Why Women Over 50 Should Be Lifting and Sprinting Every Week

April 28, 2025 livewell@admin Blog Latest News

As we get older, our bodies change.

For women over 50, these changes can be especially noticeable. From shifts in hormones to the natural aging process, taking a proactive approach to health and fitness becomes increasingly important.

If you are a woman in your 50s or older, here’s a straightforward and effective formula for feeling stronger, leaner, and more energetic by incorporating both lifting and sprinting:

Lift weights 2-3 times per week and sprint once per week.

Let’s break down why this combination is so important and how it can transform your body and overall well-being.

Strength Training Reverses Muscle and Bone Loss

As we age, we naturally begin to lose muscle mass and bone density. This process, called sarcopenia (muscle loss) and osteopenia or osteoporosis (bone density loss), can lead to weakness, frailty, and a greater risk of injury.

Strength training (lifting weights) helps to reverse this decline.

It builds muscle, strengthens bones, improves balance, and boosts metabolism. Even just 2-3 sessions per week of targeted resistance training can make a dramatic difference in how your body feels and functions.

Strength Training Supports Hormonal Balance During Menopause

Menopause brings a sharp decline in estrogen levels. This hormonal shift is responsible for many of the symptoms women experience, such as hot flushes, fatigue, mood swings, and unwanted weight gain—especially around the midsection.

Consistent strength training helps regulate hormones, maintain lean muscle mass, and prevent fat gain.

It also improves mental clarity and emotional stability by reducing stress and increasing endorphins.

Sprint Training Boosts Fat Loss and Heart Health

Sprint training is simple but powerful. It involves doing short bursts of high-intensity movement for 10-20 seconds, followed by a period of rest. If you’re feeling adventurous, this could be fast walking, cycling, rowing, bodyweight exercises, or even uphill sprints.

Sprint training helps:

Reduce body fat
Build lean muscle
Improve cardiovascular health
Increase energy and stamina

Just one session per week is enough to reap the benefits, and it doesn’t take much time.

Tips to Get Started

Starting something new can feel overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be. Here’s how to ease into this routine:

Progression: Use bodyweight or light dumbbells and focus on good form. Progress as your strength improves.
Focus on consistency: It’s better to train twice weekly than to go hard for one session and then stop.
Track your progress: Keep a simple journal or use an app to record what you do. Seeing your progress is motivating!

What Exercises to Focus On

You don’t need fancy equipment or complicated exercises. Here are some great lifting and Sprinting basics:

Strength Training Exercises:

Squats (bodyweight or with dumbbells)
Deadlifts (with kettlebells or dumbbells)
Push-ups (on knees or against a wall to start)
Bent-over rows
Overhead presses

Sprint Training Options:

Fast walking intervals (30 seconds fast, 1-2 minutes slow)
Stationary bike sprints (10-20 seconds fast, 40 seconds rest)
Stair sprints
high knees (20 seconds fast, 20 seconds rest)

How to Fit It Into Your Busy Life

You don’t need hours in the gym. Here’s how to make it work:

Schedule it like an appointment. Pick two or three 45-minute slots each week and block them out.
Do it at home. You can do almost everything with a pair of dumbbells and a bit of space.
Stack it with a routine. Pair your workouts with something you already do, like after your morning routine or right after work.
Keep it simple. Focus on doing something rather than everything. Progress, not perfection.

The Takeaway from a newsletter I wrote two weeks ago.

Yoga and Pilates are great, and they definitely have their place, but if your goal is to look, feel, and perform at your best after 50, lifting and sprint training needs to be your foundation.

Even just 45-minute strength sessions and a single short sprint workout each week can help you build a stronger, more resilient body. You’ll feel more confident, move better, and stay independent and vibrant as you age.