Best Strength Exercises for Perimenopause
Find the best strength exercises for perimenopause to preserve muscle, support bone density, and manage weight through hormonal change.
Why Strength Training Is Essential During Perimenopause
Perimenopause accelerates the natural age-related loss of muscle mass, a process called sarcopenia. Oestrogen plays a role in maintaining muscle tissue, so as levels fluctuate and eventually decline, the body becomes less efficient at preserving lean mass. This has knock-on effects for metabolism, bone density, and how the body handles blood sugar. Strength training is the most direct way to counteract these changes. It stimulates muscle protein synthesis, supports bone health through mechanical loading, and improves insulin sensitivity. Two to three sessions per week of well-structured strength work can make a significant difference to how women feel and function during perimenopause and beyond.
Squats: The Cornerstone Lower Body Exercise
The squat is one of the most effective exercises available because it trains multiple large muscle groups simultaneously. Glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and core all work together to complete the movement. For perimenopause, this multi-joint loading is valuable because it stimulates bone density in the hips and spine, areas most vulnerable to loss as oestrogen declines. Bodyweight squats are a solid starting point. Once you are comfortable with the movement pattern, adding a dumbbell, kettlebell, or barbell increases the stimulus significantly. Goblet squats, where you hold a single weight at chest height, are particularly beginner-friendly and require minimal equipment. Aim for three sets of eight to twelve repetitions, resting 60 to 90 seconds between sets.
Deadlifts: Building Posterior Chain Strength
The deadlift trains the entire posterior chain, which includes the glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and upper back. This group of muscles is critical for posture, daily functional movement, and protecting the spine. Many women avoid deadlifts because they look technical, but the basic Romanian deadlift is straightforward to learn and carries very low injury risk when performed correctly. Stand with feet hip-width apart, hinge at the hips while keeping the back flat, lower the weights down the front of your legs, then drive through the hips to stand. Starting with light dumbbells and focusing on form before adding weight produces better long-term results than rushing to heavy loads.
Upper Body Pressing and Pulling
A balanced strength programme addresses the upper body with equal attention. Pressing exercises, such as press-ups, dumbbell shoulder press, and bench press variations, build the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Pulling exercises, such as dumbbell rows, resistance band pull-aparts, and lat pulldowns, train the back and biceps. Most women are stronger in pushing than pulling, so paying particular attention to rows and pull variations helps correct this imbalance and supports better posture. Good posture becomes increasingly relevant during perimenopause as spinal changes related to bone density can affect alignment. Aim for roughly equal volume of pressing and pulling each session.
Hip Hinges and Glute Work for Bone and Metabolism
Beyond the deadlift, exercises that isolate or emphasise the glutes and hip muscles are particularly valuable. Hip thrusts, glute bridges, and cable kickbacks place direct load on the glute muscles and the hip joint, stimulating bone remodelling in an area prone to fracture risk as women age. The glutes are also the largest muscle group in the body, meaning that training them contributes meaningfully to overall metabolic rate. Resistance bands can be used to add challenge to bodyweight versions of these exercises without needing a full gym setup. A set of loop bands in different resistance levels is one of the most cost-effective training investments for women in perimenopause.
Core Strength and Stability
Core training during perimenopause goes beyond aesthetics. A strong core supports the spine, reduces lower back pain, and improves balance, all of which become more relevant as the body changes. The most effective core exercises for this life stage are those that train stability rather than just crunching movements. Planks, dead bugs, pallof presses, and suitcase carries all challenge the core to resist movement, which is closer to how it functions in daily life. Pelvic floor exercises also fall broadly into this category and are worth including separately given that pelvic floor function often changes during perimenopause. If you track your workouts consistently, you will notice stability improvements within a few weeks of regular core training.
Putting It Together: A Weekly Strength Schedule
A practical weekly structure for beginners might involve two full-body strength sessions, each covering one lower body push exercise, one lower body hinge, one upper body push, one upper body pull, and one core exercise. As fitness improves, three sessions per week can be structured as an upper body day, a lower body day, and a full-body day. Rest and recovery are as important as the sessions themselves, particularly as higher cortisol levels during perimenopause can slow recovery slightly. Logging each workout, including the exercises, weights, and sets completed, allows you to see progressive overload over time and makes it much easier to continue improving rather than repeating the same session indefinitely. PeriPlan lets you log and review your workout history so progress becomes visible week by week.
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