The data indicates men and women respond to exercise very similarly, meaning general, effective, and progressive training principles are optimal for women rather than needing sex-specific programs.
Reframe your perspective on resistance training to focus on growing muscle and getting bigger, rather than solely on weight loss or the number on the scale.
Engage in resistance training early in life to build a ‘muscle savings account,’ as muscle loss with age occurs if you are not physically active and lifting weights. This helps maintain functional independence later in life.
Focus on training hard, consistently, and progressively based on how you feel, rather than strictly altering your routine according to specific menstrual cycle phases or hormone levels. The data does not support changing training based on cycle phase.
Achieve desired body composition changes, such as increased muscle size and decreased body fat, most effectively and efficiently through resistance training and nutritional adjustments. Activities like Pilates alone are not sufficient for this.
Adopt a full-body training program that targets all major muscle groups, ensuring the load is challenging and appropriate for each exercise and muscle group.
Ensure your sets are challenging enough by training close to muscular failure, meaning you can only complete one or two more repetitions before complete failure. This provides an appropriate stimulus for growth.
Implement a full-body training program with appropriate loads, consistently progressing over time by increasing load or repetitions as you get stronger.
Incorporate at least two 20-minute full-body resistance training workouts per week to make a significant impact on attenuating age-related muscle decline and maintaining functional independence.
Understand that adjusting your nutrition is far more effective for fat loss than relying solely on adding exercise, as exercise alone yields disappointing fat loss results.
Continue resistance training through perimenopause and menopause to maintain muscle size and strength, reduce fall and fracture risk, and preserve bone density. There is no reason to change training during this phase.
Recognize that age-related muscle loss is primarily exacerbated by physical inactivity, not directly by the hormonal changes of the menopause transition itself. Maintaining physical activity is crucial.
Understand that muscle can be gained at any age, even if starting at 70, so it is never too late to begin a resistance training program.
Commit to a consistent resistance training program to not only see physical results but also gain an empowering sense of progression and increased capability, which fuels long-term motivation.
If new to resistance training, start with moderate rep ranges (8-12 repetitions) to become proficient with movement patterns and proper technique before exploring lower or higher rep ranges.
If training two or three times per week, opt for full-body sessions to ensure all major muscle groups are adequately stimulated multiple times weekly.
If training four or more days per week, consider splitting your routine (e.g., upper body/lower body) to manage volume and recovery effectively.
After a sufficient warm-up, aim for at least two, preferably three, and up to four work sets per muscle group per workout for optimal results without overdoing it.
Allow for auto-regulated rest periods between sets, typically around two minutes for most exercises and up to three minutes for compound lifts like squats or deadlifts, adjusting based on how recovered you feel.
During resistance exercises, move the weight as quickly as possible during the difficult (concentric) phase and control the movement during the easier (eccentric) phase, avoiding intentional slowing.
For muscle hypertrophy, you have flexibility in rep ranges (low, moderate, or high) as long as you train close enough to muscular failure.
If training in lower rep ranges (e.g., sets of three), you will need to perform more sets to achieve the same overall training volume as higher rep ranges (e.g., sets of eight or ten).
To ensure consistent progressive overload, standardize your range of motion and tempo, avoiding partial repetitions or intentional tempo changes that make tracking progress difficult.
Opt for a slower, more deliberate progression in resistance training, focusing on adding repetitions before consistently increasing weight each week to prevent injury and ensure proper form.
Always prioritize proper technique and full range of motion in your lifts, as these are often compromised when attempting to increase load too quickly.
Always ensure proper form is maintained during all exercises and use a spotter or training partner when appropriate, especially for heavier lifts, to prevent injury.
Be aware that high repetition sets on compound movements like deadlifts can increase the risk of injury due to more opportunities for form breakdown over the set.
Be cautious with very high repetition sets, as they can increase the chance of form failure and injury risk due to prolonged exertion and potential breakdown of technique.
Recognize that very high repetition sets, such as 30 squats, can lead to cardiovascular fatigue before muscular failure, adding a significant mental challenge to the set.
Understand that resistance training provides comprehensive benefits beyond just muscle growth, including positive adaptations in tendons, bones, and the nervous system.
Begin resistance training at a younger age to build consistent habits and gain long-term advantages, including performance improvement and injury reduction for athletes.
Recognize that while baseline muscle mass may differ due to hormonal factors, men and women gain similar relative muscle size once they start training.
If your testosterone levels are within the normal range, there’s no clear linear relationship predicting your response to training. Focus on training rather than specific hormone numbers within the normal range.
Achieve muscle growth through effective, consistent, and progressive training, understanding that genetic factors also play a role in individual adaptation.
While enjoyable, activities like Pilates and walking alone are not sufficient to provide the progressive resistance needed to effectively stave off age-related muscle loss.
If new to resistance training and hesitant about free weights, begin with gym machines to comfortably learn movement patterns and understand challenging loads.
