The Girls' Own Guide to Weight Training after 50
+ Get started with the 28-Day Strength-Training program that changes how you age
Road Trip to Younger is the go-to guide to healthy ageing for women over 50
After nearly 30 years as a journalist and magazine editor, I’m here, with healthy longevity as my ‘beat’ — cutting through the hype, decoding the science (so you don’t have to), and laying out your easy-to-follow roadmap. Destination: Joyspan—the longest, healthiest and most pleasurable lifespan possible.
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No matter your age, strength training is an act of self-love.
Women and weight training. If you ask me, they're the ultimate power couple—and the chemistry's electric. Bring them together—even just a few times a week—and you'll soon see sparks fly. Yes, strength (duh!), but also sharper thinking, stronger bones, better sleep, increased metabolism, and a whole raft of cellular changes that turn back the biological clock. As for me, weight training had me at “bones”.
I'd love to tell you it was some 'meet cute'. Far from it. After a fracture… after an osteoporosis diagnosis… and after the combined shock made way for my total lack of acceptance of the situation, I went straight for the science and it had one clear message: "Muscle up, buttercup!"
I'd never been one for following a weight training program. My husband David had been trying to get me onboard for years, and I'd always found reasons to resist. But suddenly, with my bone health right on the line, everything changed. Now David was playing matchmaker between me and some big-arse heavy weights—and for the first time, I was all in.
The 28-day Strength Training Jumpstart you're about to meet is a grand evolution of the original training plan David created back then: the one which I'm happy to report, helped me steer myself out of the osteoporosis danger zone. What I love about this one is he didn't just create it for me, it's for all of us, with everything women want: maximum impact, minimum time, to fit any schedule, and much more.
Whether you're a complete beginner or getting back into your groove, I hope you see sparks fly too—in how you move, how you feel, and how you age.
Let's go! 🚗💨
PS Tell me… where are you on your journey into weight-training. I always love to hear what you’re thinking. Drop me a line in the comments, below. ◡̈
With thanks to David O'Connor (Masters Degree in Physical Education) for expert guidance throughout this series.
"Strength training is not just about lifting weights; it’s about lifting the quality of your life. After 50, it’s never too late to start, and the benefits are profound."
— DR WAYNE WESTCOTT
Why strength training is a game changer
We're saying NO to losing 3-8% of muscle mass per decade after 30
We’re saying NO to losing 20% of bone density 5-7 years after menopause
We're saying YES to embracing weight training at any age
As well as transforming our bodies, a consistent strength training practice also:
Builds lean muscle
After 30, we lose 3-8% of our muscle mass per decade
After 50 this accelerates with up to 15% loss per decade
Strength training can slow, and even reverse natural declines
Beginners, especially, can see up to 6-12% in lean muscle gain in a year
Builds bones
We lose up to 20% of our bone density in the first 5 years after menopause
Weight training can increase bone density by 1 to 2% per year
It can also reduce the risk of fractures by up to 30%
PLUS:
Increases metabolism
Balances blood sugar
Improves mental clarity
Decreases inflammation (aka inflammaging)
Improves sleep
Increases energy
🧐 Explainer
Will I bulk up from lifting weights?
No, you won't. The reason? Women have lower testosterone levels, so unless you're following a major bodybuilding regime, you'll look toned and lean instead.
Good news for beginners
As if that’s not enough motivation, if you’re a beginner, get set for extra incentives.
They call it “newbie gains”. Studies show that older beginners can make strength gains of an amazing 20-40% just in the first few months of consistent training.
To me, this is one of THE most exciting factoids in all of longevity science. Older women can gain muscle faster than younger beginner strength trainers.
THE 28-DAY STRENGTH TRAINING JUMPSTART PROGRAM
This program is designed as a foundation plan for progressive strength training, to meet you exactly where you are right now:
For beginners: You'll master the classic strength moves with the main focus on developing rock-solid form that will serve you for years to come.
For experienced lifters: This program gets you back into a solid, effective and efficient routine, so you can pick up where you left off and start building toward heavier lifting.
By all means, feel free to add more of your favourite strength-training exercises to this classic set.
🧐 Explainer
What does “progressive strength training” mean?
Simply put, it means gradually getting stronger over time. Each week, you'll either lift a slightly heavier weight, do one more rep, or add an extra set. This steady progression is what builds strength and transforms your body.
How the 28-Day Jumpstart works
10 things to love about this program
(It’s really about real women and real life)
One program, all levels - Same exercises, different weights—you start where you are and progress at your pace
Full-body every session - Maximum efficiency, twice per week
Just 20 minutes per session - Twice a week is all you need
Progressive overload built-in - You'll gradually get stronger each week (we'll show you exactly how)
No guesswork - Every set, rep, and weight progression is mapped out for you
Foundation-focused - Master the fundamental movement techniques that matter most
Compound movements - Each exercise works multiple muscle groups
Just four exercises per session - Master the fundamentals without feeling overwhelmed
Minimal equipment - Everything here is available at most gyms
Warm-up included - Essential preparation that becomes more important as we age
Before you begin
Check with your doctor if you have any health concerns or haven't exercised in a while.
