I didn’t start my strength journey until age 50. I’d been working out since I was 20 – I’d do some dumbbell exercises here and there in my 30s and 40s but I didn’t follow a plan and I wasn’t consistent. Instead, I was mostly a cardio queen, logging five miles (eight km) a day four to five days a week with a run club or as part of a marathon training plan with weekly long runs. If I wasn’t running, I was taking a cycling class or swimming laps.

But I literally ran myself into the ground – my body could no longer handle high-intensity cardio, and a series of injuries and a severe case of over-exhaustion eventually landed me in the hospital. I decided to scale back on running and turned to strength training workouts because I wanted to lose weight and grow muscle during menopause. I also knew strength training was crucial for bone health to prevent the risk of osteoporosis or bone density loss.

At 50, I picked up a kettlebell for the first time

Kettlebells were accessible at my local gym, so I hired a coach to teach me the proper mechanics and began kettlebell training five days a week. I missed getting a runner’s high, but I appreciated the variety of moves I could train with only one piece of equipment, and loved feeling strong. I even competed in a kettlebell competition after a few months of training and won in my age group.

At this point, I was hooked on kettlebell training, but I still craved more out of my workout routine. I wanted to utilise the entire gym in addition to kettlebells and become the strongest version of myself. So I hired another trainer and learned about barbell lifts (like back squats and deadlifts) and the concept of progressive overload (gradually increasing the intensity, volume, or duration of workouts over time to build strength).

For the first time in my life, I grew muscle, and felt powerful in a way running never made me feel. I continued heavy resistance training five days a week for the next 10 years.

Today, at 62, I still train hard, but now I give myself an extra day of recovery

My trainer still programs my workouts, and I focus on proper form, progressive overload, and compound movements (exercises that engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously). For lower-body workouts, I do a glutes and quads day, and a posterior chain day for my glutes and hamstrings. On upper body days, I hit chest, back, shoulders, biceps, and triceps. I do five to six moves per session, with two to three sets of 10 to 15 reps.

My favourite move is a Romanian deadlift (RDL) because they make me feel so strong and powerful. They’re a staple in my workout routine and I recently crushed a new PB of 10 reps at 91kg. By the end of this summer, my goal is to hit a 91kg RDL at the same rep range.

I haven’t returned to running, but I do 20 minutes on the elliptical three days a week for cardiovascular health and aim to get at least 10,000 steps a day. I also love to hike—within the past eight years I’ve hiked Mount Kilimanjaro, the Camino Portuguese from Portugal into Spain, and the O-Circuit in Patagonia, Chile, just to name a few. On most hikes, I carry a heavy backpack, so the muscle and endurance I’ve built in the gym totally pays off.

I count macros and honour the importance of protein

When I was a runner, I never followed a nutritional plan. I knew a balanced diet was important, but I fell into a pattern of restricting during the week and then having a free-for-all on the weekends. However, once I started consistently strength training, my trainer taught me how important it was to fuel my body to support muscle growth in menopause, so I began to count macros.

Now, I eat five meals a day and protein is my number one priority—I aim to eat one gram of protein per pound (2.2 grams per kilo) of ideal body weight. I meal prep every week, which sets me up for success and takes out the guesswork during mealtime. Eggs, lean meat, and Greek yogurt are my go-to sources, but I also love protein shakes and Barebells protein bars for an easy high-protein snack.

    These 3 factors were key to my strength transformation success1. I cultivated self-discipline and stick to a routine

      Motivation can be quick to go out the window, but I understand that self-discipline is the driving force of my success. There are plenty of days I would rather skip a workout, but I’m dedicated to my routine. To stay disciplined, I think about working out like brushing your teeth – after you’re consistent with it for so long, it becomes a healthy habit you don’t think twice about.

      2. I embraced progressive overload

        Having a routine is important for staying consistent, but that doesn’t mean I do the same workout every day. I repeat a lot of the same moves, but to get stronger, I always focus on progressive overload. Whether it’s adding an extra five pounds (2.5kg) to the barbell or tacking on two more reps to a set, gradually increasing the amount of stress on my body allows me to get stronger and build bigger muscles. Not to mention, bumping up the load helps me avoid plateaus where I can’t lift heavier and keeps things exciting.

        3. I set attainable goals

          I’m extremely goal-oriented, so I love working toward a new challenge. While it used to be running a marathon, I always have my sights set on a feat whether it’s hitting a new PB in the gym or hiking a difficult mountain range. My goals are never easy, but they’re realistic, and they push me to get better and stronger. There’s nothing better than relishing in the accomplishment of my wins.

          At 62, I’m still setting goals, pushing my limits, and getting stronger. Is it hard work? Absolutely. But can it be done? 100 percent. After all, age is just a number—not a limitation.

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