As a strength coach specialising in helping perimenopausal women future-proof their bodies, I’m always asked about exercises that should be avoided during this transitional phase. While lots of fitness coaches offer lengthy lists of “forbidden” movements, my experience coaching perimenopausal women has led me to a more nuanced perspective that I’m excited to share with you.
The Most Important Exercise to Avoid in Perimenopause
After years of working with perimenopausal women through my 1:1 coaching and Strength Essentials programmes, I’ve identified the single most important exercise to avoid:
Any exercise you genuinely dislike.
This might sound overly simple, but it’s SO important. When you’re navigating the hormonal shifts of perimenopause, forcing yourself through workouts you dread creates additional stress on an already taxed system. This approach:
- Raises your stress levels
- Creates negative associations with movement
- Reduces longterm adherence
- Diminishes the mental health benefits of exercise
If you hate the gym environment, you absolutely don’t need to exercise there to get results. If traditional cardio feels like punishment, there are numerous other ways to maintain heart health. The exercise that will truly future-proof your body is the one that you enjoy – because you’ll actually do it consistently.
Beyond Enjoyment: Efficiency Matters
When energy and time are limited (as they often are during perimenopause), exercises that work tiny, isolated muscles become increasingly impractical. Instead, focus on movements that give you the most “bang for your buck” by engaging multiple muscle groups at the same time.
This approach allows you to future-proof your body in as little as one hour a week, making strength training sustainable even during the most challenging perimenopause phases.
Finding What Works: A Client’s Transformation
My client Lucy’s story perfectly illustrates the power of finding the right exercises for your perimenopausal body. When she first came to me, Lucy was following a generic fitness programme that left her exhausted and discouraged. Her symptoms were worsening despite her consistent efforts.
Through our work together, Lucy discovered movements that not only suited her changing body but actually energised her. Today, she approaches her training sessions not as obligations but as opportunities for headspace and stress relief. The transformation in her attitude toward exercise has been amazing to see – she now WANTS to train because she’s found what works for her unique needs.
This shift from exercising out of obligation to exercising for empowerment is what I strive to help all my perimenopausal clients achieve.
The Evolution of My Coaching Approach
I’ll be completely honest: my recommendations about exercises for perimenopausal women have evolved dramatically throughout my coaching career. For the first decade, I was that coach who gave everyone the “perfect, optimised” plan with complex exercise sequences and rigid schedules.
Then I experienced early menopause myself, and everything changed. I finally understood what my clients were going through. This was a revelation: they don’t need the perfect plan – they need a plan they can actually stick to that makes them feel great.
This personal experience transformed my approach to coaching perimenopausal women. Now, I focus less on theoretical optimisation and more on practical sustainability and enjoyment.
The “Core” Misconception
There’s no area of fitness that is more misunderstood for perimenopausal women than “core training.” Most clients come to me wanting to “work their core,” which usually translates as getting a flatter stomach – a totally valid goal.
But, the traditional approach of endless crunches and sit-ups isn’t the way to do it.
These exercises often place unnecessary strain on the spine.
They work a few surface level muscles, and neglect other crucial muscles.
They rarely give the aesthetic results women are looking for.
And they can exacerbate pelvic floor issues, which are so common in perimenopause
Your core isn’t just your abdominal muscles – it’s your entire trunk, including abs, obliques, lower back, pelvic floor, and even your glutes. This entire system needs to work together to support your spine and body.
The clients I train who ultimately achieve the flattest stomachs aren’t those doing hundreds of crunches. They’re the ones who:
- Work their entire core system holistically
- Improve overall posture and alignment
- Hold themselves taller through functional strength
- Combine thoughtful strength training with appropriate nutrition
This comprehensive approach not only delivers better aesthetic results but also creates the functional strength that truly future-proofs your body.
High-Intensity Adjustments for Changing Bodies
Many perimenopausal women previously thrived on high-intensity workouts but now find these same sessions leave them depleted rather than energised. This shift doesn’t mean you have to abandon intensity altogether, but it does take some strategic adaptation.
With my clients who face this challenge, we focus on two key areas:
- Workout modification: Adjusting exercise selection, rest periods, and session length to ensure workouts give them energy, rather than draining it.
- Nutritional support: Emphasising proper fuelling before workouts and prioritising recovery nutrition afterwards.
Remember that muscle building happens between your workouts, not during them. This means we need a more rounded approach than simply “work at 100% intensity for results” – especially during perimenopause when recovery capacity often changes.
The Problem With Mainstream Fitness Advice
I could go on all day about this – but these are my top 2, because they’re especially problematic for perimenopausal women:
1. Daily Workouts
The idea that effective fitness means doing daily exercise just creates unnecessary pressure and usually leads to burnout. Most perimenopausal women don’t have the time or energy to exercise every day – and importantly, the science doesn’t support it as optimal.
Strategic, progressive training with good recovery will always give better results than daily sessions, particularly for strength development and hormonal balance.
2. Bodyweight-Only High-Intensity Workouts
While these workouts are popular and convenient, research consistently shows that progressive strength training gives the most significant benefits for midlife and perimenopausal health.
This doesn’t mean you need to lift heavy weights immediately, but it does mean that gradually increasing resistance over time – rather than relying solely on bodyweight exercises – gives better results for:
- Bone density
- Metabolic health
- Body composition
- Muscle maintenance
The Key: Personalisation
Perhaps the most important aspect of my approach to exercise selection during perimenopause is personalisation. There is no universal list of exercises all perimenopausal women should avoid, because each woman’s experience is unique.
In my 1:1 coaching, I:
- Meet each client exactly where they are
- Consider their injury history, exercise background, preferences, and current symptoms
- Create individualised programmes that respect their body’s current needs
- Adjust recommendations as their perimenopause journey evolves
The Bottom Line: Listen to Your Changing Body
If there’s one message I hope you’ll take from this discussion, it’s this: perimenopause isn’t a time to fear exercise or obsess over a list of “forbidden” movements. Rather, it’s an opportunity to develop a more nuanced relationship with your body and discover the types of movement that truly serve you now.
Through my Strength Essentials programmes and 1:1 coaching, I’ve helped countless women navigate this transition by focusing on what their bodies CAN do rather than what they should avoid. This positive, empowering approach helps women future-proof their bodies in as little as one hour a week, creating sustainable strength that supports them through perimenopause and beyond.
Your perimenopause journey deserves an exercise approach as unique as you are – one that energises rather than depletes, strengthens rather than strains, and ultimately helps you feel at home in your changing body.
If you could use more straightforward guidance that cuts through the noise around perimenopause, I can help:
- Download my free “2 Session Strength Kickstart” guide – the perfect starting point if you’re not sure where to begin. Download Now →
- Join my Midlife Strength Newsletter for weekly guidance on simple, effective strength training for perimenopausal women. Subscribe Here →
- 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.