It’s not just about the aesthetics.
Strength training is about more than looking strong, though let’s be honest, we love to look strong! For us women navigating shifting energy levels, hormonal changes, and increased physical and mental demands, lifting weights can be one of the most powerful tools to reclaim ourselves. Our mental strength, physical strength and showing up for life more empowered!
If you’re in your 30s, 40s, or 50s and starting to notice that what used to work… doesn’t anymore, this one’s for you.
1. What Happens to Strength After 30 + How Often to Train
From your 30s onward, your body gradually sheds muscle mass. About 3–5% per decade, unless you intervene. Strength training by lifting or resistance work is scientifically proven to counteract this loss and rebuild lean muscle, improve metabolic rate, bone strength, posture, and fatigue resistance.
What should that look like?
- Train 2 sessions per week as a minimum to see gains (across non-consecutive days).
- Preferably aim for 3–4 sessions weekly for consistent progress and recovery.
- Structure sessions with 5–10 sets per muscle group per week, and use 6–12 reps per set with controlled tempo.
Even quick 20–30 minute workouts can deliver results if done consistently, making it sustainable for busy lives.
2. Hormonal Health Starts With Muscle
As estrogen starts to shift (hello, perimenopause and menopause), strength training becomes even more essential. Resistance workouts directly support hormonal health by:
- Improving insulin sensitivity and blood sugar regulation.
- Reducing cortisol (stress hormone) through better recovery and sleep.
- Increasing growth hormone and testosterone naturally, which help maintain muscle.
- Supporting mental clarity, focus, and mood through endorphin release.
It’s one of the few fitness tools that gives back across every system of your body.
And the best part? These benefits don’t depend on age! You can start at 35 or 55 and still see measurable improvements.
3. Strength Builds Confidence (Not Just Quads)
The biggest shift women talk about when they start resistance training consistently? It’s not about how we look, it’s how we feel.
Yes, you’ll build muscle. You might drop a size. But more importantly, you start to trust your body again. You realise it’s not “breaking down” with age, it’s responding, rebuilding, and rising to the challenge.
As estrogen begins to fluctuate during perimenopause, many of us experience:
- Mood swings.
- Anxiety and low motivation.
- Brain fog.
- Poor sleep and reduced mental clarity.
Strength training directly supports your nervous system and mental health by:
- Releasing endorphins and dopamine (your body’s natural mood-lifters).
- Reducing cortisol (stress hormone).
- Improving sleep quality.
- Offering structure and control when everything else feels chaotic.
That moment after a tough set? When you feel grounded, clear-headed, even slightly euphoric? That’s not a fluke, that’s your biochemistry working with you, not against you.
Over time, this builds mental resilience:
- You face your day with more calm.
- You bounce back faster from setbacks.
- You learn to push through discomfort—not ignore it, but work with it.
And in a season where so much feels unpredictable (hello, crazy hormones), resistance training gives you something solid to hold onto.
4. Consistency Starts with Comfort
Here’s a small but mighty truth: when your gear’s uncomfortable, or not functioning property, you’re less likely to train. And that starts with what’s underneath.
Seamless underwear designed for movement. Moisture-wicking fabric and a no-dig waistband, makes all the difference. No riding up, no chafing, no visible lines under leggings. Just comfort that lets you focus on your workout, not your wedgie.
Lifting in the gym, your fave Pilates class, or running errands in activewear (because same). With the right fit underneath, you will show up more often, and with more confidence.
The Takeaway?
Strength training isn’t just about changing your body, though believe me, it will. It’s also about supporting it.
It’s about giving your hormones what they need, protecting your future self, and showing up in every season, feeling just a little more powerful.
So whether you’re brand new to lifting or picking up the weights again, just remember:
Strong looks good on you babe!