Lock in your sessions by looking across your week and finding two consistent slots so you get into a routine. Remember, they need to be at least one full day apart
Download your Log Sheets for Session 1 and Session 2 (at the end of each Session, below), so you can track your progress!
🧐 Explainer
What is meant by “set” and a “rep”?
A rep (repetition) is a single complete movement of an exercise.
A set is a group of reps performed without rest. For example, "3 sets of 10 reps" means you'll do 10 squats, rest, then repeat that twice more.
YOUR QUICK START GUIDE
Your 28-Day Strength Training Jumpstart program starts here
Week-by-week overview
This program follows a proven 4-week cycle that balances challenge with recovery. Each week has a specific purpose, helping you to gradually build toward your strongest self while keeping you injury-free.
Week 1: Foundation week
Focus entirely on form and getting comfortable with the movements. Use lighter weights and concentrate on learning the techniques.
Week 2: Build week
Increase weight slightly while maintaining perfect form. Your body is adapting and getting stronger.
Week 3: Push week
This is your hardest week. Add more weight, challenging yourself while keeping form as your priority.
Week 4: Deload week
Deliberately pull back on intensity to allow your body to recover and consolidate the gains from the previous three weeks. This isn't a step backward—it's essential for long-term progress and injury prevention.
🧐 Explainer
How do I know what weights to use?
Week 1: Be prepared to test different weights until you find a weight that allows you to complete 8-10 reps. Start lighter than you think you need.
From Week 2: The goal is to finish feeling like you could maybe do one more rep, but not easily. When it becomes easy, move up to the next weight incrementally.
Your first day
Consider this a reconnaissance mission.
Focus on orienting yourself to the equipment and gym layout. Select weights that feel comfortable and allow you to maintain perfect form throughout all reps. It's better to start too light and build up than to start too heavy and risk injury or poor form.
What to bring: Water bottle, towel, and a workout log to record weights, reps and notes about how each exercise felt.
Breathing basics: Breathe in during the "easy" part of the movement, breathe out during the "effort" phase. When in doubt, just keep breathing naturally—don't hold your breath. Proper breathing helps stabilise your core and ensures your muscles get the oxygen they need to perform their best.
Warm up before every session
As you get older a warm-up becomes even more important for:
* preparing your muscles and joints for the work ahead * reducing injury risk and * helping you move better during your workout.
Here are four exercises for 5-minute warm-up that prepares your body for strength training. Use them—about 60 seconds for each—before both Session 1 and Session 2.
This warm up targets:
✅ Hip mobility
✅ Spine mobility
✅ Glute activation
✅ Shoulder mobility
1. Half-kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
Kneel on one knee with the other foot planted in front of you, then gently push your hips forward to stretch the front of your hip. Switch sides halfway through.
2. Cat/Cow
Get on your hands and knees, then slowly arch your back while looking up (cow), then round your spine while tucking your chin (cat). Move smoothly between the two positions.
3. Glute Bridge
Lie on your back with knees bent, then lift your hips up by squeezing your glutes, creating a straight line from knees to shoulders. Lower and repeat.
4. Arm Circles
Stand with arms extended and make small circles, gradually getting bigger. Switch directions halfway through to work your shoulders in both directions.
LET’S GO! 🏋️♀️ SESSION 1
This is the first session every week
SESSION 1: Weeks 1 - 4
DOWNLOAD Your printable Training Card
SESSION 1: 28 Day Strength Training Jumpstart
SESSION 1 STRENGTH MOVES
1. Goblet Squat
In this move you'll hold a dumbbell in front of your chest, similar to a goblet, while doing a squat.
What you need: One dumbbell
Targets: ✅ Legs ✅ Glutes ✅ Core
Here’s how:
Hold dumbbell vertically against chest, elbows pointing down
Feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out
Lower down as if sitting back into a chair, keeping chest up
Descend until thighs are parallel to floor (or as low as comfortable)
Drive through heels to return to standing
Focus on controlled movement—think slow down, powerful up
Form check:
Keep your weight in your heels, knees tracking over toes, and that dumbbell glued to your chest. Breathe in as you squat. Breathe out as you return to standing.
Pro tips:
• Start with a weight that feels almost too light
• Think "chest proud" throughout the movement
• If knees cave inward, focus on pushing them out
2. Dumbbell Bench Press
In this strength move you'll lie on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand and press up from your chest.
