Perimenopause is a time of significant change for women, both physically and emotionally. From hot flashes to mood swings, the symptoms can often feel overwhelming. One of the best ways to manage these changes and improve your overall well-being is through regular exercise. Staying active during perimenopause not only helps alleviate symptoms but also boosts your mood, improves sleep, and strengthens your body for the years ahead. Read on for seven great at-home workouts you can incorporate into your routine to help you function at your best in perimenopause!
Why Exercise Matters During Perimenopause
Exercise has numerous benefits that can help ease the transition through perimenopause. Here are just a few ways that staying active can improve your quality of life:
- Weight Management:As metabolism slows down during perimenopause, exercise helps to burn calories and maintain a healthy weight.
- Improved Mood:Physical activity boosts endorphin levels, which can help combat the mood swings, anxiety, and depression that are common during perimenopause.
- Better Sleep:Regular exercise has been shown to improve sleep quality, which is often disrupted during perimenopause due to symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats.
- Strengthened Bones and Muscles:Muscle mass and bone density decline at a much more rapid pace after menopause. Actively working to build muscle and bone strength now will help you build a hedge of protection against injury as you age.
- Stress Relief:Exercise helps to promote stress relief and relaxation.
Equipment Needed for These Workouts
Full disclosure, as a former gym owner, Crossfitter, and CrossFit coach…I like CrossFit style workouts. However, as a perimenopausal woman myself, I have toned the average CrossFit style workout down to be a reasonable challenge to the average 40/50-something-year-old female.
The reason I like this style of workout is that it incorporates weight training into a high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout, so you are reaping the benefits of building muscle AND cardio strength in one workout. These workouts are for beginners, so you don’t need a ton of equipment BUT you do need dumbbells!
How to Pick Dumbbells
Most women, especially if you are new to strength training, are going to be just fine starting out with 10-15 lb dumbbells. You can get them at any big box or sporting goods store, or if you want to get a set that will carry you through long-term, I like a multi-weight set like this one.Â
Other Equipment Needed
You will need an app on your phone to act as a timer. SmartWODTimer is free in the app store. Depending on the surface you will be working out on, I recommend a mat to put on the ground/floor or a large blanket to put on the grass. Don’t forget to have a speaker handy to have your favorite music on to power you through!
Now, on to the workouts!
Workout #1
Set your timer app to “For Time” and hit start before you begin; take note of how long it takes you so you can attempt to beat your time the next time you do the workout
Three Rounds for Time:
5 Burpees
10 Dumbbell Press
15 V-Ups
20 Reverse Lunges (step BACK from upright position, tapping knee on the ground. Front leg stays at 90 degree angle)
Workout #2
Set your timer app to “AMRAP” and set to 15 min, hit start before you begin
AMRAP (as many rounds and reps as possible) in 15 min – cycle through the movements continuously until the timer runs out)
Run 200 meters (pick a spot to run to, should take about 90 seconds there and back); Substitute 90 seconds of stationary bike or 250 meters of rowing
15 Goblet Squats (hold one dumbbell by the head with both hands close to your chin and pulled against your chest)
10 Push-ups (knee push ups are ok)
Workout #3
Set your timer app to EMOM for every 1 min, for 15 min
EMOM (every minute, on the minute) for 15 minutes (5 sets of each)
Minutes 1, 4, 7, 10, 13 – Mountain climbers (alternating legs, pull right leg up under you and then kick back out. Pull left leg up under you as right leg is extending back out – movement should be continuous and rapid). Continue movement for the whole minute interval until the clock beeps
Minutes 2, 5, 8, 11, 14 – Plank from elbows (try to hold for whole minute, make rests as brief as possible)
Minutes 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 – Dumbbell Deadlifts (hold one dumbbell in each hand instead of barbell as pictured) – do not round your upper back and squeeze your glutes throughout movement. Repeat reps slow and controlled for the whole minute.
Workout #4:
Set timer to “Tabata”, 8 rounds for :20 seconds work and :10 seconds rest. Hit + add sets, x 4 set and scroll rest to 0 minutes. Each movement will be for the full 8 rounds of 20 seconds of work with 10 seconds of rest, transition between the next set of movements will only be 10 seconds
Tabata 1 – Jumping Squats (perform a regular squat, exploding up from the bottom into a small jump at the top). You will continuously jump for :20 seconds with :10 second rests between for 8 rounds.
Tabata 2 – Leg Raises (repeat reps continuously during :20 second work periods)
Tabata 3 – Bicep Curls (slow and controlled; increase weight for harder challenge)
Tabata 4 – Bent over rows (slow and controlled; increase weight for harder challenge)
Workout #5
Set timer to “for time” and let it time how long it takes you; write down how long it takes you to complete workout
Three Rounds for Time:
200 Meter Farmer’s Carry – pick a point to walk to that takes about 2:00 total there and back. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, walk to the point and back. Increase weight for a harder challenge.
15 Glute Bridges
10 Floor Press with Dumbbells (think basically a bench press but laying on the ground). Increase weight for harder challenge.
Workout #6
Set timer to “for time”
Seven Rounds for time:
7 Burpees
7 alternating single-arm press (holding 2 dumbbells at the shoulders, press ONE arm up for 7 reps. When complete, rest that dumbbell at your shoulder and press the other arm straight up for 7 reps). Pick a challenging weight for the press, to where the 7th rep feels difficult.
Workout #7
“Butt Blaster”
Set timer to “for time” so you can time your rest
Complete 3 or 4 sets (depending on level of fitness)
20 Weighted Walking Lunges, or Alternating Reverse Lunges (hold a dumbbell in each hand while you lunge)
Rest 1 minute between sets
Cash out:
Side Plank Tabata – set timer to Tabata, x 2 sets with zero rest. Complete one tabata on one side, and a second tabata on the other. Try to hold each plank for the :20 second intervals.
A few tips:
These workouts can be scaled up or down in intensity by slowing down or speeding up the pace. If you are brand new to working out, take it slow and just get your body used to feeling the movements. After you have developed a baseline level of fitness, you can increase the difficulty by increasing the weight used as well.
One of the great things about timed workouts is being able to track improvement in fitness. Get a journal and write down how long it took you to go through the “For Time” workouts the first time through – keep up the consistency, repeat the workout in a couple of months and compare how you did on a repeat compared to the first go around!
If you have any confusion about how to perform a movement, just look up the name of the movement on YouTube and you will find some examples to follow.
Conclusion:
Exercise is one of the most powerful tools you can use to manage the symptoms of perimenopause and improve your overall health. Additionally, strength training in particular is vital for improving bone density and improving overall body composition. Aim for incorporating these type of workouts into your routine at least 3 times per week. Consistency will pay off!
Be sure to check out some of my related content:
Why you can’t lose weight after menopause
Supplements for weight loss that WORK
Why women should lifts weights and how to start
