Why Women—Especially as They Age—Should Lift Weights
Recently, while I was coaching our EMPOWER (Women’s Only) class, a couple of members shared that they’ve never been to a workout class before that had long rest breaks, referring to the 90-second wait after a superset before they weren’t instructed to start a new set. They were curious the “why” behind my programming. This felt like the perfect opportunity to explain how EMPOWER is different than most women’s workout classes in the area as well as address their question to the masses because if they’re wondering, I’m sure other women are, too!
First, EMPOWER isn’t your typical “boot camp” or HIIT style class experience. It’s nothing like Les Mills BodyPump either— and I say this being a former BodyPump instructor. The goal isn’t simply to make you sweat while elevating your heart rate. Can those things happen? Sure. But, that is not the overall objective. Simply put, EMPOWER was forged for women interested in increasing STRENGTH, BUILDING MUSCLE and developing POWER, specifically.
If you’ve ever worked with me, you know that I strongly advocate a regular strength training routine for women and encourage “heavy” lifting. “Heavy” is always relative, not only to the person, but to how they’re feeling on any given day. That “difficult, but doable” sweet spot— as I often describe it—is where the magic happens in EMPOWER. If you’re lifting at the appropriate intensity to meet the required stimulus, you should want the built in rest breaks after your sets. Your energy system and muscles shouldn’t be able to jump back into another high-quality set without one.
SIDE NOTE: To help better understand that concept, we use what’s called the Rate of Perceived Effort—or RPE— scale in class. It’s a numerical scale, ranging from 0 to 10, used to measure the intensity of physical activity based on how hard someone feels they are working. With 0 representing rest and 10 an all-out, maximum effort— think can’t mutter more than a single word, can’t do a single rep more and/or feels impossible to continue. In EMPOWER, to get results, we work at a 7-9 RPE range, which for our purposes, is lifting at a moderately heavy to heavy effort, but not to complete failure— or at least not intentionally.
Their question brings up an important distinction: strength vs. hypertrophy vs. power vs. muscular endurance.
What’s the Difference— and Why Do Women Need to Lift Weights?
Each training style serves a unique purpose:
Strength: Training with heavy loads (1–6 reps per set) to increase your ability to produce maximal force. It's essential for building a strong foundation and is tied to improvements in the central nervous system, coordination, and stability. This is lifting at more than 85% of your 1-Rep Max (1RM). Generally, recovery breaks look like 2:00 - 3:00 b/w sets.
Hypertrophy: Focused on muscle growth, usually through moderate weights and 6–12 reps per set. This training increases muscle size and can be achieved across a broad range of loads when taken close to failure. You should be working at 70-85% of your 1RM. Recovery ranges from 30 seconds to 90 seconds between sets.
Muscular Endurance: Involves lighter weights and higher reps (12–20+ reps) to improve the ability of a muscle to sustain repeated contractions over time. Think longer efforts and stamina-building workouts. This should be training less than 70% of your 1RM. Recovery between sets is 30 seconds or less.
Power: The ability to exert force quickly—typically trained with explosive movements and lighter to moderate loads moved fast, like Olympic lifts or plyometrics (e.g box or broad jumps). You need strength to build power, but power adds the speed element. Similar to pure strength, you should be working at 85%+ effort of the 1RM with 2:00+ recovery between sets.
Why Women Need Strength and Power as They Age
With age and menopause, strength and power decline first. That’s why simply increasing lean mass without also increasing strength and power isn’t the best long-term approach. Strength is not just about muscles—it’s a central nervous system adaptation that improves neural pathways, cognitive function, and coordination, all critical as we age.
Lifting heavy is also essential for:
✔️ Boosting metabolism and supporting fat loss
✔️ Building and maintaining bone density (reducing osteoporosis risk)
✔️ Improving cardiovascular health
✔️ Enhancing functional independence (strong muscles = more confidence in daily life)
Additionally, women naturally have fewer type II (fast-twitch, power-producing) muscle fibers than men. That’s why lifting heavy and training for strength, power, and force production is crucial—especially post-menopause.
Why Power Matters for Women
Strength is essential, but power is equally important. Power is the ability to generate high force in a short period of time, which translates to speed, agility, and resilience—things we need for everything from quick reactions (catching yourself from a fall) to athletic performance.
To build power, you need to be strong first. That means:
Lifting heavy (3 to 5 sets of 6 or fewer reps)
Incorporating explosive movements like plyometrics and Olympic lifts
The Bottom Line
Yes, women can build some muscle with high reps and light weights—but for optimal strength, performance, and independence with age, women should prioritize heavier weights and lower reps, particularly with compound lifts like deadlifts, squats, and lunges. These movements distribute force across major muscles, connective tissues, and joints, making them far more effective than isolated movements like arm curls or leg extensions.
So absolutely lift weights—but lift heavy weights. You’ll appreciate your quality of life in your golden years!
