way to anchor your internal clock and support nervous system balance.

Exercise acts as a zeitgeber, or time cue, for your circadian rhythm. Consistent movement helps tell your body:

  • When to be alert
  • When to cool down
  • When to prepare for sleep

A large systematic review found that the timing and intensity of exercise can influence circadian rhythm, melatonin release, and core body temperature, all of which shape sleep quality.

This is why when you lift matters just as much as what you lift.

Core Body Temperature, Lifting, and Sleep Onset

Your body naturally lowers its core temperature in the evening to initiate sleep. Menopause can blunt or delay this drop, making it harder to fall and stay asleep.

Strength training temporarily raises core body temperature. When done earlier in the day, the post workout cooldown reinforces the body’s natural nighttime temperature drop, supporting sleep onset later.

When intense training happens too late, however, the temperature spike can linger and interfere with sleep readiness.

This doesn’t mean evening movement is bad. It means intensity and timing need to match your physiology.

Why Strength Training Is Especially Powerful for Sleep in Menopause

Strength training does more than build muscle. It supports sleep through multiple pathways:

morning strength training for better sleep in menopause
  • Improves insulin sensitivity and metabolic stability
  • Reduces joint pain and physical discomfort that disrupt sleep
  • Enhances deep sleep quality over time
  • Helps regulate cortisol when dosed appropriately

If you’ve read The Truth About Zone 2 Cardio in Menopause, you already know that low intensity movement alone isn’t enough to maintain power and resilience as we age. Strength training fills that gap while also supporting sleep when structured intentionally.

This is also why overtraining or random high intensity sessions can backfire. Without recovery, cortisol stays elevated and sleep suffers. How to Balance Exercise and Rest to Avoid Burnout and Support Long Term Fitness explores this balance in more depth.

Timing Your Lifts for Better Sleep in Menopause

Here’s the big takeaway: you don’t need more workouts, you need smarter timing.

For most menopausal women, strength training earlier in the day provides the strongest circadian signal without overstimulating the nervous system at night.

General guidelines:

  • Morning to early afternoon is ideal for heavier lifts
  • Late afternoon works well for moderate strength or mobility focused sessions
  • Evening movement should prioritize calming, low intensity work

Consistency matters more than perfection. Training at roughly the same time of day helps reinforce your internal clock.

A 3 Day Strength Training Ideology for Better Sleep

Rather than prescribing exact workouts, this framework gives you structure without rigidity.

Day 1: Morning Heavy Strength

  • Focus on large compound lifts like deadlifts, squats, presses, or rows
  • Heavier loads with full rest between sets
  • This session creates a strong daytime alertness signal and supports deeper sleep later

Day 2: Midday Moderate Strength

  • Moderate loads, controlled tempo
  • Accessory lifts, unilateral work, and core stability
  • Enough challenge to stimulate adaptation without draining your nervous system

Day 3: Earlier Day Strength Plus Recovery

  • Lighter resistance, slower movement, longer warmups
  • Emphasis on joint friendly ranges of motion
  • Often paired with mobility or gentle conditioning

Walking, light cardio, or mobility work can be layered on non lifting days to support circulation and stress reduction without interfering with sleep.

This approach aligns with the body’s changing needs in menopause and avoids the boom and bust cycle many women fall into.

Movement for Somatic Symptoms That Disrupt Sleep

Sleep in menopause is often interrupted not just by hormones, but by physical symptoms like:

  • Joint stiffness
  • Muscle aches
  • Hot flashes
  • Restlessness

Strategic strength training improves tissue tolerance and joint health, which reduces nighttime discomfort. If joint pain has been a barrier for you, Menopause and Joint Pain: The Estrogen Connection is a helpful companion read.

When movement supports your body instead of fighting it, sleep becomes less fragile.

Strength Training as Sleep Support, Not Punishment

Better sleep in menopause doesn’t come from pushing harder or chasing exhaustion. It comes from working with your physiology.

Strength training, when timed and dosed intentionally, becomes a tool to:

  • Reinforce circadian rhythm
  • Support temperature regulation
  • Improve physical comfort
  • Build confidence in your changing body

If you’re ready to apply these principles in a structured, menopause specific way, explore Your Strongest Season, a strength training program designed to support muscle, metabolism, and recovery during this stage of life.

Better sleep isn’t a mystery you have to solve alone. It’s a system you can support, one lift at a time.

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Categories
Postpartum Strength Prenatal Fitness

Valentine’s Couple Workouts for Expecting and New Parents

Valentine’s Day looks a little different when you are expecting a baby or adjusting to life with a newborn. Late nights, changing bodies, and shifting priorities can make it harder to feel connected to your partner. But connection does not have to mean elaborate plans or perfectly curated date nights.

Sometimes, connection looks like moving your body together.

Choosing workouts for expecting and new parents that you can do as a couple is a powerful way to reconnect physically, emotionally, and mentally. Movement becomes shared time, shared effort, and shared support during one of the biggest transitions of your lives.

This Valentine’s Day, consider ditching the pressure and choosing movement as your love language!

Gentle reminder: Always check with your healthcare provider before beginning or continuing exercise during pregnancy or postpartum, and modify as needed based on how your body feels.

Why Partner Connection Matters During Pregnancy and Postpartum

Pregnancy and the postpartum season bring big changes for both parents. Hormones shift. Sleep is disrupted. Roles evolve. It is common for couples to feel slightly out of sync, even when love is strong.

Intentional connection matters more than ever during this stage.

Shared activities help reinforce that you are on the same team. When you move together, you are not just exercising. You are communicating, supporting, and navigating discomfort and progress side by side. That sense of teamwork builds trust and emotional closeness that carries far beyond the workouts itself.

Movement also creates space for conversation without pressure. Walking, stretching, or lifting together often opens the door for connection in a way that sitting across from each other rarely does during busy seasons.

How Exercise Supports Mental Health (Even More When Done Together!)

Exercise has a well documented positive impact on mental health, especially during pregnancy and postpartum. Movement can help reduce stress, improve mood, and support emotional regulation during a time when mental load is often high.

