How Much Strength Training Do Women Over 40 Actually Need?
If social media is anything to go by, apparently we’re all supposed to be strength training six days a week, walking 10,000 steps a day, drinking protein shakes, doing mobility work, meditating and somehow holding down a job and remembering to buy loo roll.
It’s exhausting just thinking about it.
So when I came across a study (which was widely covered in the news) looking at how much strength training people actually need for better health and longevity, I was pleasantly surprised.
Because the answer wasn’t 5 gym sessions a week.
It wasn’t even 3.
It was 2.
Two Sessions a Week Could Make a Big Difference
Researchers followed almost 147,000 adults for 30 years to look at the relationship between strength training, aerobic exercise and long-term health.
What they found was pretty impressive.
People doing around 90 to 120 minutes of strength training per week had:
13% lower risk of death from any cause
19% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease
27% lower risk of death from neurological diseases, including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
That’s roughly two gym sessions a week.
Not two hours a day.
Not becoming one of those people who owns six different resistance bands and talks about their glutes at every social gathering.
Just two sessions a week.
The Statistic That Made Me Stop Scrolling
The thing that really caught my attention wasn’t the heart health benefits.
It was the 27% reduction in neurological disease deaths.
When people talk about strength training, the conversation is usually about looking toned, building muscle or “boosting your metabolism”.
All good things.
But protecting your brain?
That’s a different conversation altogether.
As we get older, many of us start worrying less about fitting into skinny jeans and more about staying healthy, independent and mentally sharp.
The possibility that strength training could help support brain health is something I think deserves a lot more attention.
Before You Ditch Your Walking Shoes…
This wasn’t a case of strength training beating cardio.
The biggest benefits came from doing both.
People who combined strength training with aerobic exercise had up to a 45% lower risk of death compared to people doing neither.
Which makes sense when you think about it.
Cardio is brilliant for your heart and cardiovascular system.
Strength training helps preserve muscle, maintain balance, support bone health and keep you physically capable as you age.
They’re not competitors.
They’re teammates.
But What About Those MET-Hours?
The researchers measured aerobic exercise using something called MET-hours.
The moment scientific papers start talking about MET-hours, most people’s eyes glaze over.
Mine included.
But it’s actually pretty simple.
A MET is basically a way of measuring how much energy an activity uses.
Brisk walking ~ 4 METs.
Jogging ~ 7 METs.
Running ~ 12 METs.
Multiply that by the time you spend doing it and you get your weekly MET-hours.
The study found that strength training continued to add benefits even in people who were already doing a decent amount of aerobic exercise.
In other words, if you’re already walking regularly, adding a couple of strength sessions each week is likely to be time very well spent.
Why This Matters So Much for Women Over 40
As women move through perimenopause and beyond, maintaining muscle becomes increasingly important.
We naturally lose muscle mass as we age.
Hormonal changes can make it harder to maintain strength and easier to gain body fat.
Many women notice they aren’t quite as strong as they used to be, even if their weight hasn’t changed.
This is one of the reasons I’m such a fan of resistance training.
Not because I’m trying to turn everyone into a bodybuilder.
Far from it.
I simply want women to be able to carry their shopping, lift their grandchildren, get up off the floor easily and feel physically confident in their bodies for decades to come.
Strength isn’t just about how you look.
It’s about what your body can do.
The Good News
You don’t need to overhaul your life.
You don’t need to join a hardcore gym.
You don’t need to spend hours every day exercising.
The takeaway from this study is reassuringly simple:
Move regularly
Include some form of aerobic exercise
Aim for two strength training sessions each week
Keep doing it consistently
That’s where the magic is.
Not in the perfect workout programme.
Not in the latest fitness trend.
Just showing up often enough that your body gets the message.
My Final Thoughts
One thing I say to clients all the time is that health isn’t built from a single habit.
It’s not just about food.
It’s not just about exercise.
It’s not just about sleep.
Everything works together.
The strongest, healthiest people I know aren’t necessarily doing extraordinary things. They’re doing ordinary things consistently.
This study is a lovely reminder of that.
Two strength training sessions a week may not sound particularly exciting.
But if it helps you stay stronger, healthier and more independent in the years ahead, that’s a pretty remarkable return on investment.
Reference:
Zhang Y, Lee DH, Rezende LFM, Ma Y, Giovannucci E. Long-term resistance training with all-cause and cause-specific mortality: assessing dose-response and joint associations with aerobic physical activity. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2026.
