8 Ways Strength Training Keeps Women Over 50 Healthy

Everyone loses about 3%-5% of their muscle mass each decade as a natural part of the aging process, starting at age 30. There are ways to combat this loss, including eating enough calories (especially protein, which builds muscle), and regular exercise. Because it focuses on building muscle, strength training is especially important as you age. Here’s how it helps — and some specific exercises to build into your weekly routine. Check with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine to make sure it is right for you.

Need to carry a carload of groceries into the house, grab a full box off a closet shelf, or roll the trash cans to the curb? Regular strength training helps you better execute everyday movements that require a little heft. Not only will stronger muscles give you the ability to lift, push, and pull, you’ll be at less risk of injury as you do so. Exercise to try: 8 push-ups, either in plank position, on your knees, or against a wall. Hands shoulder width apart, brace your core, keep a straight spine, and lower with control. Repeat three times. 

Think of the number of times a day you lower yourself to a sitting position and get back up again: entering your car, using the toilet, or simply sitting to eat a meal. Keep the muscles that aid you in this motion healthy and solid by doing squats. Try this: Bring your hands together at your chest and slowly lower into a sitting position (you can keep a chair behind you for safety) with a neutral spine and strong core. If you’re using a chair, try to touch it with your bottom, but don’t sit all the way. Then, stand back up again. Do eight squats for three repetitions.

Muscle supports joints, and joints aid just about every movement you make. Joints also wear out as you age. But especially if you have arthritis, strength training makes for stronger support for your joints. Standing arm raises help support your shoulderjoint. Stand with feet hip-width apart and with a light weight in each hand at your sides. Slowly raise your arms to shoulder height, keeping your shoulders down and elbows slightly bent. Pause, then slowly lower the weights. Repeat 10 times to make a set. Do up to three sets as you’re able. 

Your muscles use glucose for energy, so when you keep them active, it can help your body respond to insulin and manage blood sugar better — especially if you do your strength training before eating. (If you take insulin or medicines that can cause low blood sugar, ask your doctor how exercise may affect your glucose levels.) Work with resistance bands: Wrap a light or medium resistance band around a pole or your feet. Sit on the ground with your legs straight out and pull the sides of the band back in a rowing motion. Repeat eight times to make a set, and do three sets.

Studies in older adults suggest strength training may help with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Healthy muscles also support the movements that help you stay independent and do the things you enjoy. If you can do your training outdoors, the natural light can also improve your mood. Try lunges: Start with feet hip width apart and hands on your hips. Then step forward until your knee is at a 90-degree angle (if possible, reduce as needed). Hold for one to three seconds, then return your position. Repeat eight times and then switch legs. 

After menopause, your lowered estrogen levels can speed up bone loss. Strength training not only slows that loss, but it can also build bone, improving bone density and helping to prevent breaks. Step-ups are exercises that put stress on bones to make them stronger: Using a 1-foot-high platform or stair, step up with one leg and then lower your body slowly. Do this eight times for each leg. Repeat each set three times. 

Strength training works muscles that help you stay steady while you walk, step over something, or lean over. Having a strong sense of balance prevents falls and helps you stay active and independent. Practice single-leg bicep curls: Stand feet hip-width apart, holding one dumbbell. Lift the foot opposite the hand with the dumbbell and balance while doing bicep curls for 30 seconds. Repeat with the opposite arm and leg.

In a study of more than 200,000 older adults followed for 15 years, people who did strength training of any kind had lower risks of death from heart disease, cancer, and other causes than those who did none. The benefits were especially strong in women. Work in calf raises during your week while you wait in line, brush your teeth, or stand at the stove: Raise up onto the balls of your feet and slowly lower down, and repeat. 

If you’re new to exercise, don’t overdo it. Start with light weights, or simply your own body weight, and build up over time. Check in with yourself as you go and also after you’re done. If you could have gone longer, try increasing your weights next time, or do more reps. 

While strength exercises done right give your body great benefits, improper form can cause pain or injury. If your budget allows, consider joining a class or consulting a professional who can guide you in person. But if not, there are many reputable online videos that can show you safe ways to strengthen your muscles. Above all, listen to your body. If a move hurts, stop. 

Doctors recommend strength training two to three times a week in combination with aerobic exercises like swimming, biking, or walking. But rest days are also important. It’s during rest that muscles heal and grow. Give your muscles time to repair in between sessions so you come back stronger each time.