Consider starting with group fitness classes to become comfortable in a gym environment and learn basic movement patterns, even if they are not optimal for progressive overload.
Select cardiovascular activities you genuinely enjoy, such as playing sports, biking, or hiking, as this increases the likelihood of consistent adherence to physical activity.
Incorporate high-intensity cardiovascular exercise for time efficiency, as it can achieve similar endurance adaptations to longer, moderate-intensity sessions in a shorter duration.
Engage in Zone 2 cardiovascular training if you have long-term endurance goals, but feel free to choose other forms of moderate or higher-intensity physical activity if preferred.
If currently inactive, gradually increase your daily step count to 4,000-6,000 steps to achieve significant health benefits.
If you are already physically active through various forms of exercise and movement throughout the day, focusing strictly on a step count metric becomes less critical for overall health.
If hypertrophy or strength is your primary goal, perform resistance training first and, if possible, separate cardiovascular exercise by several hours to avoid blunting adaptations.
To maximize time efficiency, pair antagonist muscle groups (e.g., a push exercise followed by a pull exercise) in supersets, as this does not interfere with adaptation or acute performance.
Incorporate drop sets as a finisher for the last set of an exercise, especially with cable machines, to add variety and intensity to your workout.
Remember that even a subpar workout is beneficial and preferable to skipping exercise entirely, especially on days when motivation or energy is low.
If experiencing menstrual symptoms, fatigue, or low motivation, feel free to skip a workout, adjust exercises, or choose an alternative form of physical activity without guilt.
If you consistently feel unwell during a specific phase of your menstrual cycle, it is acceptable to adjust or skip training during that time without negative long-term consequences.
Understand that any adjustments to training due to menstrual symptoms are typically for only one or two days, impacting a minimal number of workouts.
Be aware that hormone-based contraception, particularly combined oral contraceptive pills, does not negatively impact performance or adaptations to exercise, strength, or hypertrophy.
Understand that testosterone therapy for women is primarily proven effective for addressing low sexual desire or libido, and its use for other reasons is less supported by data.
If considering testosterone therapy, women should use very low doses to avoid unwanted side effects like voice deepening or unwanted hair growth, which can occur with higher, supra-physiological levels.
Prioritize resistance training for muscle growth rather than taking high doses of testosterone, as the risks of high dose testosterone for women outweigh the benefits when muscle can be built naturally.
Understand that menopause hormone therapy is intended to manage symptoms like hot flashes and poor sleep, not to restore pre-menopausal hormone levels or treat to a specific hormone number.
Be cautious of claims that hormone therapy will improve lifespan, increase longevity, or prevent disease, as these benefits are not accurately supported by current data.
Consider deliberate cold exposure primarily for its benefits in mental clarity and psychological well-being, rather than for specific physiological adaptations.
Do not use weighted vests for walking as a substitute for resistance training, as it does not provide the appropriate stimulus to improve muscle or bone density.
Instead of specifically testing or training grip strength as a proxy for longevity, prioritize a comprehensive full-body resistance training program to improve overall strength.
Integrate balance training into your resistance workouts through unilateral exercises (e.g., single leg RDL) or movements like walking lunges to improve coordination and reduce fall risk.
Train your abdominal muscles with progressive overload like any other muscle group if your goal is hypertrophy, but understand that abdominal exercises alone will not burn belly fat.
Incorporate single leg Romanian deadlifts (RDLs) into your routine, holding onto something for stability if needed, to effectively target glutes and hamstrings while also improving balance.
Achieve sufficient mobility work by performing full-body resistance training through a full range of motion, especially during warm-up sets, making dedicated mobility work less necessary.
Be cautious with recovery methods like ice baths or NSAIDs immediately post-workout, as they can reduce soreness and aid recovery but may also blunt the desired hypertrophic adaptation by reducing inflammation.
Choose to train in a fed or fasted state based on your personal preference, as it does not significantly impact long-term muscle growth or fat loss adaptations.
Dr. Colenso-Semple personally trains fasted in the morning and always consumes caffeine pre-workout, finding it beneficial for general alertness and performance.
Understand that the food consumed immediately before a resistance training session is unlikely to be used as direct fuel during that workout, as digestion and absorption take time.
The ‘anabolic window’ for protein intake post-workout is long-lasting, so consuming protein within 30 minutes or up to 3 hours will equally support muscle adaptations.
Prioritize consistent overall daily protein intake, splitting it into several meals, rather than obsessing over maximizing protein per meal or strict timing.
If you are resistance training, consider taking 5 grams of creatine monohydrate daily to potentially gain an extra rep or two in the gym, as it is safe and well-studied for performance enhancement.
Do not take creatine if you are not exercising, as it will not increase muscle mass without the necessary stimulus for muscle growth.
Opt for creatine monohydrate in powder form over gummies, as gummies often do not contain the claimed dose of creatine.
If taking creatine, inform your physician, as it can elevate creatinine levels in blood tests, which might otherwise cause concern.