When exercise is shared with someone you love, those benefits are amplified.

Working out together adds emotional safety and encouragement. It helps normalize hard days and celebrate small wins. It can reduce feelings of isolation that are common for new and expecting parents.

If you want a deeper dive into how movement supports emotional well-being during pregnancy, you can explore this topic further in The Connection Between Mental Health and Physical Activity During Pregnancy.

Choosing workouts for expecting and new parents that feel supportive rather than demanding can be a powerful form of self care for both partners.

Why Working Out With a Partner Improves Consistency and Results

One of the biggest barriers to consistent exercise during pregnancy and postpartum is motivation. Energy levels fluctuate. Schedules change, sometimes daily. It is easy for workouts to fall to the bottom of the list.

A partner changes that dynamic.

Working out together increases accountability in a supportive way. You are less likely to skip when someone else is counting on you. Encouragement feels more meaningful when it comes from a partner who understands your season and your limits.

Partner workouts also challenge the idea that pregnancy means you should stop moving or that postpartum recovery has to be all or nothing. If this belief has ever crossed your mind, The Truth About Prenatal Fitness: What’s Actually Safe During Pregnancy is a great resource to help reframe what safe and effective movement really looks like.

Consistency builds confidence, and confidence builds momentum. That momentum is easier to sustain together.

5 Fun Couple Workouts for Expecting and New Parents

These workouts for expecting and new parents are designed to be flexible, low pressure, and adaptable to pregnancy and postpartum life. Focus on connection over intensity and listen to your body.

1. Partner Yoga and Assisted Stretching

A pregnant woman and her partner practicing prenatal yoga and assisted stretching.

Slow, intentional movement can feel especially good during pregnancy and postpartum recovery. Partner assisted stretching allows you to support each other through gentle poses, improve mobility, and focus on breath.

This is an excellent option for winding down in the evening or to start your day with intention and calm.

2. Take a Walk or Hike Together

A happy couple walking together in a park, pushing a stroller with a baby inside. They are surrounded by trees with green leaves and a pathway lined with bricks.

Walking is one of the most underrated forms of exercise. It is accessible, effective, and easy to adapt for pregnancy and postpartum stages.

Add a stroller, carrier, or simply enjoy the quiet together. Walking creates space for conversation and connection while still supporting cardiovascular health.

3. Dance It Out

A happy couple dancing together in a cozy living room, embracing as they prepare for parenthood, with a baby sitting on the floor playing with toys.

Turn on music and move however feels good. This does not need to look like a structured workouts to count!

Dancing releases stress, boosts mood, and brings playfulness into your day. It is a great reminder that movement does not have to be perfect to be beneficial.

4. Partner Strength Circuit

Two exercise mats, one navy blue and one gray, placed on a wooden floor in a cozy living space with a sofa, plants, and dumbbells.

Strength training is incredibly valuable during pregnancy and postpartum when done safely and intentionally.

I have created a fun partner strength circuit designed specifically for new and expecting parents! It includes partner-based movements, encouragement cues, and modifications to support different stages.

You can grab the full printable PDF by entering our email below and make this your Valentine’s workout date at home!

5. Partner Strength Training and Spotting

A male athlete performing a squat with a barbell while his partner provides support and guidance in a gym setting.

If one of you already strength trains, turn it into a shared experience. Take turns lifting while your partner spots, cues form, and provides encouragement.

This style of training builds trust and communication while reinforcing proper technique. Focus on manageable weights, controlled movement, and quality reps rather than pushing beyond limits.

Making Partner Workouts Work With a Newborn

Life with a newborn is unpredictable. That does not mean that movement has to disappear.

Short sessions count. Ten minutes together is still connection! Babies can be nearby, worn, or included. Flexibilty matters more than structure during this stage.

If you are looking for more ideas on how to move together as a family or include older kids, Fun and Engaging Family Activities to Encourage Movement offers inspiration that grows with your kids.

A Valentine’s Reminder for Expecting and New Parents

Valentine’s Day does not need to be extravagant to be meaningful. Sometimes the most powerful way to say, “I love you,” is by showing up, supporting each other, and choosing shared movement in a busy season.

Workouts for expecting and new parents are not about bouncing back or pushing through exhaustion. They are about connection, confidence, and caring for your mental and physical health together.

If you want a simple way to get started, download the Partner Strength Circuit PDF and turn your next workout into a date that strengthens both your body and your bond!

Categories
Menopause & Perimenopause

How to Heal Frozen Shoulder During Menopause

If you are in menopause and suddenly cannot lift your arm, sleep on your side, or reach behind your back without sharp pain, you are not imagining things. Frozen shoulder during menopause is real, common, and incredibly frustrating, especially for women who have always stayed active.

The good news is that frozen shoulder is not permanent, and you do not need to choose between total rest or pushing through pain. With the right mix of gentle mobility, smart strength work, and recovery focused tools, healing is possible.

This guide walks you through what frozen shoulder is, why it shows up during menopause, and how to support recovery in a way that respects your changing body.

What Is Frozen Shoulder?

Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a condition where the shoulder joint capsule becomes inflamed, thickened, and restricted. This leads to pain, stiffness, and a significant loss of range of motion.

Frozen shoulder anatomy and capsule inflammation in menopause

It often develops gradually and typically progresses through three stages:

  • Freezing stage: Increasing pain and decreasing mobility
  • Frozen stage: Pain may lessen but stiffness remains
  • Thawing stage: Slow return of movement and function

For many women, frozen shoulder feels disproportionate. Small movements hurt. Sleep is disrupted. Daily tasks become exhausting. This is not weakness or poor fitness. It is a joint that has lost its ability to move freely.

Why Frozen Shoulder Is More Common During Menopause

Frozen shoulder during menopause is closely tied to hormonal shifts, especially declining estrogen.

Estrogen plays a role in:

  • Joint lubrication
  • Collagen elasticity
  • Inflammation regulation
  • Blood flow to connective tissue

As estrogen levels drop, connective tissues can become drier, stiffer, and more reactive. This is the same reason many women experience increased joint pain during menopause. If this connection sounds familiar, you may want to explore Menopause and Joint Pain: The Estrogen Connection, which dives deeper into how hormones affect joint health.

