Add these tips into your life and enhance your training results and health.
Understand Your Hormonal Landscape
After the age of 35, hormonal changes start to become more pronounced in women, particularly reductions in oestrogen and progesterone. These shifts can affect recovery, fat distribution, energy levels, and muscle maintenance. Oestrogen plays a critical role in maintaining bone density and supporting lean muscle mass (Sipilä & Poutamo, 2003). A decline in this hormone increases susceptibility to sarcopenia and osteoporosis. Training strategies must adapt to support these physiological changes.
Resistance training, in particular, has been shown to combat oestrogen-deficiency-related muscle loss (Phillips et al., 2022). Prioritising weight training over steady-state cardio becomes more effective for preserving lean body mass and metabolic rate.
Prioritise Resistance Training
Muscle mass naturally declines with age, a process known as sarcopenia, which accelerates in women post-35. Studies show that resistance training two to three times per week can significantly improve muscle mass, bone density, and metabolic health in older women (Westcott, 2012). Compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, and presses recruit multiple muscle groups and maximise hormonal response. Progressive overload is key, where the weight or intensity of training is gradually increased over time to continue challenging the muscles and stimulate growth. Strength training also positively affects insulin sensitivity and helps mitigate age-related metabolic decline (Holten et al., 2004).
Emphasise Protein Intake
Adequate protein intake becomes increasingly important as women age to maintain muscle protein synthesis and prevent muscle wasting. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 0.8g per kg of body weight is insufficient for active women over 35. Research supports a higher intake, typically between 1.2 and 2.0g per kg per day, depending on training intensity and goals (Phillips & Moore, 2012). Distributing protein intake evenly across meals, ideally 25–30g per serving, enhances muscle protein synthesis and recovery (Areta et al., 2013). High-quality protein sources, such as eggs, dairy, poultry, and legumes, are essential.
Optimise Recovery and Sleep
Recovery is where adaptation and progress happen. As women age, sleep architecture changes, with more frequent awakenings and a decrease in deep sleep (Carrier et al., 2001). This can impair recovery, increase cortisol levels, and hinder muscle repair.
Implementing recovery-enhancing strategies such as consistent sleep schedules, minimising screen exposure before bed, and incorporating relaxation techniques can significantly improve recovery quality. Active recovery days, foam rolling, mobility work, and occasional deload weeks also support long-term training consistency.
Manage Stress and Cortisol Levels
Chronic stress elevates cortisol, which in turn promotes fat storage, particularly in the abdominal area, and breaks down muscle tissue. Women over 35 often juggle numerous responsibilities that increase stress levels, leading to hormonal imbalances. A 2009 study showed that chronic stress impairs recovery and blunts training adaptations (Hackney, 2009). Incorporating stress-reduction techniques such as mindfulness, breathing exercises, and low-intensity activities like walking or yoga can help regulate cortisol and improve overall training outcomes.
Train with Intent and Intensity
Junk volume and excessive cardio can be counterproductive. Time efficiency and training quality become more important. Shorter, more focused training sessions using high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or resistance circuits can provide superior metabolic and muscular benefits compared to longer, lower-intensity workouts (Keating et al., 2017). HIIT has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, aerobic capacity, and fat oxidation in middle-aged women, making it an effective tool when properly dosed. Aim for sessions that are purposeful, progressive, and aligned with specific goals.
Maintain Mobility and Joint Health
With age, connective tissues become less elastic, and mobility may decline. Maintaining joint health through mobility training, stretching, and dynamic warm-ups is essential to prevent injury and support movement efficiency. A study by McKean and Burkett (2010) confirmed the importance of dynamic warm-ups in enhancing joint mobility and neuromuscular readiness, especially in older populations. Regular mobility routines focusing on the hips, shoulders, and thoracic spine can significantly improve performance and reduce injury risk.
