Women and Strength Blog Series – Part 1 of 3

Part 1: Why Strength Training Is Non-Negotiable for Women’s Health

For a long time, women were told that fitness meant being smaller, lighter, and quieter in our bodies. Cardio was praised; it keeps us lithe and slim. Lifting was discouraged. Strength training was framed as something optional—or worse, something that would make us “bulky.”

Here’s the reality: strength training is foundational to women’s health, especially as we age. Over the next three weeks I will explain why.

Research shows that approximately 75% of midlife women do not strength train. That gap matters—because muscle is not just about appearance. It’s about survival, independence, and quality of life. It directly impacts mobility, metabolism, and grace. It’s about staying capable in your own body.

Strength Is About Living Well, Not Getting “Bulky” or “Toning”

Strength training does not make us bulky; unless that is our goal, then there are ways to “bulk up”. But the normal, average woman will not. Why?

Because:

• Most of us don’t produce enough testosterone and without testosterone large increases in our muscle size is physiologically difficult.
• Our nervous system will allow our muscles to become more efficient before it will make them bigger. In other words, we gain strength not size.
• Bulking up requires specific, intentional conditions – heavy lifting with progressive load, high caloric intake, high protein intake, and consistency, commitment and targeted workouts over years not months. And lots of gym time.
• As muscles get worked, they get firmer which can have the appearance of being bulkier, but they are just doing their job which is to get stronger. To noticeably gain size the specific conditions above need to be met which, let’s face it, most of don’t do unless we are a body builder. I know I want strength without spending hours at the gym. I’d rather be reading!

Strength training isn’t about chasing aesthetics. It’s about preserving or building muscle so we can:

• Stay mobile and agile
• Reduce joint pain
• Prevent falls
• Get up off the floor
• Carry groceries, grandchildren, laundry
• Get lids off jars, open packages, do our hair…you know…live life

Muscle is what allows us to keep doing the things we love as we age. Without it, everyday tasks become harder—and eventually, risky.

What Strength Training Really Does

Preserves muscle mass – As we age, our metabolism and hormones shift. We digest differently. We process nutrients differently. And we lose muscle more easily if we don’t actively work to keep it.

This muscle loss—called sarcopenia—doesn’t just affect strength. It affects:

• Metabolic health
• Blood sugar regulation
• Energy levels
• Injury risk
• Long-term independence

Sarcopenia starts in our 30’s. Yep, unless we are strength training in our 30’s we are already starting to lose muscle. It speeds up as we hit perimenopause and then becomes the riskiest post menopause when estrogen levels have dropped significantly. Starting in our 30’s if we can start to lose 3-8% of our muscle each decade (it depends on what movement we are doing). Post menopause the loss can be 8-10% per decade if we aren’t strength training. So, strength training helps preserve lean muscle, which keeps metabolism functioning and supports overall vitality.

Reduces joint pain and stiffness – Joint pain often comes from:

• Poor load distribution
• Weak or inhibited stabilizing muscles
• Reduced synovial fluid circulation
• Protective muscle guarding due to instability

Contrary to popular belief, most joint pain is not caused by “wear and tear” alone — it’s often caused by under-supported joints.

Strength training can help by:

• Strengthening muscles that stabilize joints
• Improving force absorption so joints don’t take all the stress
• Increasing synovial fluid movement, lubricating joints
• Improving tolerance to load, reducing pain sensitivity

Stronger muscles act like shock absorbers, reducing stress on cartilage and ligaments.

Improves balance and coordination – Balance is not just “standing on one foot.” It requires sensory input (vision, proprioception, vestibular system engagement), fast-twitch muscle activation, and coordinated joint responses.

Strength training can help by:

• Improving proprioception (your brain’s awareness of where your body is in space)
• Enhancing communication between the brain and muscles
• Strengthening small stabilizers in the ankles, hips, and core
• Improving reaction time

Single-leg work, loaded carries, and controlled strength movements train balance under real-life conditions.

Prevents falls – Most falls happen because someone can’t react fast enough, generate enough force quickly and/or lacks confidence during sudden movement. It’s a “power” problem, not just muscle weakness.

Strength training can help by:

• Preserving fast-twitch muscle fibers
• Improving rate of force development
• Enhancing joint stiffness control during unexpected movement
• Building confidence to recover balance

Even modest power-based strength work dramatically reduces fall risk.

Helps getting us up off the floor – You know I preach this! The ability to get up off the floor is strongly associated with lower injury risk, reduced mortality, and greater independence. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be someone who dies because I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.

To be able to get up off the floor we need hip and leg strength, core stability, coordination, and good range of motion in our joints.

Strength training can help by:

• Improving squat and hinge strength
• Building hip and knee resilience
• Improving core force transfer
• Building confidence moving through transitions

Practicing sit-to-stands, step-ups, and floor transitions directly trains this skill. Those of you who come to Yoga Strong know that I incorporate these moves in my classes. You’re welcome!

Let’s us live without fear and builds confidence – Carrying groceries, laundry, kids, pets, or equipment requires:

• Grip strength
• Core stability
• Shoulder and back endurance
• Hip and leg support

When these things are compromised or weak it often leads to:

• Holding breath
• Bracing poorly
• Avoidance behaviors
• Fear of injury

Strength training can help by:

• Improving grip strength (a strong predictor of longevity)
• Building spinal and core stability
• Improving breathing under load
• Training the nervous system to tolerate real-world stress

You hear about grip strength a lot these days. Holding dumbbells while you are moving will improve your grip strength. Huh, that’s just strength training. Loaded carries are one of the most transferable strength exercises there is.

Bottom Line

Strength training doesn’t just change tissue. It changes trust.

Trust that:

• Your joints will hold
• Your body will respond
• You can recover from imbalance
• You don’t need to avoid movement

This is especially powerful for women with chronic pain, fear of injury, trauma or nervous system sensitivity, and age-related confidence loss. Having trust in yourself and your body is a gamechanger for thriving and living a fulfilling life.

Strength training also provides metabolic support. As we age hormones shift and muscle mass becomes one of our most important allies. Having more muscle and keeping it strong means that we can:

• Move with less pain
• React faster
• Stay upright
• Stay independent
• Engage fully in life
• Have better blood sugar regulation
• Maintain improved energy levels
• Build greater resilience to stress, and
• Recover more quickly

Not because we are “fit” — but because our bodies are supported, prepared, and capable.

Strength training is the most important thing women can do and it’s never too late to get started. Cardio has its place but, you cannot “cardio your way” out of muscle loss.

Here’s what you can do…Commit to 2 strength sessions this week.
They don’t need to be long. They need to be intentional.

Ask yourself:

• Am I challenging my muscles?
• Am I lifting more than just “light weights”?
• Do I feel worked afterward?

If not, that’s your starting point. Next week we’ll talk about bone density and see what a strength training workout looks like.