08/06/2026
With so much conflicting information online, it’s no surprise that many women are more confused than ever about what type of training they should be doing. There’s a tendency for women to lift lighter weights for high repetitions, often called ‘body sculpting’ by trainers who promise women they can ‘tone up’ without getting bulky muscles. However, this is not helpful for women whose lean muscle mass and strength is on a decline during perimenopause (typically your 40s into early 50s).
Although this type of lifting will build muscle if you have hours to kill to lift enough reps to get to failure, it doesn’t provide enough load to protect our bones and counteract the decline in oestrogen which is needed to prevent osteoporosis.
Strength training helps preserve muscle mass, supports bone health, boosts metabolism and can improve insulin sensitivity - all things that become even more important during perimenopause.
And no, lifting heavy won’t make you “bulky”.
It helps you build a body that’s capable, resilient and strong enough to carry you through this next stage of life.
At Core Strength Works, we’re huge believers that women shouldn’t be afraid of picking up heavier weights. With good coaching and progressive training, it’s one of the best investments you can make in your long term health.
Your goal doesn’t have to be to lift the heaviest weight in the room, but if you’re still reaching for the same tiny dumbbells because you think that’s all you should use… it might be time to stop fearing the heavier weights and trust in the science 📚
If you’ve been curious about strength training but don’t know where to start, come and chat to us. We’d love to help you build confidence alongside strength 💪🏻
