Resistance Training and Menopause

Meno-what? Why menopause isn’t something to be shy about.

Women have been socialized to undervalue their power. This is particularly true during menopause, when we are advised to slow down and are often pushed to the fringes of society. Fortunately, that is beginning to change as more and more people start speaking about menopause and work to foster an empowered society. In addition, we want to support women in retaining their true physical strength and not giving into the 'slow-paced’ ideology that we’ve been presented. So then... how do we do that?

Don’t be afraid to lift heavy!

We no longer receive the estrogenic stimulus that builds strength during menopause. In females, estrogen plays a crucial role in controlling the activity of satellite cells; it aids in the regeneration of muscle stem cells, which are called satellite cells because they resemble the muscular fiber cells and support the maintenance of our muscles. The number of satellite cells is correlated with estrogen levels in women going through menopause. The greatest way to produce those muscle-building cells is through resistance exercise, and lifting heavy weights. This gives you the strength-building stimulation you need as estrogen levels drop. In addition to strengthening bones and promoting fat-burning metabolism, heavy lifting also helps to maintain cardiovascular health.

Jump around, jump around!

Plyometric exercises provide your bones and muscles with the additional stimulus that occurs when you push off against gravity and fall back down, whether you jump, hop, or dance! These effects, no matter how minor, are what cause significant physiological alterations. They contribute to the formation of bone, which is lost during the menopause. Plyometric exercises also cause genetic alterations known as epigenetic modifications. Plyometric exercise stimulates your muscle cells to produce more power and even change the makeup of the muscle, which enhances the muscle's integrity, contractile strength, responsiveness, and reaction speed. It also wakes up some normally silent genes in your muscle cells. Additionally, they increase insulin sensitivity, which is crucial for menopausal women.

SIT? Don’t mind if I do!

If you don't use it, you lose it. This is particularly valid throughout the menopause transition. For menopausal women, extremely brief, Sprint Interval Training lasting no more than 30 seconds is the ideal kind of high-intensity interval training. The stress hormone cortisol may rise more when intervals are longer than 60 seconds. While cortisol might provide a quick energy boost, you don't want stress hormone levels to remain high for longer than is necessary to complete the task at hand, particularly during menopause, when cortisol levels can already be higher. Improved insulin sensitivity, better mitochondria, enhanced fat burning (particularly of deep visceral fat), and the crucial post-exercise spike in growth hormone are all benefits of sprint interval training!

For any menopause, training, or diet-related questions, schedule a chat with Laura or Evelyn today!