As a strength coach specialising in helping perimenopausal women future-proof their bodies, one of the most common questions I hear is: “Should I exercise at home or join a gym?” This question deserves a thoughtful answer, especially during perimenopause when making the right choice can significantly impact your consistency and results.

The Home Training Advantage for Perimenopausal Women

Through my years of coaching perimenopausal women in my 1:1 coaching and Strength Essentials programmes, I’ve seen so many clear benefits for the women who choose to train at home:

• Financial freedom: Saving money on gym memberships means more to invest in quality home equipment or coaching
• Maximum convenience: Lots of my clients literally roll out of bed and train in their pyjamas before the house wakes up!
• Time efficiency: Taking out travel time to and from a gym makes fitting strength training into a busy perimenopausal life much more manageable
• Symptom management: For women experiencing unpredictable perimenopause symptoms, home training removes the anxiety about having hot flashes in public

Real Results: Home Training Success Stories

Take my client Jenna, who has transformed her body and energy levels through only doing home workouts. With just two sets of dumbbells and a resistance band, she commits to three 30-minute sessions weekly in her spare room. This dedicated space has become her sanctuary from life’s demands.

Jenna has more energy, improved mental clarity, managed a stone of weight loss in her first 12 weeks, and consistent strength gains month after month. Her progressive programme proves that home training can deliver serious results when structured properly.

When the Gym Environment Shines

While home training works perfectly for lots of women, others thrive in a gym setting. My client Amy is the perfect example. She adds gym sessions seamlessly into her schedule, stopping before work, during lunch breaks, or on her way home.

What’s fascinating about Amy’s experience is how her relationship with the gym environment has evolved. “I feel almost invisible there – in the best possible way,” she tells me. “Ten years ago, I would have felt self-conscious and out of place, but now I’ve realised nobody is staring at me – they’re all focused on themselves. It’s incredibly liberating.”

Amy appreciates the equipment variety, so we incorporate 1-3 new pieces monthly to keep her interest, while still ensuring progressive overload. This approach keeps her engaged and consistently building strength during perimenopause.

The Transition Journey: From Home to Gym

Not everyone stays in one environment forever. Lucy’s journey shows how starting at home can build the confidence needed to eventually thrive in a gym setting.

Lucy began with home workouts, gradually building confidence with dumbbells. As her skills and comfort grew, she decided to try the gym. The key difference? She now had a structured plan and knew exactly what to do when she arrived. This took away the intimidation factor that previously kept her away.

Today, Lucy values how the gym creates separation between her home and workout life. When it’s busy, she simply grabs a few weights and finds a quiet corner for her 40-minute session.  She said last week on a Coaching Call “I can’t believe how comfortable I feel here now”.

Overcoming Home Workout Challenges in Perimenopause

Home training isn’t without obstacles. The two most common challenges my perimenopausal clients face are:

1. Distractions and boundary issues: From laptop temptations to family interruptions, home life can easily encroach on workout time. The solution? Establishing a dedicated space and time that’s protected as non-negotiable self care.
2. Equipment limitations: Many women worry they need loads of equipment for effective strength training. In reality, you can start with just your body weight and gradually add minimal equipment. For longterm progress, I typically recommend a resistance band and two pairs of dumbbells (one lighter, one heavier) – but the most important thing is simply getting started. Equipment can always come later.

Programming Approach: Surprisingly Similar

Here’s something that might surprise you: my programming approach doesn’t fundamentally differ between home and gym environments. The key is meeting you exactly where you are and designing your program around the time, energy, space, and equipment you have available.

A busy gym with limited equipment access can be just as restrictive as a minimal home setup. My job in both Strength Essentials and my 1:1 coaching is helping you get results regardless of your situation. The principles of progressive overload, proper form, and consistency apply equally in both settings.

Finding Your Perfect Environment: It’s Personal

I’ve noticed there’s no universal “better” option when it comes to home versus gym training during perimenopause. Success depends entirely on the individual:

• Some women thrive with the accountability of having others around them
• Others perform better with no audience
• Many find that a mixture of both environments works best

The approach I take with my clients is to start by identifying what you’ll actually enjoy. Enjoyment leads to consistency, and consistency leads to results. If you’re unsure which environment will work best, we can test both approaches and adjust as needed.

The Social Element: Community Without the Crowd

Many women worry about missing the social aspects of gym training when working out at home. Interestingly, I’ve found that lots of my perimenopausal clients are actually more introverted and prefer training alone or with just one other person, rather than in loud group settings.

For those who train at home, the benefits often outweigh any social considerations:

• Freedom to play their own music or have Netflix running
• No concerns about appearance or judgment
• The convenience of staying home

Additionally, my coaching app provides a sense of connection – clients often tell me it’s like having me in their pocket during workouts. Knowing I’ll see every workout they log creates accountability even without my physical presence.

Managing Perimenopause Symptoms: Home vs Gym

For women experiencing significant perimenopause symptoms, I usually find that home workouts lead to greater consistency. The reason is simple: there’s one less barrier to overcome.

When you’re dealing with disrupted sleep, unpredictable hot flashes, or mood changes, the thought of going to a public space can be overwhelming. At home, we can implement a simple but effective approach: “Just try the first 10 minutes. If you feel good, continue. If not, it’s okay to stop – you still showed up.”

This low-pressure approach helps women maintain their strength training practice even through challenging perimenopause symptoms, which is precisely when the benefits of strength training become most crucial for longterm health.

Making Your Decision: A Personalised Framework

When clients ask me directly whether they should train at home or join a gym, I guide them through some key questions:

• How much time do you realistically have available?
• Can you afford both a gym membership and coaching?
• What setup will most seamlessly fit into your current lifestyle?
• Which environment do you naturally lean toward?

The beauty of working with a coach is that your programme can evolve as your needs change. You’re not locked into one approach forever. Some of my clients start at home and transition to the gym as their confidence grows, while others do the reverse when life circumstances change.

The Bottom Line: Future-Proof Your Body Your Way

Whether you choose to train at home or at the gym, the most important factor is that you’re strength training consistently. In as little as one hour per week, you can build the strength, bone density, and resilience your body needs during perimenopause and beyond.

Both environments offer valid paths to future-proof your body – the key is choosing the one that you’ll actually stick with. And remember, with proper guidance, you can achieve amazing results in either setting.

If you could use more straightforward guidance that cuts through the noise around perimenopause, I can help:

1. Download my free “2 Session Strength Kickstart” guide – the perfect starting point if you’re not sure where to begin. Download Now →
2. Join my Midlife Strength Newsletter for weekly guidance on simple, effective strength training for perimenopausal women. Subscribe Here →
3. Explore personalised support options:
   • 1:1 Coaching: Get the same personalised approach that transformed Hannah’s fitness journey, tailored specifically to your needs, schedule, and goals.
   • Strength Essentials Programme: Learn the foundations of perimenopausal strength training with a progressive programme – so you don’t have to think about what to do, you just need to show up.