Add in stress, poor sleep, and years of repetitive movement or desk work, and the shoulder becomes a perfect storm for restriction.

How to Gently Mobilize Without Making It Worse

One of the biggest mistakes women make with frozen shoulder is forcing range of motion. Aggressive stretching often increases inflammation and slows healing.

Instead, focus on pain respectful movement.

Guidelines for safe mobility:

Gentle frozen shoulder mobility exercises during menopause
  • Move only within a comfortable range
  • Stop before sharp or pinching pain
  • Use slow, controlled motions
  • Prioritize frequency over intensity

Gentle movements such as pendulum swings, assisted arm raises, and supported rotations can help signal safety to the joint. Think of mobility as nourishment, not punishment.

Consistency matters more than how far you move.

Functional Recovery Tools and Techniques That Actually Help

Healing frozen shoulder during menopause requires supporting the nervous system as much as the joint itself.

Helpful tools include:

Heat
Heat before movement can improve circulation and tissue elasticity, making mobility work feel more accessible.

Breathwork
Slow, nasal breathing helps downshift your nervous system, which reduces protective muscle guarding around the shoulder.

Isometric holds
Gentle muscle activation without joint movement can reduce pain and rebuild confidence.

Home fitness tools for frozen shoulder recovery

Light resistance bands
Used correctly, bands allow you to strengthen without loading the joint aggressively.

This is where balance becomes critical. Too much rest leads to more stiffness. Too much intensity increases inflammation. If this balance feels tricky, revisit How to Balance Exercise and Rest to Avoid Burnout and Support Long Term Fitness for a framework that applies perfectly to injury recovery.

Three Strengthening Moves to Support Healing

Strength work is not the enemy of frozen shoulder. In fact, it is essential for long term recovery. These movements should feel challenging but controlled, never painful.

1. Supported External Rotation

Sit or stand with your elbow supported against your side. Use a light band or small dumbbell. Rotate the forearm outward slowly.

Why it helps:
This strengthens the rotator cuff without compressing the joint.

Regression:
Perform the movement lying down with the arm supported.

2. Chest Supported Row

Using a bench, chair, or incline surface, support your chest and pull light weights or bands back toward your ribs.

Why it helps:
Rows restore shoulder stability and improve posture, reducing strain on the joint.

Regression:
Use a resistance band and reduce range of motion.

3. Carry or Hold Variation

Hold a light weight at your side or in front of your body while maintaining tall posture.

Why it helps:
Carries build joint integrity and reconnect the shoulder to the core.

Regression:
Hold the weight for shorter intervals or use both hands.

What Progress Really Looks Like

Frozen shoulder recovery is not linear. Progress may look like:

  • Sleeping better before moving better
  • Less pain before more range
  • Confidence returning before full strength

This process can take months, but small improvements add up. Your job is not to rush healing but to create the conditions where healing can happen.

When to Seek Extra Support

If pain is severe, worsening, or paired with numbness or unexplained weakness, consult a medical professional. Physical therapy can be incredibly helpful when paired with strength focused programming rather than passive treatment alone.

If you are ready to rebuild strength safely during menopause, structured guidance makes all the difference. Exploring strength programs designed for this phase of life can help you move forward without fear.

Rebuilding Trust in Your Shoulder and Your Body

Frozen shoulder during menopause can feel like betrayal. But this phase of life is not about shrinking or avoiding challenge. It is about learning how your body responds now and working with it instead of against it.

Healing is possible. Strength is still available to you. And your body is capable of more than you have been led to believe.

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Postpartum Strength Prenatal Fitness

Pelvic Floor Health for a Strong Pregnancy and Recovery

A pregnant woman performing pelvic floor strengthening exercises.

Pelvic floor health during pregnancy plays a bigger role in how you feel, move, and recover than most people are ever taught. As an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and NASM Women’s Fitness Specialist, I see this gap in education constantly. Many moms only hear about the pelvic floor once something feels “off,” yet these muscles are foundational to strength, confidence, and long term recovery.

Whether you are currently pregnant or navigating postpartum fitness, understanding your pelvic floor can help you move with more ease, feel more supported, and return to exercise with confidence rather than fear.

What Is the Pelvic Floor?

The pelvic floor is a net of muscles that sits at the bottom of your pelvis. Imagine a supportive hammock or trampoline that holds up your internal organs, including the bladder, uterus, and rectum. These muscles are not separate from the rest of your boy. They are an essential part of your core.

Anatomy of the pelvic floor depicted for pregnancy health.
Picture provided by: Foundations Pelvic Health

Your core is often described as a canister or cylinder. The diaphragm is the top, the deep abdominal muscles wrap around the sides, the back muscles provide support, and the pelvic floor is the “floor” of that system. When the pelvic floor is working well, it responds automatically to breathing, movement, and load.

This is why pelvic floor health during pregnancy is about much more than doing Kegels. If you want to explore alternatives, you may enjoy reading 5 Pelvic Floor Exercises That Are Not Kegels, which dives deeper into functional options to strengthen your pelvic floor in a holistic way.

How Pregnancy Changes the Pelvic Floor

During pregnancy, your body adapts in incredible ways. As the uterus grows, it places increasing pressure downward onto the pelvic floor muscles. Over time, these muscles may become stretched and lengthened as they support the weight of your growing baby, amniotic fluid, and placenta.

This stretching is normal. It is not a sign that your body is failing. However, without intentional support, these changes can impact coordination, strength, and recovery later on.

Pelvic floor health during pregnancy is closely connected to posture, breathing patterns, and how to move through daily life. This is one reason core-focused training matters, especially during pregnancy. The Importance of Core Strength During Pregnancy is a great companion read.

Pelvic Floor Health in Postpartum Fitness

After birth, the pelvic floor does not automatically return to its pre-pregnancy function on its own. Muscles may be tender, fatigued, or slow to respond. This is true whether you had a vaginal birth or cesarean delivery.

