Why it matters more after 50
Muscle mass and strength decline with age, and the change speeds up for many women around menopause. Resistance exercise is one of the few things shown to slow it, and weight-bearing and resistance work also help maintain bone density.
For everyday life that means getting up from a low chair, carrying shopping up the stairs and catching your balance when you trip.
How much: the numbers from the guidelines
| What | How much |
|---|---|
| Muscle strengthening | 2 or more days a week, all major muscle groups |
| Moderate aerobic activity | 150 to 300 minutes a week (about 30 minutes, 5 days) |
| Balance work | Recommended for adults 65 and over, as part of the week |
| Rest | Leave a day between strength sessions for the same muscles |
Five moves to start with
Each one has an easier and a harder version. Start easier than you think you need.
1. Sit-to-stand
Sit on a sturdy chair, feet flat, and stand up without using your hands, then sit back down slowly. Easier: use your hands on your thighs. Harder: hold a light weight at your chest.
2. Wall push-up
Hands on a wall at shoulder height, step back, lower your chest toward the wall and push away. Easier: stand closer. Harder: use a kitchen counter, then a low step.
3. Glute bridge
Lie on your back with knees bent, press through your heels and lift your hips until your body is in a line from knees to shoulders.
4. Bent-over row
One hand on a chair back, a light weight or water bottle in the other, pull it toward your hip and lower it slowly. Keep your back flat.
5. Heel raises
Holding a counter, rise onto your toes and lower over 3 seconds. Good for calves and balance.
When to make it harder
Use the last two repetitions as your guide. If they feel easy for two sessions in a row, add 2 repetitions, then a second set, then a little weight. Mild muscle soreness a day or two later is common at the start. Sharp pain, chest pain, dizziness or breathlessness that doesn't settle means stop and get checked.
Doing it with the app
Her Good Days has strength, chair and balance programs led by Sarah, one of the app's trainers. Every exercise keeps its gentler version on screen, and you log each finished session next to your sleep and energy. The tracking also covers walks and workouts you do on your own.