Build Muscle and Strength After Menopause - at any age
For years, women have been told that menopause and ageing make it much harder to build muscle and strength. New 2026 research challenges that idea.
A systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport analysed 126 intervention studies involving 4,019 healthy women, with an average age of 50.9 years. Around 66% were postmenopausal.
The findings are clear: resistance training significantly improved strength and body composition in women across the lifespan, with menopausal status making no significant difference to the results.
Women can get stronger after menopause
The strength improvements were remarkably similar:
Premenopausal women: SMD 1.50
Postmenopausal women: SMD 1.46
The difference between the groups was not statistically significant (p = 0.520).
Resistance training also produced significant improvements in functional muscle mass and reductions in fat mass, again with no significant difference between pre- and postmenopausal women.
The researchers also found no significant relationship between the results and age, training frequency, training duration or total number of sessions.
What does this mean?
Menopause doesn’t mean you stop responding to strength training.
Whether you’re 30, 50, 70 or beyond, resistance training can help you build strength, maintain functional muscle and improve body composition.
The key is training consistently, using good technique and progressively increasing the challenge.
Why professional guidance can help
If you’re new to resistance training, getting started can feel daunting. A Personal Trainer can help you learn correct technique, choose appropriate weights, train safely and progressively increase the load as your strength improves.
At Exeter Golf and Country Club, Personal Training is tailored to individual goals, whether you’re looking to build strength, improve fitness, change body composition or simply feel more confident in the gym.
Don’t assume your strongest years are behind you.
The research suggests they might not be.
PERSONAL TRAINING
Research Summary: Strength Training for Menopausal Women
126 studies | 4,019 women | 50.9 average age | 66.2% postmenopausal
Strength: 1.50 premenopause vs 1.46 postmenopause
Functional mass: significant improvement
Fat mass: significant reduction
Menopausal status: no significant effect on training adaptations
Source: Isenmann E et al. “It’s never too late: The impact of resistance training on strength and body composition in females across the lifespan – A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 2026.
