Why I Love Strength Training
There are SO many benefits to strength training.
Not just shape and tone.
The overall health benefits are huge!
Our bone mineral density and muscle mass decline over time from the age of 30,
if we aren’t maintaining them with lifting weights and eating adequate protein.
The benefits of strength training include:
Being able to move well as you age (independence).
Improves the function of joints, tendons, and ligaments.
Improves mental health.
Increases confidence.
Helps with balance - great as you age.
Lifts your mood.
Reduces the risk of osteoporosis, injury, lower back pain, falling, and diseases.
As a runner in my 40s and two years into perimenopause (early),
if I don’t strength train, I end up injured and back at the Physio.
I also feel it mentally; it massively helps my foggy brain.
I’ve been lifting weights for years but I don’t do it ‘perfectly’.
I should probably be lifting heavier and more often,
But like with anything in my life, I’m trying to keep things enjoyable.
I defo need more consistency at progressing my weights,
but you can’t do everything all of the time.
I’m going to try out some macro workouts for the next two weeks to get some consistency back after having builders in the house for three weeks.
Some of My Favourite Strength Exercises as a 40-Year-Old Runner
As a runner in my 40s, these are some of my favourite strength exercises…
Lower Body Exercises
Single Leg Hip Thrust:
Front Squat:
Single Leg RDL:
Elevated Calf Raise:
Step Up & Balance:
Heavy Romanian Deadlifts:
Upper & Core Exercises
Renegade Row:
Bent Over Rows:
Hammer to Arny Press:
Side Plank:
Inchworm / Walkout:
Pull-ups / Eccentric Pull-ups:
Pull-Ups at 40
Pull-ups are a new achievement for me at 40, so bloody proud of this.
After years of kind of trying, I committed to pull-up workouts for 4 weeks and finally got my first proper pull-up.
The workouts were heavy on eccentrics, as shown above; they were a big part of my progress.
More on the pull-up challenge in the video below and in my blog here.