Support Bone Density with Load-Bearing Exercises
Bone mineral density decreases in women starting in their mid-thirties, particularly with the onset of perimenopause. Resistance training and impact-based activities such as jumping and plyometrics are effective at preserving and even improving bone density (Watson et al., 2015). Weight-bearing movements stimulate osteoblast activity and reinforce skeletal strength. Exercises like barbell squats, loaded carries, and jumping drills should be incorporated cautiously but consistently to reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life.
Track Progress and Adjust Accordingly
What worked in your twenties may no longer yield the same results. Tracking training variables, recovery markers, sleep quality, menstrual cycle changes, and body composition provides valuable feedback for adjusting programmes. Wearable technology, training logs, or subjective wellness ratings can be used to measure progress and detect early signs of overtraining. Individualisation becomes increasingly important. Data-driven adjustments help avoid plateaus and overuse injuries while aligning with hormonal cycles and life demands.
Consider Periodisation and Deloading
Structured periodisation, where training intensity and volume are cycled over time, becomes more important with age. This approach allows for better recovery, hormonal regulation, and sustained progress. Deload weeks – periods of reduced intensity or volume – can mitigate the risk of overtraining, especially in high-performing or consistently training women. Research by Kraemer et al. (2002) supports the efficacy of periodised training in enhancing strength and hypertrophy while reducing injury risk. Incorporate mesocycles that alternate between strength, hypertrophy, and endurance blocks, with built-in recovery phases.
Bibliography
Areta, J.L., Burke, L.M., Ross, M.L., Camera, D.M., West, D.W., Broad, E.M., Jeacocke, N.A., Moore, D.R., Stellingwerff, T. and Hawley, J.A., 2013. Timing and distribution of protein ingestion during prolonged recovery from resistance exercise alters myofibrillar protein synthesis. The Journal of Physiology, 591(9), pp.2319-2331.
Carrier, J., Land, S., Buysse, D.J., Kupfer, D.J. and Monk, T.H., 2001. The effects of age and gender on sleep EEG power spectral density in the middle years of life (ages 20–60 years old). Psychophysiology, 38(2), pp.232-242.
Hackney, A.C., 2009. Stress and the neuroendocrine system: the role of exercise as a stressor and modifier of stress. Expert Review of Endocrinology & Metabolism, 4(6), pp.713-721.
Holten, M.K., Zacho, M., Gaster, M., Juel, C., Wojtaszewski, J.F. and Dela, F., 2004. Strength training increases insulin-mediated glucose uptake, GLUT4 content, and insulin signaling in skeletal muscle in patients with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes, 53(2), pp.294-305.
Keating, S.E., Johnson, N.A., Mielke, G.I. and Coombes, J.S., 2017. A systematic review and meta-analysis of interval training versus moderate-intensity continuous training on body adiposity. Obesity Reviews, 18(8), pp.943-964.
Kraemer, W.J., Ratamess, N.A. and French, D.N., 2002. Resistance training for health and performance. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 1(3), pp.165-171.
McKean, M.R. and Burkett, B.J., 2010. The effects of warm-up on performance and injury prevention in elite male rugby union players. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 13(1), pp.219-222.
Phillips, S.M. and Moore, D.R., 2012. Dietary protein for athletes: from requirements to metabolic advantage. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 37(5), pp.659-668.
Phillips, S.K., Rook, K.M., Siddle, N.C., Bruce, S.A. and Woledge, R.C., 2022. Muscle weakness in women occurs earlier than in men and is not dependent on the menopause. Clinical Science, 84(1), pp.95-98.
Sipilä, S. and Poutamo, J., 2003. Muscle performance, sex hormones and training in peri-menopausal and post-menopausal women. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 13(1), pp.19-25.
Watson, S.L., Weeks, B.K., Weis, L.J., Harding, A.T., Horan, S.A. and Beck, B.R., 2015. High-intensity resistance and impact training improves bone mineral density and physical function in postmenopausal women with osteopenia and osteoporosis: the LIFTMOR randomized controlled trial. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 30(2), pp.183-192.
Westcott, W.L., 2012. Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 11(4), pp.209-216.
image sources
- Sam Briggs: Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.
