Training through midlife
Menopause workout plan: strength training for menopause, week by week
The best exercise for menopause is strength training on two or three days a week, plus regular walking and some activity that gets you out of breath. Lifting weights helps you keep the muscle and strength that start to slip in midlife, and supports your bones. Below is a weekly menopause exercise plan and a full beginner session you can start this week.
Key facts
UK guidelines recommend muscle-strengthening activity on at least 2 days a week and 150 minutes of moderate activity, and note that muscle mass and bone density decline from around age 50. A 2024 meta-analysis of 12 randomised trials in postmenopausal women found resistance training improved upper and lower body strength and aerobic fitness. A Cochrane review found too little evidence to say whether exercise reduces hot flushes.
Why strength training for menopause matters
The UK Chief Medical Officers' physical activity guidelines say strengthening activities help to keep strength and delay the natural decline in muscle mass and bone density that happens from around 50. NICE's menopause guideline asks clinicians to explain the importance of maintaining muscle mass and strength through physical activity, and to give advice on bone health.
The research in women after menopause is encouraging. A 2024 meta-analysis of 12 randomised trials found that resistance training clearly improved lower body strength, upper body strength and aerobic fitness compared with not training. Its effects on bone density and body measurements were less certain across those trials, and the authors suggested three sessions a week as a solid starting point.
For bone, the LIFTMOR trial is worth knowing about. In 101 postmenopausal women with low bone mass, eight months of twice-weekly, 30-minute, closely supervised heavy lifting and impact training improved spine and hip bone density and every physical function test, compared with a gentle home programme. That was heavy training built up under supervision, not where a beginner starts, but it shows that lifting is not something to fear in midlife.
Your weekly menopause exercise plan
- MonStrength session A (about 45 minutes, below)
- TueBrisk walk, 30 to 45 minutes
- WedStrength session B (same exercises, or swap in the alternatives)
- ThuCardio you enjoy: a swim, cycle, dance class, jog or hilly walk, 20 to 40 minutes
- FriOptional third strength session, or a walk
- SatA longer walk, outdoors if you can
- SunRest, or gentle stretching or yoga
Two strength days already meet the UK guideline; add the third once two feel routine. Move the days around your life, keeping a day between strength sessions where you can. Walking counts towards your 150 minutes a week.
Women in perimenopause or menopause who use Turtle logged a workout on 38% of their active days, against 32% for women under 45 (see how often women in menopause work out). Of about 1,100 women syncing workouts, 86% logged a walk and 55% logged strength training (the workouts women log most).
The strength session: step by step
Strength session A (about 45 minutes)
- Warm up, 5 minutesBrisk marching or a few minutes on a bike, then 10 bodyweight squats and 10 wall push-ups.
- Goblet squat: 3 sets of 8 to 12Hold one dumbbell at your chest and sit down between your heels. Rest 90 seconds between sets. Easier: squat to a chair.
- Romanian deadlift: 3 sets of 8 to 12Dumbbells in front of your thighs, soft knees, hinge at the hips until you feel your hamstrings, then stand tall. Rest 90 seconds.
- Incline push-up: 3 sets of 6 to 12Hands on a kitchen worktop, bench or wall. Lower your chest with a straight body. Rest 60 to 90 seconds.
- One-arm dumbbell row: 3 sets of 10 each sideOne hand on a bench or chair, pull the dumbbell towards your hip. Rest 60 seconds.
- Step-up or split squat: 2 sets of 8 to 10 each legUse a low step or the bottom stair, holding the banister if you need it. Rest 60 seconds.
- Farmer's carry: 3 walks of 30 to 40 secondsHold a heavy dumbbell or shopping bag in each hand and walk tall. Rest 60 seconds.
- Plank: 2 holds of 20 to 40 secondsOn your forearms, or with knees down. Finish with a few minutes of easy stretching.
How heavy? Pick a weight where the last two reps of each set are hard but your form stays good. When you can do the top of the rep range for every set, add a rep or two next time, then move up to a slightly heavier weight. For session B, keep the same pattern or swap squats for a leg press, rows for a cable or band row, and push-ups for a dumbbell chest press.
New to lifting? Start with one set of each exercise for the first week or two, then build up. For more on getting started, see strength training for women over 50 and strength training for women.
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Best exercise for menopause belly
No exercise burns fat from one spot, so crunches will not shift belly fat on their own. What helps is the whole package: strength training, daily walking, and a way of eating with enough protein. In a small trial in postmenopausal women, 16 weeks of whole-body resistance training three times a week improved strength and body fat percentage, and the higher-volume group (six sets per exercise) also reduced their waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio.
Read more in menopause belly fat: what helps and belly fat exercises for women, and pair this plan with our menopause diet plan.
Does exercise help menopause symptoms?
The honest answer is that the research is mixed. A Cochrane review of five trials (733 women) found the evidence was insufficient to show whether exercise is an effective treatment for hot flushes and night sweats. If hot flushes are your main problem, talk to your GP about treatment options; HRT is one to discuss with them.