This is where many moms begin experience leaking, especially during higher impact movements (think: running, jumping, or surprise sneezes).

Postpartum fitness should focus on rebuilding coordination first, then strength. Jumping straight into high impact exercises without restoring this foundation can contribute to leaking, heaviness, or core instability.

There are many myths around bouncing back quickly after birth. Adapting Your Fitness Routine for the Postpartum Phase provides gentle guidance on a safe return to exercise and strength, once cleared by your healthcare team.

Why the Pelvic Floor is the Floor of Your Core

The pelvic floor as part of the core, illustrating the importance of pelvic strength postpartum.
Picture provided by: Pelvic Floor First / Continence Health Australia

The pelvic floor works in sync with your breath. When you inhale, it gently lengthens. When you exhale, it naturally recoils and lifts. This rhythm supports everyday movements like standing, lifting, and walking.

If the pelvic floor is not coordinating well with breathing and core muscles, symptoms can show up. These may include leaking during exercise, feelings of pressure, or difficulty engaging your core.

Supporting pelvic floor health during pregnancy and postpartum is not about gripping or clenching. It is about learning how to relax, respond, and generate strength when needed.

3 Pregnancy-Safe Pelvic Floor Strengthening Moves

These movements focus on awareness, coordination, and functional strength. Always move within a pain-free range and follow guidance from your healthcare team regarding readiness to exercise.

1. Pelvic Floor Breath (Seated or Side Lying)

Pregnant woman practicing pelvic floor breathing exercises on a yoga mat at home with natural light and a potted plant in the background.

This is a gentle awareness focused exercise that teaches the pelvic floor to move with your breath.

Sit comfortably or lie on your side. Inhale slowly through your nose, allowing your ribs and belly to expand. Imagine the pelvic floor softly lowering. As you exhale, feel a gentle lift through the pelvic floor and deep core, like drawing a blueberry upward.

This is not a hard squeeze. Subtle engagement is enough.

2. Quadruped Core and Pelvic Floor Connection

Pregnant woman practicing pelvic floor engagement on a blue mat indoors, kneeling with hands on the floor.

This move integrates gentle activation with movement.

Start on hands and knees with a neutral spine. Inhale to prepare. As you exhale, lightly engage your pelvic floor and deep abs while maintaining spinal alignment. Hold for a few breaths, then relax.

This position reduces pressure and helps build coordination that carries over into daily life.

3. Supported Squat with Breath Coordination

This exercise focuses on strength and coordination and can support labor preparation.

A pregnant woman performing squats using a stability ball and a chair in a well-lit room.

Hold onto a stable surface or use a box or chair for support. Inhale as you slowly lower into the squat, allowing the pelvic floor to lengthen. Exhale as you stand, gently lifting through the pelvic floor and core.

This mirrors how your body manages pressure during functional movement and birth. For more labor supportive exercises, explore Preparing for Labor: Exercises That May Help.

When to Seek Additional Support

If you experience persistent leaking, pelvic pain, heaviness, or discomfort during exercise, it may be helpful to work with a pelvic floor physical therapist. Seeking support is proactive, not a sign of weakness.

Always defer to your healthcare provider for clearance before starting or progressing exercise during pregnancy and postpartum. Your body’s needs are individual, and honoring that is part of strong recovery.

Continue Supporting Your Pelvic Floor

If you want structured, guided support beyond individual exercises, my programs are designed to meet you exactly where you are.

Bump-to-Baby supports you through pregnancy and into postpartum with intentional core and pelvic floor focused training.

Core and Restore: No Leak Physique is ideal for postpartum moms who want to rebuild strength, improve coordination, and feel confident returning to workouts without fear of leaking.

I created both programs to prioritize pelvic floor health during pregnancy and recovery, without extremes or pressure to rush. During my postpartum period, I experienced Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (PFD), and used my experience and science-backed pelvic floor strengthening to design an exercise program that helps you rebuild a stronger, healthier pelvic floor and core to support a busy life without leaks!

Final Encouragement

Your pelvic floor is not fragile. It is adaptable, responsive, and capable of supporting you through pregnancy, birth, and motherhood when trained with intention.

Strong recovery starts with understanding your body and giving it what it needs, one breath and one movement at a time. You’ve got this, mama!

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Menopause & Perimenopause

The Truth About Zone 2 Cardio in Menopause

Zone 2 cardio menopause strength training for midlife women

If you’ve been told that walking is the safest or best form of exercise during perimenopause or menopause, you’re not alone.

Zone 2 cardio has become the gold standard recommendation for midlife women. It’s gentle. It’s accessible. It feels manageable on days when energy is low and joints feel stiff.

And to be clear: walking is helpful.

But here’s the truth many women are not being told: Zone 2 cardio in menopause supports health, but it does not fully protect your body from the changes happening beneath the surface.

If your goal is not just to “move more,” but to stay strong, capable, and resilient for decades to come, walking alone isn’t enough.

Let’s break down why.

What’s Actually Changing in Your Body During Menopause

Menopause is not just a phase. It’s a full body transition driven largely by declining estrogen levels, and those hormonal shifts affect far more than your cycle.

Muscle Loss Accelerates

Sarcopenia and muscle loss during menopause

Estrogen plays a protective role in muscle maintenance. As levels decline, sarcopenia (age related muscle loss) accelerates. Without intentional resistance training, women can lose muscle at a faster rate in midlife than at any other point.

Less muscle means:

  • Reduced metabolic health
  • Decreased strength and power
  • Higher risk of injury and falls

Bone Density Declines

Estrogen is also critical for bone remodeling. During menopause, bone mineral density decreases, increasing fracture risk, especially in the hips, spine, and wrists.

Walking does load the bones slightly, but not enough to meaningfully slow bone loss.

Stiffness and Chronic Pain Increase

Many women notice more joint stiffness, aches, and chronic pain in perimenopause and menopause. This is not because movement is dangerous, but because connective tissue adapts differently without estrogen.

