If you have been Cardio-Queening and HIIT-Hustling your way through your adult life it might be time to change your approach. Here's why.....
As we age, especially during perimenopause and menopause, our fitness routine needs to shift. If your goal is to build muscle, reduce body fat, increase longevity and feel strong, STRENGTH TRAINING paired with Sprint Interval Training (S.I.T.) is the most effective way to improve body composition. Body composition is about muscle-to-fat ratio—not how much your bathroom scale says you weigh. After 30, we naturally lose muscle and power and gain fat if we don’t adjust our workouts. This is where strength training and S.I.T. shine:
Strength Training builds and preserves muscle, boosts your metabolism, and improves insulin sensitivity, making it easier to reduce body fat and stay energized. Plus, it protects your bones as bone density decreases with age.
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S.I.T. (short, max-effort bursts like 20–30 seconds of echo bike, rowing, or battle ropes followed by 2–4 minutes of recovery) complements strength training perfectly. It’s efficient, hormone-friendly, and helps reduce body fat without breaking down muscle.
Why not just cardio or H.I.I.T.? While cardio burns calories, it doesn’t build muscle like strength training and S.I.T., which is key for a strong metabolism (and for getting that aesthetic look you want). H.I.I.T. often overtaxes your system, spiking cortisol (a stress hormone linked to fat storage).
Here’s my suggestion as to how to structure your approach to working out: Strength train 3–4 times per week focusing on lifting "heavy" for you - perform squat, hinge, push and pull movements. Add S.I.T. as a finisher (e.g., 2-4 rounds of max-effort sprints with full recovery after each). Max effort means a perceived effort of an 8, 9 or 10 on a scale of 1-10. You shouldn't be able to push for any longer than 30 seconds max if you are doing it right. If you love that steady state cardio or the HIIT class you've been doing - great! Keep doing them as accessory training, in addition, not instead of strength and S.I.T.
Strength training and S.I.T. are game-changers for staying strong, lean and energized as your body changes. Ready to train smarter? Let’s do this!
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