The Best Strength Exercises for Menopause: Build Muscle, Boost Metabolism, Stay Strong

Menopause is a powerful transition but let’s be honest, it can feel like your body has changed overnight. Suddenly, the workouts that once worked don’t deliver the same results and you may notice more softness around your middle, lower energy or a drop in strength.

As my previous blog states: strength training is the single most powerful thing you can do during menopause. Not only does it help maintain muscle and bone, but it also boosts metabolism, supports weight management and improves confidence. This is the core focus of my Menopause Coaching framework, where we build strength that fits a midlife schedule.

As Professor Stuart Phillips (McMaster University), one of the world’s leading experts on muscle health, has shown, resistance training is essential to counteract age-related muscle loss. And research from Dr Abbie Smith-Ryan highlights that women respond particularly well to structured resistance training when protein intake and recovery are optimised.

So, where do you start? Let’s break it down.

Why Strength Training Matters in Menopause

• Muscle = metabolism. Muscle tissue is metabolically active. The more you have, the more calories your body burns at rest.

• Protects your bones. Declining oestrogen accelerates bone loss. Resistance training stimulates bone-building cells, helping lower osteoporosis risk.

• Improves body composition. Mass Research Review consistently finds that strength training is more effective for long-term fat loss and body shape than cardio alone.

• Confidence & vitality. Lifting makes daily life easier, whether that’s carrying shopping, walking hills, or feeling strong in your own skin.

The Best Strength Exercises for Menopausal Women

You don’t need complicated moves. What matters most is progressive overload, gradually increasing the weight, sets or reps over time. Focus on compound lifts (movements that work multiple muscle groups at once).

Top 5 exercises:

1. Squats – Builds leg and core strength, supports bone density.

2. Deadlifts – Powerful for hamstrings, glutes, back, and posture.

3. Rows – Strengthens the upper back, reduces rounded shoulders.

4. Push-Ups / Bench Press – Develops chest, shoulders, and arms.

5. Overhead Press – Builds shoulder strength and stability.

Feeling unsure about your form? Compound lifts are incredibly effective, but they can feel intimidating if you're starting solo. In my 12-Week Menopause Program, I suggest the technique guidance and progressive plans you need to lift with absolute confidence.

Start with 2–3 sessions per week, with rest days between. As Dr Smith-Ryan’s research shows, women adapt well to lifting heavier weights with adequate recovery, meaning you don’t need to spend hours in the gym. And let’s face it, we dont have that time at our disposal!

How to Train Safely and Effectively

• Lift heavy (for you). Aim for weights you can lift 6–10 times with good form.

• Rest matters. Take 2–3 minutes between sets to allow recovery.

• Protein is key. Prof Phillips’ research highlights that midlife women benefit from ~1.6–2.2g of protein per kg of body weight daily to support muscle growth.

• Track progress. Log your workouts so you see improvements over time.

Common Concerns

• “Won’t lifting make me bulky?”
  No. Women lack the testosterone levels needed for large muscle growth. You’ll become leaner, stronger and more defined.

• “Isn’t cardio enough?”
  Cardio supports heart health, but on its own it doesn’t preserve muscle or bone in the same way. Strength training + some cardio is the winning combination.

It’s not just about doing the “right” exercises

By this point, you might be thinking:

“Am I doing the right kind of training?”
“Should I be lifting heavier?”
“Why doesn’t this feel as effective as it used to?”

And those are valid questions.

But what many women don’t realise is that it’s not just what you do -
it’s how your body is responding to it now.

Why things can feel different

During perimenopause and menopause, changes in hormones affect:

• how your body builds and maintains muscle

• how you recover from exercise

• how your metabolism responds

Which means the same workouts that once felt effective can start to feel:

• less impactful

• more tiring

• or harder to stay consistent with

This isn’t a sign you’re doing it wrong.

It’s a sign your body needs a slightly different approach - and more importantly, a clearer understanding of what it needs now.

What actually makes the difference

Strength training is still one of the most powerful things you can do for your body at this stage.

It supports:

• muscle mass

• bone density

• metabolic health

But results don’t come from pushing harder or doing more.

• They come from:
  aligning your training with your energy, recovery and overall capacity

The Bottom Line

Strength training is not optional in menopause, it’s your foundation. By focusing on key compound exercises, lifting progressively heavier and fuelling your body with enough protein, you can reclaim strength, confidence and energy in midlife and beyond.

Ready to feel stronger and more empowered through menopause?
Stop Guessing, Start Building

Where to start

If this has left you feeling like:

“I’m doing the work… but I’m not sure how to make it actually work for me anymore”

Then the most helpful next step isn’t adding more exercises.

It’s stepping back and understanding how your body is responding right now.

→ Start with the Free Menopause Blueprint

This will help you:

• understand how your energy, recovery and metabolism have shifted

• see why your current approach may feel harder or less effective

• and begin to build a way of training and living that actually feels sustainable

If you want personalised support

For some women, that understanding is enough to make small but meaningful changes.

For others, it’s the moment they realise they want support in applying it - so that exercise, energy, and results finally feel aligned again.

If and when you feel ready, you can start here:

→ Book a free 30-minute Menopause Clarity Call

Explore further

If you’re still figuring out what kind of support you might need, these may help:

→ See how menopause coaching gives you structure, clarity and direction
→ Read: Menopause coaching vs therapy vs GP support - what’s right for you?
→ What results can you realistically expect from menopause coaching?

→ 5 Signs you are Ready for Support

Further Reading & References

• Phillips, S. M. (2014). A brief review of critical processes in exercise-induced muscular hypertrophy. Sports Medicine, 44(S1), 71–77. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0152-3

• Phillips, S. M., & Winett, R. A. (2010). Uncomplicated resistance training and health-related outcomes: Evidence for a public health mandate. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 9(4), 208–213. https://doi.org/10.1249/JSR.0b013e3181e7da73

• Smith-Ryan, A. E., Trexler, E. T., Wingfield, H. L., & Blue, M. N. (2016). Effects of high-protein diets on fat-free mass and muscle strength: A systematic review. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 13(48). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-016-0153-9

• Mass Research Review (Schoenfeld, B., Helms, E., Contreras, B., Krieger, J., Trexler, E., Morton, R., & Phillips, S.) — Monthly evidence-based analysis of resistance training, nutrition, and fat loss. Available at: https://www.strongerbyscience.com/mass/