To exercise or not to exercise? It’s hard to navigate the transformative phases of menopause, including the physical and emotional changes it brings, but this full-body strength workout should help…

If you do a quick search of ‘menopause and exercise’ you’ll be inundated with information. It’s a hot topic, with plenty of personal trainers offering the ‘best workouts for menopause belly’. There’s a lot of information to process. The good thing is that people are now talking more openly than ever about ‘the change’, meaning you’re more likely to understand what to expect and feel better equipped. And you can certainly feel energised and empowered by using exercise when entering either the peri-menopause or menopause stages.

At a time when we are losing muscle mass and bone density, and experiencing a wide range of menopause symptoms, the exercise we do needs to reflect what our bodies need,’ explains personal trainer Emma Simarro, founder of Building Body Confidence (emmasimarro.com). ‘Strength training is an essential part of our health toolkit during midlife. It helps women maintain muscle and strength, supports healthy bones and reduces the occurrence of health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. It can also reduce many of the difficult symptoms women experience, including joint pain, low mood and anxiety, weight gain, poor sleep and even hot flashes.’

Want in? This full-body strength workout designed by Simarro will take just 30 minutes, making it very achievable for most people. ‘Just two-to-three sessions a week is a great way to start future-proofing your body. Think of it as your physical pension pot – the more you put in now, the more you will get out later,’ adds Simarro.

How to do this full-body strength workout

The six-move full-body strength workout will help you feel more energised, happier and empowered. ‘I’ve tried to incorporate all the major movement patterns our bodies perform every day, from squats and pulling movements, to hinges and presses,’ says Simarro. ‘These will help push blood around your body, keep your vessels flexible and help keep your bones strong.’

To get the most out of every move, make sure the last two-to-three repetitions feel challenging. If you can move too quickly, the weight isn’t heavy enough. Take at least 30-60 seconds of rest between each exercise, too.

Dumbbell front squat

10-12 reps, 3 sets

Works the entire lower body, including your quadriceps, glutes, hips, hamstrings, postural muscles and core

  • Hold a dumbbell at shoulder-height in front of your chest and position your feet slightly wider than your hips, with your toes slightly turned out (A).
  • Sit back into your hips, lowering your bottom to your heels. Aim to get your thighs to a parallel position, or lower if you can. Keep your dumbbell in place by keeping your chest proud and your elbows up (B).
  • At the bottom of your squat, drive down through your feet (push the floor away from you) and exhale as you return to your standing position.

Shoulder press

10-12 reps, 3 sets

Targets your shoulders (deltoids), triceps, trapezoids and core

  • Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Gently squeeze your glutes and quads to stabilise your lower body.
  • With the dumbbells placed at shoulder level and your palms facing forward, keep your elbows high and take a deep breath (A).
  • Drive the dumbbells up, exhaling until your biceps (upper arms) are parallel with your ears, your elbows are fully extended and your arms straight (B).
  • Bring the dumbbells back down to your shoulders with control until they reach their starting position, then repeat.

Glute bridge

10-12 reps, 3 sets

Targets your glutes – the biggest and most powerful muscles in your body – hamstrings and core

  • Lie face-up on the floor, with feet hip-width apart and heels about a hand’s length from your bottom (A).
  • With your arms by your sides, push through your heels to drive your hips up to the ceiling (B).
  • Pause at the top of the move, gently tucking your tailbone under and squeezing your glutes, then slowly lower to the floor. Repeat.
  • Tip: To make these harder, place a dumbbell onto your hips or raise onto your toes.

Your guide to fitness during the menopause

Floor press

10-12 reps, 3 sets

A variety of a bench press that tends to be more shoulder-friendly as it controls the range of motion by placing your upper arms on the floor. Works the chest, triceps and shoulders

  • Lie face-up on the floor with your feet flat and knees bent. Hold your dumbbells above your chest, palms facing your feet (A).
  • Slowly lower your elbows towards the floor, keeping your wrists stacked above your elbows. Try to keep your elbows level with your shoulders.
  • Gently tap your elbows on the floor (B) before driving back up through your palms, extending your arms until your elbows are flat. Lower and repeat.

Bent-over rows

10-12 reps, 3 sets

Targets the upper and lower back muscles, including latissimus dorsi, rhomboids and trapezius. Plus, works the glutes, hamstrings and spinal erectors

  • Hold the dumbbells close to your body, with your arms straight, shoulders back and chest high. Soften your knees and hinge forward until your torso is 45 degrees to the floor. Keep your head in line with your spine by looking a metre in front of you on the floor (A).
  • Pull your elbows back and the dumbbells towards your hips (B). Keep your upper arms close to your rib cage and elbows bent at a 90-degree angle at the top of the move.
  • Slowly lower the dumbbells back to their starting position, then repeat.

Dead bugs

20 alternating reps, 4 sets

Strengthens the entire core, including transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis and obliques. Also works the back, shoulders and pelvic floor muscles

  • Lie on your back and lift your knees to a tabletop position, with your knees directly above your hips and lower legs parallel to the floor. Lift your arms above your chest (A).
  • At a controlled speed, lower one leg to the floor by fully extending at the hip. Lengthen your leg until it’s straight and just a few inches off the floor (B), before slowly returning to your starting position and alternating sides.
  • Engage your core throughout, gently imprinting your lower back onto the mat beneath you.
  • Tip: The general rule is to ‘exhale on exertion’, so breathe out on the part that requires effort.

Meet the expert

Personal trainer and women’s health coach, Emma Simarro specialises in supporting women in peri-menopause and during the menopause. Her aim is to help you feel energised, body confident and empowered when going through your menopausal journey, so you can embrace this chapter with grace, comfort and confidence.

Words and model: Lucy Miller
Photography: Eddie Macdonald
Clothing: Asda Gym Locker Blue So Soft Ultra High Pocket Leggings (£18, direct.asda.com), BAM Mallea Cross Back Crop Top (£36, bambooclothing.co.uk), Asics Superblast 2 (£200, asics.com)