If you're navigating menopause, it’s time to give strength training a little more airtime.
Because that dumbbell, resistance band, or even your own body weight is one of the best ways to support your bone health (which needs a little more TLC at this time – more on that later).
Resistance training in menopause isn't just about making gym gains; it's essential for keeping your skeleton strong, resilient, and ready for whatever life throws your way.
With that in mind, here we take a look at how to prevent bone loss in menopause with strength training.
As you navigate perimenopause (the years leading up to menopause, generally starting around your mid-40s), the hormone, oestrogen, starts to decline.
For context, oestrogen is a bit of a ‘wonder hormone’. She keeps your bones strong and robust – as well as looking after your skin, brain, mood, and many other areas of your health.
And so, when she dips, you run the risk of developing osteoporosis, a condition where bones become brittle and more prone to breaking (1).
But this isn’t an inevitability. You still absolutely have the power to improve your bone density throughout menopause and beyond.
Just like muscles, your bones are living tissue that adapt and grow when challenged. And resistance training is one of the best tools to help you do just that.
When you engage in strength training (using weights, bands, or just your body), you put your bones under the right kind of stress.
In response, your body activates clever little bone architects called osteoblasts (2). These cells swoop in to lay down new bone tissue, increasing density and actively protecting you against age-related bone loss.
Put simply: the more you use your bones, the stronger they get.
Here are some of our favourite moves to add to your menopausal arsenal.
1. Squats
Why: Squats are foundational. They strengthen your legs, hips, and spine – the areas of your body most susceptible to osteoporotic fractures.
How: With your feet shoulder-distance apart, bend your knees, push your hips back, and keep your chest lifted. Go as low as feels comfortable, then drive through your heels to stand tall.
Tip: If you’re just starting out, practise sitting and standing from a sturdy chair. The higher the chair, the easier the starting point.
Why: Push-ups are a full-body exercise. They build strength in your chest, arms, and shoulders, and crucially, challenge your wrists and spine – both of which are vital for supporting bone density.
How: Start in a straight-arm plank. Lower your chest toward the floor with your elbows flared at about a 45-degree angle, then push back up.
Tip: Feeling the burn too soon? Try it on an incline! Place your hands on a kitchen counter, bench, or step to take some of the load off.
Why: This move is a powerhouse for your posterior chain (the group of muscles running along the back body). Deadlifts strengthen your spine, hips, and core, giving you the functional strength needed for everyday movements like bending, lifting, and carrying.
How: Holding a dumbbell with your feet hip-distance apart, slightly unlock your knees. Push your hips back while keeping your spine long, then squeeze your glutes hard to return to standing.
Tip: Focus on slow, controlled reps. Imagine there’s a car door behind you that you need to gently close using nothing but your glutes.
For women in menopause, resistance training is a game-changer. It doesn't just protect your skeleton – it supports all areas of your health.
To prevent bone loss in menopause, aim to include some form of resistance training at least twice a week.
Remember, bones respond best when they’re challenged gradually. It’s all about progressive overload: slowly increasing the weights, reps, or difficulty as you feel yourself getting stronger.
You don’t need to be a powerlifter to start. All that matters is finding your own strength, having fun, and celebrating every single rep you successfully achieve.
Ready to give those bones some love and feel your best in menopause? Explore the Menopause Collection on Mvmnt now.
References
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