What you need: Two dumbbells and a bench
Targets: ✅ Chest ✅ Shoulders ✅ Arms
Here’s how:
Lie flat on bench, feet flat on floor
Hold dumbbells with arms extended above chest, palms facing forward
Lower weights slowly until elbows are at 90 degrees
Press dumbbells back up in controlled motion, following slight arc
Keep core engaged and back flat against bench throughout
Focus on controlled movement—slow down, powerful up
Form check:
Don't let dumbbells drift apart or crash together at the top. Breathe in as you lower the dumbbells. Breathe out as you press the dumbbells back up.
Pro tips:
• Start with lighter weight than you think
• Keep shoulder blades pulled back and down
• If bench feels unstable, ask gym staff for help
3. Dumbbell Bicep Curl
In this classic arm move, you hold a dumbbell in each hand and curl them up toward your shoulders.
What you need: Two dumbbells
Targets: ✅ Arms
Here’s how:
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells at sides
Keep elbows close to your body throughout
Curl weights up by bending at elbows only
Squeeze biceps at the top of the movement
Lower dumbbells slowly back to starting position
Keep core engaged and avoid swinging
Form check:
Don't rock or swing—keep your body still and let your biceps do all the work. Breathe in as you lower, breathe out as you curl up.
Pro tips:
• Start with lighter weight than you think
• Focus on the squeeze at the top
• Control the lowering portion—that's where the magic happens
4. Single-arm Dumbbell Row
In this exercise, place one knee and hand on a bench, and your other foot on the floor for support, then row a dumbbell up to your ribcage with your free arm.
What you need: One dumbbell and a bench
Targets: ✅ Back ✅ Arms
Here’s how:
With right foot on the floor, place left knee and left hand on bench for support
Hold dumbbell in right hand, arm hanging straight down
Keep back flat and core engaged
Pull dumbbell up to ribcage, leading with elbow
Squeeze shoulder blade toward spine at the top
Lower with control back to starting position
Complete all reps before switching sides
Form check:
Don't rotate your torso—keep hips square and pull straight up. Breathe in as you lower the dumbbells. Breathe out as you drive hips forward.
Pro tips:
• Think "elbow to ceiling" not "hand to ceiling"
• Pause briefly at the top
• Keep supporting arm straight and strong
Your Log Sheet SESSION 1: Week 1 - 4
DOWNLOAD Your printable Log Sheet
SESSION 1: 28-Day Strength Training Jumpstart
LET’S GO! 🏋️♀️ SESSION 2
This is the second session every week
SESSION 2: Weeks 1 - 4
DOWNLOAD Your printable Training Card
SESSION 1: 28 Day Strength Training Jumpstart
SESSION 2 STRENGTH MOVES
1. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
In this move you hold two dumbbells and hinge forward at your hips, lowering the dumbbells toward the floor while keeping your back straight, then return to standing.
What you need: Two dumbbells
Targets: ✅ Hamstrings ✅ Glutes ✅ Lower back
Here’s how:
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells in front of thighs
Keep knees slightly bent throughout the movement
Push hips back and lower dumbbells by hinging at hips
Keep chest up and dumbbells close to legs
Feel the stretch in your hamstrings
Drive hips forward to return to standing
Focus on the hip hinge—this is NOT a squat
Form check:
Keep your back neutral and chest proud. Breathe in as you lower the dumbbells. Breathe out as you raise the dumbbells back up.
Pro tips:
• Start with very light weight to learn the pattern
• Keep dumbbells touching your legs
2. Dumbbell Overhead Press
Sometimes referred to as a shoulder press, start with dumbbells at shoulder height, press them straight up overhead until your arms are fully extended, then lower back down.
What you need: Two dumbbells
Targets: ✅ Shoulders ✅ Arms ✅ Core
Here’s how:
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, core engaged
Hold dumbbells at shoulder height, palms facing forward
Press weights straight up overhead without arching back
Keep dumbbells aligned over shoulders throughout
Lower with control back to shoulder height
Keep core tight to prevent back arch
Form check:
Press straight up, not forward—imagine sliding up a wall behind you. Breathe in as you lower the dumbbells. Breathe out as you press the dumbbells back up.
Pro tips:
• Start seated if standing feels unstable
• Don't let dumbbells drift forward
3. Dumbbell Split Squat
In this strength move your the top of your back foot is on a bench behind you as you squat down on your front leg. Work one leg at a time.
What you need: Two dumbbells and a bench
Targets: ✅ Legs ✅ Glutes ✅ Core
Here’s how:
Stand 50-90cm / 2-3 feet to the side of a bench, holding dumbbells by your sides
Place top of back foot on bench behind you
Squat over front foot by bending front knee until thigh is parallel to floor
Keep most of your weight on front leg
Drive through front heel to return to starting position
Complete all reps on one side before switching
Form check:
Keep torso upright, front knee tracking over toes. Breathe in as you squat down. Breathe out as you return to standing.