Avoiding strength and power work often makes pain worse over time, not better.

For a deeper look at this connection, see Menopause and Joint Pain: The Estrogen Connection.

Cardiovascular Health Shifts

Hormonal changes also impact cardiovascular function. VO₂ max declines more rapidly with age in women, and heart disease risk increases after menopause.

Cardio matters. But the type and intensity matter too.

What Is Zone 2 Cardio, Really?

Zone 2 cardio refers to steady state, moderate intensity movement where you can still hold a conversation, but feel slightly challenged. For many women in menopause, this looks like:

  • Brisk walking
  • Easy cycling
  • Light jogging
  • Low intensity cardio classes

The benefits of Zone 2 cardio in menopause are real:

  • Improved aerobic base
  • Better blood sugar regulation
  • Reduced stress and cortisol load
  • Support for daily movement consistency

Zone 2 cardio is a foundation, not a complete system.

What the ACSM Guidelines Actually Recommend

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, adults should aim for:

ACSM cardio guidelines for midlife women
  • At least 30 minutes of moderate intensity cardio, 2 or more days per week for general health and maintenance

Notice the wording: minimum and general health.

These guidelines are not designed to:

  • Prevent muscle loss
  • Protect bone density
  • Maintain power and balance
  • Reduce fall risk

They describe the floor, not the ceiling.

Why Strength Training Is Non Negotiable in Menopause

Strength training is not about chasing soreness or lifting heavy for the sake of it. It is about preserving the tissue that keeps you mobile and independent.

Benefits of Strength Training in Menopause

  • Improved joint stability and pain management
  • Increased muscle mass and metabolic support
  • Bone loading that helps slow density loss
  • Better posture and daily function

Strength training also improves confidence. Many women discover they feel better when they stop avoiding resistance and start building capacity.

If you want guidance that fits real life and real bodies, this is where exploring structured strength programs designed for midlife can make a meaningful difference.

The Missing Link: Power and Plyometrics

This is the piece most women are told to avoid, and it may be the most important.

Power refers to your ability to produce force quickly. It declines faster than strength with age, and it plays a huge role in:

  • Balance and fall prevention
  • Cardiovascular capacity
  • Functional independence

Benefits of Plyometrics and Power Training

  • Improved heart health and cardio efficiency
  • Better coordination and reaction time
  • Support for menopause symptom management
  • Reduced fall risk when trained appropriately
Safe plyometric exercises for menopausal women

Plyometrics do not have to mean box jumps or high impact workouts. Power can be trained through:

  • Low amplitude hops
  • Medicine ball throws
  • Fast controlled step ups
  • Modified explosive movements

The key is progressive exposure, not intensity for intensity’s sake.

Safe Exercise Options for Perimenopausal and Menopausal Women

A well balanced routine includes:

Strength Training

  • 2 to 3 sessions per week
  • Focus on full body movements
  • Progress load gradually

Power and Plyometrics

  • 1 to 2 sessions per week
  • Modified based on joint health and fall risk
  • Emphasis on quality and control

Zone 2 Cardio

  • Used for recovery, aerobic base, and daily movement
  • Walking, cycling, hiking, or swimming

Pain, stiffness, and fear are signals to modify, not reasons to avoid entire categories of movement.

So… Is Zone 2 Cardio in Menopause Enough?

Zone 2 cardio in menopause is valuable. It supports heart health, consistency, and stress regulation.

But it is not enough on its own.

Walking keeps you moving.
Strength keeps you stable.
Power keeps you resilient.

When combined, they create a body that is not just active, but capable.

The Bottom Line

Your body in menopause is not fragile. It is adaptable.

You do not need to train like you’re in your twenties, but you also do not need to limit yourself to what feels “safe” forever.

If you want to age with strength, protect your joints, and support your long term heart health, your routine needs more than walking.

And if you’re ready to build that foundation with guidance designed specifically for this phase of life, now is the time to explore programs that support strength, power, and longevity together!

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Menopause & Perimenopause

Grip Strength: A Powerful Predictor of Women’s Lifespan

A woman demonstrating the importance of grip strength and longevity by strength training in menopause

If there were one health metric that could quietly reveal how strong, resilient, and long-lived your body is likely to be, grip strength would be a top contender.

No labs.
No fancy wearables.
No hours in a doctor’s office.

Just how well you can hold onto something.

Grip strength test demonstrating longevity marker in menopausal women

For women in perimenopause and menopause, grip strength and longevity are deeply connected. And yet, it’s rarely talked about outside of research circles. That’s a missed opportunity because grip strength reflects far more than hand muscles. It’s a window into your overall muscle health, nervous system function, metabolic resilience, and independence as you age.

Let’s break down what the science says, why grip strength matters more after 45, and exactly how to train it in a realistic, joint-friendly way.

Grip Strength and Longevity: What the Research Actually Shows

Grip strength isn’t just a fitness flex. It’s one of the most consistent physical predictors of all-cause mortality, meaning death from any cause.

Study 1: The PURE Study (The Lancet, 2015)

A landmark global study led by Leong et al. followed over 140,000 adults across 17 countries. Researchers found that grip strength was a stronger predictor of mortality than systolic blood pressure.

Infographic illustrating grip strength as a biomarker, featuring icons and text linking grip strength to various health aspects such as cognitive function, mental health, disease prevention, and more.

For every 5 kg decrease in grip strength, participants had:

  • Higher risk of all-cause mortality
  • Higher risk of cardiovascular death
  • Higher risk of non-cardiovascular death

Grip strength predicted outcomes regardless of age, socioeconomic status, or geographic location.

Study 2: British Medical Journal (BMJ, 2010)

A longitudinal study by Cooper et al. showed that lower grip strength in midlife was associated with:

  • Increased risk of premature death
  • Greater likelihood of disability later in life
  • Reduced functional independence

Grip strength wasn’t just reflecting current health. It was forecasting future health.

Bottom line: Grip strength is not about hands. It’s about how well your entire system is aging.

Why Grip Strength Declines During Perimenopause and Menopause

If you’ve noticed jars getting harder to open or carrying groceries feeling heavier than it used to, that’s not in your head.

