When women ask me about the best exercise routine for perimenopause, they’re often expecting a complicated answer – some secret formula that will magically solve all their symptoms. But after years of working with perimenopausal women, I’ve found that the answer is both simpler and more personalised than most expect.
The Strength Training Advantage in Perimenopause
Strength training stands out as the most efficient type of exercise during perimenopause, and for good reason. While all movement is beneficial, strength training offers unique benefits that directly counter the challenges of this transitional period:
- Building physical and mental strength – There’s something deeply empowering about feeling strong during a time when many women feel their bodies are becoming unpredictable. This confidence extends beyond the gym into every aspect of life.
- Preserving and building muscle mass – As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass unless we actively work to maintain it. More muscle means a higher metabolism and countless health benefits, including greater longevity. Research consistently shows that people with more muscle simply live longer.
- Protecting bone density – This is perhaps the most critical benefit. We all begin losing bone density by our 30s, and this process accelerates during perimenopause as oestrogen levels decline. I’m walking proof that strength training can reverse this process – I had osteopenia (the stage before osteoporosis) after I went through early menopause, and have successfully rebuilt my bone density through consistent strength training.
The “1 Hour a Week is Enough” Reality
One of the biggest myths I come across is that you need to exercise intensely 5+ days a week to see any benefit during perimenopause. This simply isn’t true, and often leads to the all-or-nothing approach that derails progress.
Take my client Sarah, for example. When she first came to me, she was exhausted – mentally from juggling two kids, ageing parents, and a full-time job, and physically from waking up with daily aches and pains and frequent injuries. She carried that constant worry that she wasn’t looking after her body properly and felt it was “all downhill” now that she was entering perimenopause.
Today, Sarah does just two 30-minute strength training sessions at home each week. That’s it – one hour total. Yet she’s building muscle, reducing body fat, and experiencing more physical energy throughout her day. Perhaps most importantly, she uses these sessions as mental self care – her time to shut away all the external noise and recharge. Instead of feeling drained by the “chore” of exercise, she feels energised and in control.
Common Exercise Mistakes During Perimenopause
The biggest mistake I see perimenopausal women make with exercise is overcomplicating things. They try to juggle multiple types of workouts, follow conflicting advice, and end up exhausted or injured.
Strength training efficiently checks lots of boxes: improving heart health, building muscle mass, increasing bone density, and enhancing general fitness. It truly gives you the most return on your time investment – and it’s my goal to take you from confused to confident.
The other major mistake is the all-or-nothing mentality. Women believe they need to commit to an intensive routine or it’s not worth doing anything. This perfectionism leads to burnout and inconsistency – the exact opposite of what works during perimenopause.
Making Strength Training Non-Intimidating
So many women find the idea of strength training intimidating, especially if they’re beginners. Here’s how I make it accessible:
- Home-based options for those who find gyms intimidating
- One-on-one support rather than group settings (where comparison is inevitable)
- Private technique sessions in my gym for those who want personalised form guidance
- Fully customised programming that fits into your actual life, not some idealised version of it
Everything is modified to you as an individual with zero judgment – it’s all about what fits into your life and helps you feel better each week than you did the week before.
The Mental Side of Perimenopause Exercise
All my clients are navigating perimenopause during an especially challenging period of life with multiple competing priorities. It’s my job to help you put yourself on the list – even if you’re not at the top.
I understand how hard it is to carve out time for yourself when everyone else seems to need you. That’s why I emphasise that it genuinely doesn’t matter whether you can fit in one longer session per week or five 10-minute sessions – whatever you can do, I’ll create a program that fits into your real life and gives you energy rather than depleting it.
Strength training becomes not just physical self care but mental self care – a time when you’re fully present in your body rather than caught in the mental load that so many women carry.
Do Exercise Needs Change Throughout Perimenopause?
Here’s a myth I want to bust: you don’t need a special “perimenopause plan” that’s fundamentally different from other strength training. The science of building strength doesn’t change based on your hormonal status.
What does change is your energy levels, available time, desired outcomes, and mental bandwidth. That’s what needs personalising – not the fundamental principles of effective strength training.
Some days you’ll have more energy than others. Some weeks will be more demanding than others. The key is having a flexible approach that can adapt to these natural fluctuations rather than fighting against them.
Future-Proofing Your Body
When I talk about “future-proofing” your body during perimenopause, I’m focusing on three key areas:
- Bone density – So if you fall, you won’t break a bone
- Balance – So you maintain independence for as long as possible
- Functional strength – So you can continue doing the activities you enjoy without your body holding you back
These focus areas directly counter the most common physical limitations that can develop as we age, helping you maintain quality of life for decades to come.
Balancing Different Types of Movement
There’s no single ideal ratio of strength training to cardio to flexibility work that applies to everyone. The most important factor is that you enjoy what you’re doing enough to stick with it longterm – that’s what delivers real, sustainable progress.
In an ideal scenario, aim for strength training 2-3 times per week, with additional cardio if you enjoy it. The beauty of well-designed strength training is that it also improves mobility and flexibility over time – giving you multiple benefits from a single type of exercise.
Real Results and Timeframes
My perimenopausal clients typically experience improvements in this pattern:
- Within weeks: Increased physical energy and mental clarity (reduced brain fog and stress)
- Within months: Noticeably more strength and energy in daily life, plus reduced health anxiety because they’re taking control of what they can
- Within a year: Measurable increases in bone density and muscle mass
These aren’t marketing promises – they’re consistent patterns I’ve observed across years of working with women in this life stage.
For Those Who’ve “Tried Everything”
If you feel you’ve tried everything for perimenopause symptoms without success, I understand your frustration. The difference with my approach is that it’s truly individualised – not just in theory but in practice.
Every programme I design is tailored to the specific woman I’m working with, based on where she is right now, not where she “should” be. We reassess and adapt monthly, ensuring the programme evolves as your body, life, and needs change.
I’m here to support you throughout this journey and help you build something you can genuinely maintain. Perimenopause isn’t a problem to be “fixed” – it’s a transition to be navigated with the right support and strategies.
The Bottom Line
The best exercise routine for perimenopause is one that:
- Prioritises strength training for its bone, muscle, and metabolic benefits
- Fits realistically into your life without causing additional stress
- Adapts to your changing energy levels and needs
- Serves as both physical and mental self care
- Can be sustained consistently over time
Remember that even one hour a week is enough to make a meaningful difference. The perfect routine isn’t the one that looks most impressive on paper – it’s the one you’ll actually do week after week, month after month, as you navigate this important life transition.
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.