Pro tips:
• Start with bodyweight only
• Focus on the front leg doing 90% of the work
• Don't push off back foot
4. Lat Pulldown
This strength move uses either a lat pulldown machine or a cable machine with lat pulldown attachment. Most gyms have both or either. In this exercise you grab the bar overhead and pull it down to your chest, working your back muscles.
What you need: Lat pulldown machine or cable machine (with lat pulldown attachment)*
Targets: ✅ Back ✅ Arms
Here’s how:
Sit at lat pulldown machine, thighs secured under pads
Grab bar with wide, overhand grip
Lean back slightly, chest up and proud
Pull bar down to upper chest, leading with elbows
Squeeze shoulder blades together at bottom
Control the weight back up without letting it slam
Keep core engaged throughout
Form check:
Pull to your chest, not behind your neck—keep the movement in front of your body. Breathe out as you pull the bar down. Breathe in as you allow the bar to rise.
Pro tips:
• Focus on pulling with your back, not your arms
• Think "elbows to back pockets"
• Don't lean too far back
• If you can’t find the lat pulldown machine, or don’t know how to use the cable machine for a lat pulldown, don’t hesitate to ask someone. My experience is that everyone loves to help.
*No access to a Lat pulldown machine?
This Standing Bent-Over Dumbbell Row uses two dumbbells and targets the same muscles:
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, leaning slightly forward, back at a 45° angle, shoulders pulled back with chest proud.
Start with arms hanging straight down, dumbbells positioned in front of your knees
With palms facing your knees and eyes looking forward, lift your elbows until they are almost parallel with your shoulders
Lower the dumbbells slowly back to the starting position. Repeat.
Breathe out as you lift. Breathe in as you lower.
Your Log Sheet SESSION 2: Week 1 - 4
DOWNLOAD Your printable Log Sheet
SESSION 2: 28-Day Strength Training Jumpstart program
Beyond the Jumpstart
After the Jumpstart, congratulate yourself. You’re up and away. But this is just the beginning. Keep the momentum going. This is where you make real progress. The real transformation happens when you continue building on this foundation.
The 12-week Program
It’s called the 28-Day Strength Training Jumpstart because the first month is about building the foundation for sustainable, long-term progress.
Here’s how to turn it into 12 weeks.
Cycle 1 (weeks 1-4):
Focus on learning the correct form and techniques, improving form and understanding your baseline in terms of your strength and best weight range for each exerciseCycle 2 (weeks 5-8): Now you're really working with your true strength levels
Cycle 3 (weeks 9-12): This is where you will feel properly challenged, and where you’ll really start to see transformation of your body, strength and confidence.
Remember to continue with every 4th week as a deload week: this prevents burnout, and supports muscle growth and safe progress.
Stay consistent and in 10-12 weeks you’ll see real gains.
The Fit & Fierce 50+ Challenge
YOUR MISSION FOR THE WEEK AHEAD
The "I Made It to the Gym" Challenge
This week, your mission is simple but powerful: get yourself to the gym and take a selfie! It doesn't matter if you're just touring the facility, doing your first workout, or simply standing in the weights section looking slightly terrified. Share your gym selfie in our chat and let's cheer each other on. Whether it's your first time or your comeback 📸 💪
What's next?
THE MOVE YOUR BODY SERIES
Part 5: Functional Fitness
It’s not just the years in your life it’s the life in your years!
We're saying NO to losing our independence
We’re saying YES to a lifetime of capability
Simple ways to train your body for a lifetime of freedom
SUBSCRIBE NOW SO YOU DON’T MISS A THING.
The Move Your Body series
FITNESS FOR WOMEN 50+, SORTED!
Part 1: The science of exercise
How you move determines how you age—find Part 1 here
Part 2: Let’s go cardio!
Let's get real! The truth about cardio—find Part 2 here
Part 3: The 10-minute at home workout
Four snackable take-anywhere power moves, and the speedy circuit to transform how you age—find Part 3 here
NOW!
Part 4: The girls’ own guide to weight training
A simple gym program to jumpstart your weight training at any age.
NEXT
Part 5: Functional Fitness
Train your body for a lifetime of capability.
The Cardio Reset Handbook
Your 18-page Cardio Companion
It’s a coach, planner, tracker and journal, in one.
Download here.
A Note About Safety
This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor or healthcare provider before changing your exercise program.
If you experience faintness, dizziness, pain, or shortness of breath at any time while exercising, stop immediately and seek medical advice.
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With many thanks in advance for your support,
Brodee xox
This is incredibly generous of you to share. Thank you!!
I’ve been looking for something exactly like this! Thank you!