Perimenopause Doesn’t Mean Giving Up on Getting Stronger — Here’s the Gear You Need To Strength Train

After repeatedly injuring myself while training for half marathons, a friend suggested I try lifting weights instead. More than a decade later, I still strength-train several days a week, and somewhere along the way, I discovered it was one of the best things I could’ve done for my body (plus, I can pick up very heavy things, which is cool). Turns out, that’s especially true now that I’m solidly in my mid-40s and staring down perimenopause.

“During perimenopause, ovarian production of sex hormones slowly declines,” explains Annie Brees, a nutrition and wellness educator and cofounder of Balance365. “Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are often the main players. Those hormones don’t just affect menstrual cycles and fertility. They can also influence things like muscle mass, bone density, cognition, and sleep.”

Starting a strength-training routine may sound intimidating, but I promise it doesn’t have to be. You don’t need expensive equipment or an elaborate setup to get started. Even your own bodyweight can be a very effective tool. Whether you’re lifting at home or heading to the gym, these are the products other editors and I reach for to help make strength training for perimenopause more comfortable, more accessible, or just more fun.

These are the tools that have helped me continue challenging myself without taking over every room in my house.

The right shoes can make a big difference when you’re lifting weights. Unlike running shoes, which are designed to cushion impact, strength-training shoes should help you feel stable. It’s important that the sole not have too much of a drop from heel to toe; you basically want your foot to have as much contact with the floor as possible to lift more effectively. A flatter sole also helps you maintain proper form and generate more force during exercises like squats and deadlifts. I know a lot of people who lift barefoot, but that’s not my thing (have you seen some of those gym floors?). These are some of my personal favorites.

Giving your muscles time to recover is what allows them to rebuild and grow stronger over time. While nothing can replace adequate sleep, nutrition, and rest, these recovery tools can help ease muscle tightness and make it easier to stick with your workouts.

None of these accessories will make you stronger on their own. What they can do is make strength training easier for you to stick with. Whether it’s making hydration more convenient, helping you hit your protein goals, or keeping track of your progress, small habits are what really add up to big changes over time.

While you should always first look to whole foods as your primary source of nutrition, these products can make it easier to meet your protein and other nutrition goals consistently.

“Perimenopause is often when that ‘it’s all downhill from here’ belief starts to creep in,” says Brees. “A lot of women assume that they’re ‘past their prime,’ believing that goals like building muscle, improving bone density, or getting stronger aren’t in the cards for them anymore.” But Brees explains that this view really sells women short. “While it may become more challenging to maintain or build muscle and bone density, all hope is not lost! Muscle does respond to sex hormones, but it’s also highly responsive to lifestyle and activity.”

Brees encourages women to think of muscle in terms of “use it or lose it.” “When you continue to challenge your muscles with strength training, you’re giving your body the stimulus it needs to preserve muscle mass and support bone density,” she says.

As is the case with many healthy habits, the best strength-training routine isn’t necessarily about quantity. It’s the one you can maintain consistently.

“There is no one ‘optimal’ training frequency that works for every woman in perimenopause,” says Brees. For most beginners and intermediate exercisers, she recommends aiming for two to three full-body strength-training sessions per week, while more experienced lifters may benefit from up to four sessions.

Perhaps more importantly, she says, women should stop chasing perfection. “Instead of asking, ‘Is this good enough?’ start asking, ‘What can I realistically do consistently right now?’” Even two short workouts each week can provide meaningful benefits when performed regularly.

When choosing weights, don’t worry so much about whether you’re lifting heavy or light. Instead, Brees recommends selecting a resistance level that feels challenging yet allows you to maintain good form. “The last few reps should be difficult but still doable with good form,” she says. As your body adapts, continue progressing by gradually increasing weight, repetitions, or training volume. This is known as progressive overload, which research consistently identifies as one of the primary drivers of strength and muscle gains.

Recovery from exercise is something we often overlook, and that can be to our detriment, especially in perimenopause.

“Despite what many people think, we aren’t getting stronger when we strength train; we get stronger when we recover from strength training,” says Brees. “More strength training isn’t always better.”

Declining estrogen can mean that just about everything — your muscles, tendons, even your nervous system — takes longer to recover between workouts. If you’re always sore, your progress stalls, or you just find yourself dreading your next workout, that may be a sign that you need to back off a bit. Instead of skipping movement altogether, Brees recommends active recovery, such as walking, gentle yoga, or stretching, along with restorative activities like meditation or breathwork.

The difference between normal soreness and pain that deserves medical attention is an important distinction. According to Reinders, muscle soreness after a challenging workout can last anywhere from about 24 hours to several days, depending on workout intensity. Sharp pain, however, is different. “If it’s sharp pain, it’s always safer to get it checked out,” she says. If discomfort is mild but doesn’t improve after a week or two, she recommends following up with a healthcare provider or physical therapist.

Mobility deserves a place alongside strength training, too. Reinders recommends incorporating flexibility work or yoga about once a week and maintaining regular walking as part of an overall fitness routine. At the end of the day, strength training isn’t just about lifting heavier weights; it’s about helping your body stay strong and resilient so you can keep doing the things you love for years to come.

“Strength isn’t built through perfect workouts you never miss,” Brees says. “It’s built by consistently showing up, even when it’s not exciting.”