Women in Chandigarh navigating perimenopause and menopause are increasingly turning to strength and weight training — not for aesthetics, but to manage hormonal shifts, preserve mobility and stay independent.
At 67, entrepreneur Dimple Minocha says strength training has “revolutionised” her life. A former tennis and squash player who later took up golf, she began lifting weights during a visit to her daughter in Hyderabad. “The persistent aches, pains and weak knees seem to have vanished. I feel strong, alive, and fitter than some of my younger friends,” she says.
Former competitive golfer Shona Singh, a certified menopause coach and CrossFit trainer at Shruglife, trains women in peri and post-menopause. She warns that conventional workouts often fail women in this stage. “Unlike men, training fasted increases oxidative stress and slows metabolism in women. Even something simple like a banana with peanut butter before a workout helps,” she says, stressing the need for timely nutrition within 30 minutes post-exercise.
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Hormonal changes during menopause can accelerate muscle loss and bone thinning, says Dr Balvin, consultant obstetrician and gynecologist, Livasa Hospital, Mohali. “Strength training two to three times a week preserves muscle, improves bone density, boosts mood, and supports healthy weight management,” she says.
For 51-year-old educator Priti Teja, lifting weights shifted the focus from the scale to function. “My knees, which used to ache, feel strong. I want to be independent when I’m older.”
Flatlining hormones during menopause can increase inflammation, reduce insulin sensitivity, and impair muscle regeneration, making low-rep, heavy-weight training the most effective, says Singh. “High aerobic activity alone fails to change lean body mass, but lifting improves neuromuscular integrity, bone density, balance and glucose control.”
Neetu Katyal, 50, a fine art photographer, says her programme has improved her strength, mobility and energy. Natasha Gill, 58, a banker, took up strength training after knee pain and menopause weight gain. “Now I can do push-ups, lift heavy suitcases and even do heavy gardening work,” she says.
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Vikram Kapoor, Fitness, Lifestyle and Nutrition Coach and founder of UR Fitness Personalized, says resistance training paired with adequate protein is key. “Cardio won’t save joints and cutting food won’t fix hormones. Women have to build strength from the inside out. Once they shift their mindset, their body starts working for them again.”