Several menopause-related changes directly affect grip strength:

  • Estrogen decline impacts muscle protein synthesis and tendon elasticity
  • Sarcopenia (muscle loss that occurs with aging) accelerates without intentional resistance training
  • Neuromuscular efficiency declines, meaning the brain-to-muscle connection weakens
  • Joint stiffness and hand pain can discourage loading the hands altogether

Many women stay active through walking, cycling, or yoga, which are all valuable. But without loaded strength work, especially through the hands, grip strength quietly erodes.

What Grip Strength Really Reflects

Grip strength is often described as a “proxy” measure. That’s because it correlates strongly with:

  • Total body strength and muscle quality
  • Bone density, especially in the upper body
  • Nervous system health and coordination
  • Fall risk and fracture risk
  • Ability to perform daily tasks independently

In other words, grip strength isn’t about crushing a stress ball. It’s about whether your body can adapt to life’s demands now and decades from now.

This is exactly why grip work fits so naturally into a midlife power and longevity approach to training.

How to Train Grip Strength Without Overcomplicating It

Here’s the good news. You don’t need a separate “hand workout” or endless gadgets.

Grip strength improves best when you:

  • Load the hands progressively
  • Use multi-joint, functional movements
  • Train consistently, not excessively

Frequency: 2 to 4 times per week
Duration: Often just a few minutes at the end of a workout
Progression: Increase load, time under tension, or complexity gradually

If joint pain is present, grip training can be scaled. Neutral grips, towel holds, and shorter carry distances all count.

Best Grip Strength Exercises for Peri and Menopausal Women

These movements build grip strength while also supporting full-body strength and bone health.

A person holding a kettlebell with one hand, wearing a pink workout shirt and black leggings, against a green background.

Farmer Carries

Hold heavy dumbbells or kettlebells and walk with control.
This is one of the most powerful longevity exercises available.

Suitcase Carries

Hold weight on one side only.
Improves grip, core stability, and hip strength simultaneously.

Dead Hangs or Supported Hangs

Use a pull-up bar or rings.
You can keep feet on the floor or use a box for support.

Dumbbell or Kettlebell Holds

Lift the weight and simply hold it for time.
Simple. Effective. Surprisingly challenging.

Towel or Fat Grip Variations

Wrap a towel around a handle or use thick grips to increase demand without heavier weight.

If your current program doesn’t include loaded carries or sustained holds, this is an easy place to level up.

Tools to Train Grip Strength at Home

You don’t need a full gym to improve grip strength. A few strategic tools go a long way.

Grip strength training tools for women over 45

Popular options include:

If you’re building a setup on a budget, many of these pair perfectly with a home gym under $500 and can live in a corner without taking over your space.

Affiliate disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I believe genuinely support strength and longevity.

How Grip Strength Fits Into a Longevity-Focused Program

Grip work alone won’t carry the whole load.

The biggest gains in grip strength and longevity come when it’s combined with:

  • Compound lifts
  • Progressive overload
  • Adequate recovery and stress management

Overtraining without recovery can stall progress, especially during menopause. If strength feels harder to maintain lately, balancing effort and rest matters more than ever. This is where smarter programming, not more volume, makes the difference.

How to Track Grip Strength Over Time

You don’t need lab equipment to stay aware of changes.

Simple ways to monitor progress:

  • Track carry weight and time
  • Notice improvements in daily tasks
  • Use a hand dynamometer if available

Trends matter more than single numbers. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s preservation and progress.

Strong Hands, Strong Future

Grip strength may seem small, but it tells a big story.

It reflects how well your muscles respond to training, how resilient your nervous system is, and how prepared your body is for the decades ahead. For women navigating perimenopause and menopause, focusing on grip strength and longevity is a powerful shift from chasing aesthetics to building capacity.

Strong hands support a strong life. And that’s a metric worth training for.

If you’re ready to train with longevity in mind, explore strength programs designed specifically for this phase of life inside Midlife Power + Longevity.

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Menopause & Perimenopause

HRT and Muscle Growth After 40: What Science Says in 2026

Woman in her 50s strength training at home with heavy dumbbells, demonstrating how HRT and muscle growth after 40 support strength, confidence, and healthy aging

If you are in your 40s or 50s and noticing that building muscle feels harder than it used to, you are not imagining it. For many women, perimenopause and postmenopause mark a real physiological shift. Strength that once came easily now requires more intention. Recovery takes longer. Body composition changes despite consistent workouts. This is where the conversation around HRT and muscle becomes important.

Hormone Replacement Therapy is not a shortcut, a performance enhancer, or a replacement for training. But science shows it can meaningfully influence how your body responds to resistance training, protein intake, and recovery during midlife. Understanding that intersection can help you train smarter and protect your long-term health.

This article breaks down what the research says in 2026, in plain language, so you can make informed decisions alongside your doctor and your coach.

The Role of Estrogen in the Body

Estrogen is often discussed only in terms of hot flashes or menstrual changes, but its influence is much broader. It plays a critical role in how women maintain muscle, bone, and connective tissue.

Infographic illustrating the role of estrogen in the body, featuring a silhouette of a woman with arrows pointing to aspects such as muscle protein synthesis, bone remodeling, insulin sensitivity, and connective tissue health, labeled as a whole-body regulator.

From a muscle perspective, estrogen helps regulate muscle protein synthesis, the process your body uses to repair and rebuild muscle fibers after strength training. It also supports muscle quality by influencing mitochondrial function and insulin sensitivity, which affects how efficiently your muscles use fuel.

Estrogen is also protective for bone. It helps balance bone breakdown and bone formation, keeping bone density more stable across adulthood. This is why bone loss accelerates rapidly after menopause when estrogen levels decline.

When estrogen is present in healthy ranges, muscle and bone tend to respond more favorably to training stress. When it declines, those same inputs produce smaller returns.

What Happens When Estrogen Levels Decline

During perimenopause and postmenopause, estrogen levels fluctuate and then fall. This creates a cascade of changes that directly affect body composition and strength.

