In this episode we lovingly tear down a specific midlife strength training protocol for women being recommended by a popular OBGYN.
We love seeing the vast amount of education coming out from respective professionals, whose intention is to improve the health of midlife women.
But what happens when they drift out of their lane and into ours and start spruiking exercise prescriptions like a 4 x 4 protocol?
We’re all aware of the message ‘Lift Heavy Shit’ and now do ‘4 x 4’ (4 x sets of 4 reps), but simply following overly simplistic strength training advice like this can be ineffective or even unsafe without crucial context and individualisation.
Instead, we emphasise the need for a balanced, progressive approach that cycles through different training phases, gradually building movement patterns, volume, and intensity before attempting heavy low-rep training. Working at high intensities demands proper preparation to allow continued progression, prevent plateaus, and mitigate injury risk.
Tune in as we unpack this whole shenanigan.
• Experts should provide nuanced, individualised advice rather than overly simplistic recommendations that lack context and could be misunderstood or unsafe.
• Resistance training and sufficient protein intake are crucial during perimenopause and menopause for preserving musculoskeletal strength, mitigating symptoms, and promoting long-term health post-menopause.
• Building a strong foundation through proper movement patterns, higher rep ranges, and gradual increases in volume and intensity is necessary before attempting heavy low-rep training.
• A varied, balanced approach that cycles through different training phases is necessary for continued gains and to prevent plateaus.
• Progression and intensity are crucial for effective strength training, not just following fixed 12-week programs.
• Without proper intensity, lower rep ranges provide little benefit, so volume must precede intensity for progression.
• Understanding personal effort levels through practical assessments is crucial for appropriate autoregulation and tailoring intensity to individual capabilities.
• Fitness professionals should focus on progressive overload, movement efficiency, consistency, and creating a safe environment before adding specialised training protocols.
• Professionals should respect their scope of practice and direct clients to experts for guidance on topics like menopause, nutrition, and rehabilitation.
00:00:01) Problematic Perimenopause Protocol
(00:05:11) Perimenopause and Reproductive Years
(00:07:51) Strength Training Responsibility
(00:12:46) Importance of Progression
(00:19:55) Intensity and Effort Levels
(00:26:51) Polyquin 5×5 Protocol
(00:30:45) Considerations for Training Women
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