There are a few reasons that strength training is necessary, and they are not spoken about often. Bone density and stored-up strength will allow you to age gracefully and enjoy a healthy, active lifestyle without the fear of falling. This is especially important for females.
As a female goes through menopause, she can lose strength and bone density; some research shows as much as a 10% bone density loss within the first five years. That is why it is necessary to strength train during and after menopause.
The more strength and bone density a woman has leading up to menopause, the larger the store she will have to pull from post-menopause. Suppose a woman starts working out during or after menopause; she can increase strength and bone density to help prevent breaks and falls, but not at the level she could if she started training before menopause.
I would strongly encourage women in their 30s and 40s to start incorporating strength training into their workouts to build up as much strength and bone density as possible. Strength training is superior in increasing strength and bone density compared to aerobic exercises like running, which only has a moderate impact.
One of the more shocking statistics that have come out in recent years is the link between falls and broken hips with the increased mortality. A study from 2011 found that women who fractured their hip had a 50% higher mortality rate in the year following.
It is so important to strength train because it’s going to increase bone density, it is going to increase strength, and strength is going to increase a person’s stability. If someone who strength trains were to lose balance, it might be a stumble, not a fall. And if they were to fall, they would be less likely to break bones.
I say all this to encourage all of you who haven’t reached menopause yet to consider working out now and not waiting until retirement when you have more time. And, for those going through menopause, start working out now to build up as much strength and bone density as you can now so that you can live your life to the fullest.
Your Fitness Sherpa,
Josh