Graph illustrating the decline of estrogen levels over time, showing a corresponding decrease in muscle mass and bone density, increased anabolic resistance, and higher risk of injury.

One of the most important shifts is anabolic resistance. This means the body becomes less responsive to the muscle-building signals from resistance training and protein intake. You can be doing “everything right” and still see slower progress.

Lower estrogen is also associated with:

  • Reduced muscle mass and strength over time
  • Increased fat storage, particularly around the abdomen
  • Faster bone density loss
  • Slower recovery between workouts
  • Greater injury risk due to changes in connective tissue elasticity

Without intervention, women can lose up to 8 percent of muscle mass per decade after menopause. This loss is not cosmetic. Muscle plays a central role in metabolic health, balance, independence, and longevity.

Other Hormones That Matter for Muscle and Bone

Estrogen does not work alone. Several other hormones influence how well women maintain strength as they age.

Testosterone, present in smaller amounts in women than men, contributes to muscle strength, neuromuscular efficiency, and bone density. Levels naturally decline with age.

Growth hormone supports tissue repair and muscle recovery. Its secretion decreases with age and is influenced by sleep, stress, and training intensity.

Progesterone helps regulate the nervous system and supports tissue health. While it does not directly build muscle, it influences recovery and training tolerance.

Together, these hormones shape how well your body adapts to resistance training. When multiple hormones decline simultaneously, muscle maintenance becomes more challenging without strategic support.

What Is HRT?

Hormone Replacement Therapy refers to the medical use of estrogen, and sometimes progesterone and testosterone, to support women during perimenopause and postmenopause. It is prescribed and monitored by a qualified healthcare provider.

HRT is designed to replace some of the hormones your body is no longer producing in sufficient amounts. Its primary uses include symptom relief, bone protection, and improved quality of life.

From a fitness perspective, HRT does not build muscle on its own. What it can do is improve the environment in which muscle growth and maintenance occur. By supporting hormone levels, HRT may enhance your body’s ability to respond to strength training and nutrition.

HRT is not for everyone, and it is not a decision to make lightly. But for many women, it can be a valuable part of a comprehensive midlife health strategy.

HRT and Muscle Protein Synthesis: What the Science Says

Research over the past decade has increasingly focused on how estrogen affects muscle protein synthesis in postmenopausal women.

Flowchart illustrating the relationship between Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and muscle protein synthesis, detailing steps from resistance training stimulus to protein intake, hormonal environment, and improved signal strength.

Studies suggest that estrogen replacement can partially restore the muscle’s sensitivity to resistance training and protein intake. In simple terms, muscle tissue becomes better at “listening” to the signals you give it through lifting weights and eating protein.

Estrogen appears to influence satellite cells, which are involved in muscle repair and growth. It also affects inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which impact recovery.

Importantly, the research shows that HRT is most effective when combined with resistance training. Hormones alone do not create muscle. Training provides the stimulus, and hormones help determine how strongly the body responds.

This reinforces a key message for midlife women: HRT may support muscle preservation, but strength training remains non-negotiable.

Why Protein Intake Matters More After 40

Protein is the raw material for muscle repair. As women age, their protein needs increase due to anabolic resistance.

Many peri and postmenopausal women simply do not consume enough protein to support muscle maintenance, especially if they are active. When combined with hormonal changes, low protein intake accelerates muscle loss.

Image illustrating protein-rich meal suggestions for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, emphasizing the importance of consistent protein intake for muscle maintenance and satiety.

Most research suggests that women in midlife benefit from higher protein intakes than the standard minimum recommendations, distributed evenly across meals. Prioritizing high-quality protein at breakfast and lunch is especially important.

For practical ideas that fit real life, you can explore The Best High-Protein Snacks on Amazon for Busy Moms and Health-Minded Eaters, which highlights convenient options that support muscle without adding stress to your day.

Protein, resistance training, and hormonal support work best as a system, not in isolation.

How to Build Muscle After 40

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends resistance training at least three times per week at moderate intensity for about 30 minutes for general health and maintenance.

That baseline is excellent for preserving function, but it is often not enough to build new muscle, especially during peri and postmenopause.

To increase muscle mass, you need progressive overload. That means intentionally increasing one or more of the following:

  • Load
  • Time under tension
  • Training intensity
  • Training frequency
  • Or a strategic combination of these variables

Progress does not require extreme workouts. It requires thoughtful programming, sufficient recovery, and consistency. This is where many women struggle when training alone without guidance.

If a follow-along training program designed for women experiencing perimenopause or menopause or expert one-on-one coaching feels like something that would be supportive for you right now, check out my ready-to-start programs or book a free consultation to see how I can help you with your fitness and nutrition goals today!

Why Muscle Is Critical for Midlife and Beyond

Muscle is more than a cosmetic goal. It is an active metabolic tissue that influences nearly every system in the body.

Adequate muscle mass supports:

  • Stable blood sugar regulation
  • Higher resting metabolic rate
  • Stronger bones through mechanical loading
  • Better balance and fall prevention
  • Joint stability and pain reduction
  • Independence as you age

Women with higher muscle mass tend to experience healthier aging trajectories, fewer injuries, and greater confidence in daily movement.

In many ways, muscle is one of the most powerful anti-aging tools available.

Integrating HRT, Nutrition, and Strength Training

A Venn diagram titled 'The Strong Midlife Formula' illustrating the intersection of hormones, nutrition, and strength training for healthy aging and strength after 40. Key focus areas include hormone balance, nutritional protein and fuel, and progressive overload in strength training.

The most effective approach to midlife strength is integrated, not extreme.

HRT can support the hormonal environment. Protein provides the building blocks. Progressive resistance training delivers the stimulus. Coaching and community provide accountability and sustainability.

When these elements work together, women are far more likely to maintain strength, bone density, and confidence through midlife and beyond.

Ready to Train With Support?

If you are navigating perimenopause or postmenopause and want a structured, science-informed approach to building strength, Strongest Season Yet was designed specifically for you.

