Strength training for women: how to start at any age

If you have always been more of a walker, swimmer or yoga person, the weights corner of the gym can feel like someone else's territory. But strength training is one of the most useful things you can add to your week, and it is never too late to start. Last week, the Sydney Morning Herald ran a piece urging people over 40 to take it up, and Australia's movement guidelines suggest muscle strengthening on at least two days a week for every adult.

This article covers why strength matters for women, how to start without a complicated program, and how the Thrive Health Band can help you see your progress.

Why strength matters for women

Muscle does a lot more than lift shopping bags. It helps you climb stairs, carry kids or grandkids, get up off the floor and stay steady on your feet. Muscle mass and strength naturally decline with age unless you use them, and that change can speed up for women around menopause.

Bones respond to load too. Healthy Bones Australia recommends regular progressive resistance training, some weight-bearing impact and challenging balance work as part of keeping bones strong, especially through perimenopause and menopause.

There are everyday benefits as well. Many people find regular strength work helps them feel more energetic and confident moving through daily life. You don't need to aim for a particular look. Feeling capable is reason enough.

A simple way to start

You don't need a gym membership to begin, although a gym or a qualified trainer can help a lot with technique and confidence.

Start with two sessions a week. Twenty to 30 minutes is plenty. Leave at least a day between sessions so your muscles can recover.

Pick five or six moves that cover the whole body:

Squat to a chair or bench, standing back up without using your hands
Push ups against a wall or kitchen bench
Step ups onto a low, sturdy step
Rows with a resistance band or a dumbbell
Glute bridges lying on the floor
A balance move, such as standing on one leg near a wall

Do two or three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions. Choose a weight or variation where the last few reps feel challenging but your form stays good.

Make it a little harder over time. This is called progressive overload. Every couple of weeks, add a few reps, a little weight or an extra set. Healthy Bones Australia suggests building up to regular resistance training as part of keeping bones strong.

Expect some soreness at first. Mild muscle soreness a day or two after a new session is normal and usually fades as you adapt. Sharp or joint pain is a sign to stop and get advice.

Protein helps your muscles respond to training, especially as you get older. Our article on how much protein you need as you get older covers simple ways to get enough across the day.

How Thrive helps you track progress

The Band records heart rate, sleep and activity through the day, and the Thrive by Optihealth app helps you see how training fits with the rest of your life.

Strength programs and session logging. Browse training programs by goal and level, including beginner options, or let Thrive recommend one. Log your sets and reps, and look back over your history to see the weights creep up.
Body composition readings. Start a reading using the electrode on the Band whenever you like, and the result shows in the Thrive app. Readings are manual, not automatic, so pick a regular time, such as once a week, to compare like with like. See body fat percentage and body composition for more.
Today's Load and your recovery score. Today's Load shows how active your day was against your sleep, and Today's Vitality brings sleep, heart, load and mood together, so you can choose a heavier session on a well-rested day and an easier one after a short night.
Women's health. The women's health area includes a cycle tracker and perimenopause and menopause hubs, so you can log symptoms alongside your training and sleep.
Ask Thrive. Try "How did my sleep look on nights after strength sessions this month?" or "How has my body composition changed since I started training?"

Thrive also learns what is usual for you across nine areas of your health, and keeps track right across your health, including meals and Food Fit, blood tests, medications and supplements and your medical history. That bigger picture helps, because strength, sleep, food and stress all affect each other.

If you work with a trainer, Thrive Loops lets you share selected information with a participating trainer, health professional or someone you trust. You decide what to share and with whom, and you can change or revoke access at any time.

When to check in with your GP

If you are new to exercise, pregnant or recently postpartum, have joint problems, have been told you have low bone density or have any health condition, talk with your GP or a physiotherapist or accredited exercise physiologist before you start. Thrive isn't a diagnosis, but Ask Thrive can help you get ready by lining up your activity, sleep and how you have been feeling. Here is how to use Ask Thrive before a GP appointment.

Before you buy

You'll need a compatible iPhone or Android phone, because the Thrive app is on the Apple App Store and Google Play, in Australia and eight other countries. The app stores are only for downloading the app, though; they aren't where you buy the Band or a Plan. You can buy at thrivehealthband.com, or at a participating World Gym Australia location or health and wellness clinic.

The Thrive Health Band is A$660 for the first year under the launch offer. That includes the Band, which is yours to keep, and 12 months of the Thrive by Optihealth app, My Health on the web, Health Fingerprint, Ask Thrive, Thrive Loops and your data, paid once upfront. Prices are in AUD and include GST. Free Australia-wide shipping during the launch offer (usually A$14.99).

Nothing renews automatically. After your first year, you can get a new band plus 12 more months for A$660, or keep your band and renew the Thrive Connected Plan for A$240 a year, or A$29 a month with no lock-in.

You're also covered by a 12-month Thrive Care Warranty, and consumer guarantees under Australian Consumer Law always apply. See Returns if something is wrong with your purchase.

Common questions

How often should women do strength training?

Australia's guidelines suggest muscle strengthening on at least two days a week. Two sessions of 20 to 30 minutes is a good place to start.

Will lifting weights make me bulky?

Building large muscles takes years of specific training and eating. For most women, regular strength work leads to feeling stronger and more capable rather than bulky.

Can Thrive log my strength workouts?

Yes. You can browse training programs, log sets and reps and look back over your history in the Thrive by Optihealth app.

For more answers, see Questions.