Agreed that deadlifts and squats are fine. People that get themselves in trouble are those trying to ego lift which is just dumb and the reward to risk ratio is too out of whack.

For squats and deadlifts you don’t have to use a barbell in a traditional sense. I like using a barbell with the landmine - very difficult to screw up form there. For deadlifts, you can do single leg RDL with a kettle bell.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: As you age, particularly as a woman, you need to work at building back muscle and maintaining what you have.

Building muscle again or literally working out back muscles? I’ve begun lifting light weights , but I don’t think back muscles have been targeted and I’m curious how to achieve this at home with dumbbells and a yoga mat.

Squats and deadlifts, which can be done very effectively with dbs but probably bigger ones than you have. Start with 12-15 lbs each.

I wouldn't say that deadlifts or squats can be done effectively with dumbbells. Also, I've never met a woman without a disability who couldn't deadlift a 45 pound empty bar.

PPP, at some point I'd strongly suggest that you consider joining a gym and working on squats and deadlifts with a barbell. Of course, you'd need to start with light weight and focus fanatically on form -- something much easier to do with a barbell than with dumbbells in my opinion.

Also, you will hear people who don't do them say that both exercises are bad for you. It's certainly true that doing them with poor form and trying to move tons of weight when you are not ready for it IS bad for you, but my back has been SO much healthier since I've been doing deadlifts the last few years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: As you age, particularly as a woman, you need to work at building back muscle and maintaining what you have.

Building muscle again or literally working out back muscles? I’ve begun lifting light weights , but I don’t think back muscles have been targeted and I’m curious how to achieve this at home with dumbbells and a yoga mat.

Squats and deadlifts, which can be done very effectively with dbs but probably bigger ones than you have. Start with 12-15 lbs each.

I think age, lifestyle and genetics absolutely play a part as well as effort. I’m 5’4”, 45 and 122-124lb. I do strength training about 3 days a week for 30 minutes, cycling 3-5 days a week (average of 30-45 min each session) and drink plenty of water, try to limit alcohol and eat as clean as I can. I don’t diet but try to follow an 80/20 rule. I’ve been doing InBody assessments every few months at the gym to track change and it’s working. Everything I here and understand from trainers and gym rats I trust is it’s really about dietas much as work put in to training. I will be honest I had noticeable change when I really put time in on the food/alcohol/water intake.

I think it’s great you are looking to put time in on strength training. In addition to muscle tone you are working toward being strong and agile as you age! This is how we should start looking at it in our middle age years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with the previous posters about needing to focus on lifting heavy weights after 40. There are more and more folks out there with information on that. You can start with Stacy Sims but I've found several trainers on Instagram etc. that focus on women over 40.

Would love to know some of the trainers you follow if you don’t mind sharing! I am having a tough time finding people to follow that aren’t selling crazy supplements or something.

Joan MacDonald and Susan Niebergall

Absolutely! Just do progressively higher weights. You’ll definitely see tone. The only way NOT to see muscle is by NOT doing it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with the previous posters about needing to focus on lifting heavy weights after 40. There are more and more folks out there with information on that. You can start with Stacy Sims but I've found several trainers on Instagram etc. that focus on women over 40.

Would love to know some of the trainers you follow if you don’t mind sharing! I am having a tough time finding people to follow that aren’t selling crazy supplements or something.

I'm the PP. I'm just starting on this journey of heavy lifting in perimenopause, but these resources have been helpful so far: Carolyn Girvan for workouts, @kappagator on Insta, @bigronjones (he doesn't cater to women over 40 but I started following him bc he had one of the best explanations for that "40s weight gain" I'd heard), Dr. Stacy Sims (books and many podcasts), Hit Play Not Pause podcast. If you are on Peloton, there's a Peloton FB group that's an offshoot of HardCore, https://www.facebook.com/groups/1086659855564012/.

Anonymous wrote:Agree with the previous posters about needing to focus on lifting heavy weights after 40. There are more and more folks out there with information on that. You can start with Stacy Sims but I've found several trainers on Instagram etc. that focus on women over 40.

Would love to know some of the trainers you follow if you don’t mind sharing! I am having a tough time finding people to follow that aren’t selling crazy supplements or something.

You probably need to lose weight if you want a pilates body. What youre describing is more about body composition vs workout schedule. If youre skinny enough, you'll look "toned" with only a bit of strength training.

That said, Im 42 and do a lot of strength training. I like having a more muscular body. Women's arms tend to show age and you can improve your looks with arms that have some shape and a firm core.

Agree with the previous posters about needing to focus on lifting heavy weights after 40. There are more and more folks out there with information on that. You can start with Stacy Sims but I've found several trainers on Instagram etc. that focus on women over 40.

Anonymous wrote:It will definitely help. But to see muscle you will need to lose some fat too. How much depends on your build and body composition which is different for everyone. I lift pretty heavy for 30-40 mins, 2 or 3 times a week, and have for several years. I am 5 foot 1 and can see muscle definition at 118 lbs in my legs and back. At 112, I can see it in arms and abs as well. For a 6 pack I would have to cut down a bit more. Again, depends on the person

+1. I lift heavy for about 20-30 minutes 3-4 times a week having begun this routine in the last year or two. Not sure when I started seeing results, maybe 4 months or so?

Pp, meant to say, I am also over 40