8 Week Beginner Strength Series

My 8-week beginner strength program for midlife women is the perfect starting point for those new to strength training. We now understand that as we reach midlife, we must begin incorporating weightlifting into our routines. This is for several reasons, but the two main ones are that the more lean muscle mass we have, the better condition our metabolism is in. Muscle is your metabolic currency. Changing our body composition from less body fat to lean muscle is the only way to manage our weight and health as we age. Strength training also means we can better protect our bones from osteoporosis - 1 in 2 women over 55 will have an osteoporotic fracture. We are now at a place where we can prevent such outcomes by lifting weights regularly. This programme will introduce you to the basics of strength training. With just two sessions a week, you will become familiar and confident with the primary movement patterns we use in each session. At first, we will not use weights; however, once we have gone over the basics, I will encourage you to use weights by week 3 to ensure you start to progress and build strength. Don't worry, you will be confident with the moves by then, and I will continue to explain the moves throughout the programme. This programme will take the overwhelm and guesswork away, and you will finish at the end of 8 weeks feeling educated and confident in lifting weights and knowing how to keep your body strong as you age. I also encourage you to aim for 10,000 steps daily. This regular activity promotes cardiovascular health, aids in weight management, and helps improve blood pressure—all important factors for women in midlife.