The strongest reasons to train in midlife are strength, fitness, bones and independence, which is where the evidence is clear. The NHS advice on menopause also recommends regular exercise, with a focus on weight-bearing and strength exercises to help protect against weakening bones.
Perimenopause exercise: exercises to avoid, and how to stay safe
No type of exercise is off limits because of perimenopause or menopause itself. What matters is starting at the right level and building up gradually. A few situations call for tailored advice first:
- You have been told you have osteoporosis or low bone density, or you have had a fracture from a minor fall.
- You leak urine when you lift, jump or cough, or feel heaviness in your pelvis.
- You have a heart condition, high blood pressure that is not under control, or joint pain that is getting worse.
When to see your GP: If any of these apply, ask your GP or a physiotherapist before starting, so they can adjust the plan for you. Stop and get help if you have chest pain, feel faint or very short of breath during exercise.
Turtle's AI workout builder can turn this plan into a session you log set by set; see how to build a strength workout.
What the research says
Each study below was checked against its PubMed record, or read at source for NHS, NICE and government pages, on 7 October 2026.
A meta-analysis of 12 randomised trials in healthy postmenopausal women found resistance training improved lower and upper body strength and aerobic fitness; effects on bone density and body measurements were less certain. It suggested three sessions a week as a starting point.
González-Gálvez N, Moreno-Torres JM, Vaquero-Cristóbal R (2024). Resistance training effects on healthy postmenopausal women: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopause Society. 27(3):296-304 doi.org/10.1080/13697137.2024.2310521
In the LIFTMOR trial, 101 postmenopausal women with low bone mass did eight months of supervised, twice-weekly heavy resistance and impact training; spine and hip bone density and physical function improved compared with a low-intensity home programme.
Watson SL, Weeks BK, Weis LJ, et al. (2018). High-Intensity Resistance and Impact Training Improves Bone Mineral Density and Physical Function in Postmenopausal Women With Osteopenia and Osteoporosis: The LIFTMOR Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. 33(2):211-220 doi.org/10.1002/jbmr.3284
In 32 postmenopausal women, 16 weeks of resistance training three times a week improved strength and body fat percentage; only the higher-volume group (six sets per exercise) also reduced waist circumference.
Nunes PR, Barcelos LC, Oliveira AA, et al. (2016). Effect of resistance training on muscular strength and indicators of abdominal adiposity, metabolic risk, and inflammation in postmenopausal women: controlled and randomized clinical trial of efficacy of training volume. Age (Dordrecht, Netherlands). 38(2):40 doi.org/10.1007/s11357-016-9901-6
A Cochrane review of five trials (733 women) found the evidence insufficient to show whether exercise is an effective treatment for hot flushes and night sweats.
Daley A, Stokes-Lampard H, Thomas A, et al. (2014). Exercise for vasomotor menopausal symptoms. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews. 2014(11):CD006108 doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD006108.pub4
UK guidelines recommend muscle-strengthening activity on at least 2 days a week and 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, and note that muscle mass and bone density decline from around age 50.
UK Chief Medical Officers (2019). UK Chief Medical Officers' Physical Activity Guidelines (page updated July 2026). Department of Health and Social Care. www.gov.uk/government/publications/physical-activity-guidelines-uk-chief-medical-officers-report
NICE's menopause guideline asks clinicians to give advice on bone health and to explain the importance of maintaining muscle mass and strength through physical activity.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2015). Menopause: identification and management (NG23), last updated April 2026. NICE guideline. www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23
Questions women ask
What is the best exercise for menopause?
Strength training on two or three days a week, plus regular walking and some activity that gets you out of breath. UK guidelines recommend strengthening activities on at least 2 days a week and 150 minutes of moderate activity.
How many times a week should I strength train during menopause?
Two sessions a week meets the UK guideline. A 2024 meta-analysis in postmenopausal women suggested three sessions a week as a good starting point if you can fit them in.
What is the best exercise for menopause belly fat?
There is no exercise that burns belly fat on its own. Whole-body strength training, daily walking and enough protein work together; in one trial, higher-volume strength training reduced waist size in postmenopausal women.
Can exercise help hot flushes?
A Cochrane review found too little evidence to say whether exercise reduces hot flushes. Exercise is still worth doing for strength, fitness and bones; talk to your GP about treatments for hot flushes.
Are there exercises to avoid during menopause?
No exercise is off limits because of menopause itself. If you have osteoporosis, pelvic floor symptoms, a heart condition or worsening joint pain, ask your GP or a physiotherapist to tailor the plan first.
Is lifting heavy weights safe after menopause?
For most women, yes, built up gradually. In the LIFTMOR trial, closely supervised heavy lifting improved bone density in postmenopausal women with low bone mass. If you have osteoporosis, get tailored advice first.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. It isn't tailored to you and doesn't replace advice from your GP or another qualified professional. If something's worrying you, speak to your GP. If you're pregnant, have a health condition or injury, or haven't exercised for a while, check with your GP before starting a new exercise plan. LeanShield™ is a trademark of ParrotPal Ltd: it rates the habits linked to protecting muscle, is not a medical device and doesn't measure muscle.