Why we created FORCE, who we created it for and why this is the hidden secret to women aging beautifully. If you are 35+ READ ON
As women enter their mid-30s and beyond, prioritizing health and longevity becomes
increasingly important. Strength training with resistance (e.g., weight training) is now widely
known to be a pivotal component in this health journey.
Most of us have some understanding of the benefits of resistance training: It increases
strength, power, and stability, as well as increasing lean muscle mass to give us a sculptured
and shapely body. But why is it possibly MORE important once we reach middle-age?
Well as women, you don’t just have to contend with everyday health issues. You also have to
deal with dreaded hormone fluctuations!
The significance of resistance training for women is extremely high, especially during
perimenopause and menopause. As estrogen levels decline, women face challenges like
muscle loss, weight gain, and mood fluctuations. Engaging in regular strength training can
counteract these effects by promoting muscle maintenance, enhancing metabolic rate, and
stabilizing mood. So, resistance training is important for your body as well as you mental
health… and maybe for the mental health of those around you :)
Two physical attributes that are strongly correlated with longevity are ‘grip strength’ and
‘lean muscle mass’. This clearly indicates the benefits of having sufficient levels of strength
for a healthier, longer life. In our middle age period, we need …, but even more important as
we reach our elderly period as strong muscles and joint prevents injury and strong bones
prevent fractures during a fall.
Resistance training will also positively affect your metabolic health! Research has shown that
increased levels of lean muscle mass allow us to process sugar more efficiently, significantly
reducing the chances of type 2 diabetes and other metabolic diseases such as fatty liver
disease. Also, the more lean mass you have, the faster your metabolic rate, meaning that you
will burn more body fat than usual… even when you sleep! So, more muscle equals a more
efficient and effective metabolism.
To get these and more benefits from strength training, it is recommended to complete 2-4
weekly strength sessions. It is important to cover all muscle groups once to twice weekly,
focussing on “compound” movements. These are multi-joint exercises (like squats or pull-
ups) that use a combination of muscles together, resulting in more muscle recruitment,
heavier loads, and more functional benefits. For absolute strength training, you should lift
challenging weights between 1 and 5 repetitions. According to recent literature, muscle tone
can be achieved with challenging weights anywhere between 6 and 30 repetitions. To get
both benefits 8-12 reps is a great go-between.
When will I notice the results?! You can notice the neural strength adaptations after only 3-4
sessions; you will generally notice muscle tone in about 3-4 weeks. This depends on dialed-in
your recovery is. Sleep is paramount for your gains, aim for 7-9 hours of sleep nightly,
especially on training days. The second extremely important factor to consider is your protein
intake. After we breakdown muscle tissue in the weights room, we then must heel and repair
to grow new muscle tissue. You will NOT do this adequately without the amino acids found
in protein. Aim for approximately 2g of protein per kilo of your bodyweight daiy (e.g., 60kg
person would aim for 120g of daily protein. These could be in the form of healthy foods like
lean meat and eggs, or in a protein supplement.
In summary the benefits of resistance training are:
- More muscle tone = a great looking body and the confidence to show it.
- Stronger bones = less chance of osteoporosis and less fractures as we age
- Greater lean muscle = faster metabolism, better insulin sensitivity and less chance of metabolic syndrome
- Strength training = better hormone and mood regulation.
So, what are you waiting for? BOOK YOUR NEXT FORCE CLASS
STORM DE SMETH - FELLOW MASTER TRAINER