This virtual group strength class focuses on progressive resistance training, recovery, and real-life sustainability for peri and postmenopausal women.

You can also browse and shop strength programs that align with your goals or join the Fitty 500 Mile Challenge if accountability and consistency are what you need most right now.

Your strongest years are not behind you. They are simply being redefined.

References

Hansen, M. et al. Effects of estrogen on muscle protein synthesis in postmenopausal women. Journal of Applied Physiology.

Collins, B. C. et al. The role of sex hormones in skeletal muscle adaptation. Endocrine Reviews.

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Menopause & Perimenopause

Menopause and Joint Pain: The Estrogen Connection

If your knees ache when you stand up, your hips feel stiff in the morning, or your hands just feel… sore for no obvious reason, you’re not alone.

And no, this isn’t simply “getting older.”

For many women in perimenopause and menopause, joint pain shows up quietly and persistently. It’s often brushed off as old injuries, arthritis, or wear and tear. But there’s a powerful and often overlooked factor behind that achy, stiff feeling: declining estrogen.

Let’s talk about what’s really happening inside your body, and more importantly, what you can do to feel stronger, more comfortable, and more supported during this transition.

Estrogen Decline During Perimenopause and Menopause

Estrogen does far more than regulate your menstrual cycle.

During perimenopause, estrogen levels begin to fluctuate unpredictably. Over time, as you move into menopause, overall estrogen levels decline significantly. This hormonal shift doesn’t just affect hot flashes or sleep. It impacts nearly every system in the body, including your musculoskeletal system.

That’s why joint discomfort often appears alongside other changes like:

  • Increased stiffness
  • Slower recovery after workouts
  • Loss of strength or muscle tone
  • A general sense of feeling “creaky” or inflamed

For many women, joint pain is one of the earliest physical signs that hormones are changing.

How Declining Estrogen Affects Joints, Cartilage, and Bones

Estrogen plays a protective role in joint and bone health.

Joint Health and Cartilage

Estrogen helps regulate inflammation and supports the health of cartilage, the cushioning tissue that allows joints to move smoothly. When estrogen levels decline, cartilage can become less resilient, and inflammatory markers may increase. This can lead to joint stiffness, tenderness, and that familiar achy feeling, even without a clear injury (Straub, 2007).

Bone Density

Estrogen also plays a major role in maintaining bone mineral density. As estrogen decreases, bone breakdown can begin to outpace bone formation, increasing the risk of bone loss and fragility over time (Guadalupe-Grau et al., 2009).

This combination of less joint cushioning and weaker structural support can make everyday movements feel uncomfortable, even if you’ve always been active.

If you’ve ever thought, “Why do my joints hurt when I didn’t change anything?”, hormones may be the missing piece.

Why It Feels Like Aging or Injury (But Often Isn’t)

Hormone-related joint pain tends to show up in common areas like:

  • Knees
  • Hips
  • Lower back
  • Hands and fingers
  • Shoulders

Because these areas are also prone to injury or arthritis, many women assume the pain is mechanical. But when discomfort appears without trauma, worsens during hormonal transitions, or fluctuates day to day, estrogen is often part of the picture.

The good news? This type of joint pain is highly responsive to strength training.

Muscle: Your Secret Weapon for Joint Pain Relief

Building and maintaining muscle is one of the most effective, science-backed ways to reduce joint pain during menopause.

Exercise as a Natural Pain Reliever

Movement stimulates the release of endorphins, your body’s natural pain-relieving hormones. Regular exercise has been shown to reduce pain perception and improve joint comfort, even in populations experiencing chronic discomfort (Koltyn, 2000).

Stronger Muscles, Less Joint Stress

Muscles act like shock absorbers. When they’re strong, they take pressure off your joints during daily activities like walking, squatting, lifting, and climbing stairs. Less joint stress often means less pain.

Resistance Training Supports Bone Health

Strength training doesn’t just build muscle. It also sends signals to your bones to maintain or increase density. This is especially important during menopause, when bone loss accelerates (Guadalupe-Grau et al., 2009).

If joint pain has been holding you back from movement, strength training is often the solution, not the problem.

How to Build Muscle to Support Joint Health

Resistance Training at Home (3+ Days Per Week)

You don’t need a gym to get stronger. Consistent, well-designed home-based resistance training can dramatically improve joint comfort and confidence.

Focus on:

  • Lower body strength for hips, knees, and ankles
  • Core strength for spinal support and stability
  • Upper body strength for shoulders and hands

Bodyweight exercises, dumbbells, resistance bands, or kettlebells all work when programmed correctly.

Want comfortable joints again?
Explore our strength programs created specifically for this phase of life.
These programs are designed to support joint health, hormone changes, and real-life energy levels during perimenopause and menopause.

Protein and Nutrition for Muscle Support

Muscle doesn’t grow without adequate fuel, and protein intake becomes especially important during menopause.

Protein helps:

  • Repair and rebuild muscle tissue
  • Support bone health
  • Improve recovery between workouts

If you’re unsure how much protein your body actually needs, start with clarity.

Use our free calorie calculator to estimate your daily needs.
For personalized support, you can also upgrade to our $0.99 macro distribution, which includes protein targets tailored for muscle building and joint support.

Small adjustments in nutrition can make a big difference in how your body feels.

What This Means for You

Joint pain during menopause is common, but it isn’t something you have to accept as inevitable.

When you understand the estrogen connection, everything changes. Strength training becomes a tool for relief. Protein becomes part of joint care. And movement becomes empowering again, instead of intimidating.

If you’re ready for guidance and support:

You deserve to feel strong, capable, and comfortable in this season of life!

References

Straub, R. H. (2007). The complex role of estrogens in inflammation. Nature Reviews Rheumatology, 3(3), 154–164.

Guadalupe-Grau, A., Fuentes, T., Guerra, B., & Calbet, J. A. L. (2009). Exercise and bone mass in adults. Sports Medicine, 39(6), 439–468.

Koltyn, K. F. (2000). Analgesia following exercise: A review. Sports Medicine, 29(2), 85–98.

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