Why Strength Training is non-Negotiable (backed by science)
Let’s talk numbers.
When it comes to the physical changes that come with aging….
Research on sarcopenia (the fancy word for age-related muscle loss) shows that without intervention, women lose approximately:
3-8% of muscle mass per decade after age 30
8% muscle mass per decade after 50
and loss accelerates by 1-2% annually after menopause
This muscle loss leads to:
Decreased strength and power
Wobbly balance and feelings of instability
Reduced metabolic rate
Feeling tired or weak
Feeling less confident doing things, less capable
An impact on daily independence -- opening jars, moving furniture, working in the yard, etc.
That’s muscle loss. Now let’s talk about bone density.
Studies have shown that during 1–10 years after menopause:
the annual rate of bone mass loss is 1.5%–2.5.%
This greatly increases your risk of:
osteopenia and osteoporosis
leading to bone breaks and fractures, including stress fractures
All of these numbers have real impact on your life.
Struggling to lift the bag of dog food or the potting soil
Less endurance doing your favorite activities like hiking or traveling
Feeling achy and tired
Changes in body composition and posture
Not feeling as confident out in the world
Not feeling as steady walking on uneven ground
A higher risk of a bone break or fracture
A Time Sensitive Window
The perimenopause and early menopause years are a period where the benefits of strength training are maximized.
If this is you, now’s the time to start and get ahead of the losses that are coming.
The first 10 years post-menopause are a critical window where both bone and muscle loss accelerate simultaneously.
What is essential to know here is IT’S NEVER TOO LATE.
You know the saying, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, but the second best time is today?”
That applies to starting strength work as well.
Finally, some good news!
When it comes to bones, studies show resistance training can:
avoid the bone density loss by 1-3% annually
even increase bone mineral density
reduce bone fracture risk by 15-20%
As for your muscles, working out can:
make daily tasks easier
increase your lean muscle mass
boost your metabolic rate
support your joints and lower your risk of injury
increase your flexibility and range of motion
And we haven't even gotten to how strength work boosts your mood and improves your brain AND heart health.
So let's review
You're losing muscle.
Increasingly every decade over 30, even faster over 50.
Once you hit menopause, you're losing bone every year.
…unless you provide the right training stimulus.
Enter...
The Mindful Muscle Club is a 3-month live online cohort for midlife and peri/post menopausal women who don’t love fitness environments but know they need to do strength work.
If you are curious about strength training and what it can do for your body and life, this is the club for you.
I’m gathering together people just like you – women who have never worked out (or not in a long time) and don’t know where to start – who are concerned about their current strength level.
Women who want structure, a clear path and loving community as they learn strength training that works for their bodies.
If you want to get stronger, build your bones, and improve your physical and mental health safely, this is the place.
The Mindful Muscle Club Includes:
Two Live Weekly Workouts
Tues and Thurs, 8 am PT. Can’t make it? All classes are recorded.
Two Weekly Recordings
1 mini workout + 1 short recovery. Work or rest? You decide.
Monthly Live Sesh
Live session w/ me: Q/A & individual attention. Recorded.
“My favorite thing about IAY is that I have absolute confidence that Michelle is instructing me to move my body in a way that leads to strength, flexibility and equanimity - without fear of injury.”
Join Us
You don’t have to be a weight lifter.
You don't have to do it by yourself.
Build muscles and bones...
and confidence!
We start September 8th.
If you have questions or aren't sure if this is for you, let's hop on a call!
If you've read this far, something is speaking to you. Check out the Club details... and reach out with any questions.
Michelle Marlahan is the founder of It's All Yoga, now a thriving online studio offering 10 live classes weekly and hundreds of recorded sessions ranging from 10-60 minutes. Her approach balances nervous system regulation with strength building specifically for women in their 40s-70s who value the privacy, autonomy and flexibility of virtual yoga practice. She also works privately with women who have pelvic pain, incontinence or prolapse to find balance and healing in the hips, low back and pelvic floor.