8 Moves to Build Muscle and Boost Metabolic Health During Menopause

Menopause comes with lots of changes, but it doesn’t mean losing muscle is inevitable. Research shows that higher physical activity during premenopause, late perimenopause, and postmenopause is associated with greater muscle mass and reduced risk of bone density loss later in life.

“Start with compound strength exercises – squats, deadlifts, push-ups, rows, presses. ‘Compound’ just means the movement uses more than one joint during the exercise,” says Tina Tang, a National Academy of Sports Medicine-certified personal trainer and strength coach based in New York City, who works with women over 40. For example, a squat engages your hips, knees, and ankles all at once, she says: “So instead of one muscle doing the work, your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core are all firing together in a single rep. That’s what you want to prioritize in exercise.”

During menopause, estrogen levels drop, which can affect bone density and fat storage. Fortunately, strength training can also help offset those shifts, Tang says. Strength training, especially when combined with cardio, can help improve body composition, as well as metabolic markers like insulin sensitivity.

8 Strength Exercises for Better Metabolic Health During Menopause

Whether you’re new to exercise or are a seasoned athlete, try these exercises recommended by Tang and Logan Herlihy, a National Strength and Conditioning Association-certified strength and conditioning specialist and the director of strategic partnerships at Reformed Fitness in Nashville, Tennessee. They target multiple muscle groups throughout the body to ensure that you get a full-body workout.

FAQ

Is this workout safe and appropriate for everyone?

Generally, yes, but working with a certified personal trainer is strongly recommended, especially if you’re new to weights and machines, to ensure that you know what you’re doing and how to use the equipment correctly.

If you have a health condition or injury that could interfere with your ability to safely exercise, it’s a good idea to check with your doctor before trying a new workout.

What equipment will I need?

Use 5- to 12-pound dumbbells. Beginners can use their body weight and work up to 5-pound dumbbells. The goal is to complete the recommended number of reps, while also feeling like the last 2 to 3 reps are challenging to do with good form.

Any tips for the exercise machines?

Choose a weight that allows you to do 15 to 20 reps with good form. “If it’s your first time choosing a weight, pick something that isn’t too heavy and that you can do 20 reps with, then adjust from there,” Herlihy says.

How do I warm up?

You can warm up by walking, biking, or using an elliptical for 5 to 10 minutes before you start your workout, Herlihy says.

How often should I do the workout?

Aim to do these exercises 2 to 3 times a week, but not on consecutive days, Herlihy says.

1. Reverse Lunge

This single-leg exercise not only strengthens but also works on stability and balance, Tang says. “Lunges train the stabilizer muscles around your hip and ankle that keep you steady on uneven ground or stairs,” she explains.

Start standing with your feet about hip-width apart and your arms at your sides. If you’re using dumbbells, hold a weight in each hand with a neutral grip (palms facing inward). Take a big step back with one foot. Slowly lower your hips until your legs form 90-degree angles. Push your front foot down to stand back up, and return your back foot to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 8 reps on each side.

“The slower you lower, the more time your muscles spend under tension, which is where a lot of the strength-building actually happens,” Tang says.

2. Romanian Deadlift

Romanian deadlifts strengthen the muscles along your posterior (backside) chain, including your glutes and hamstrings. These muscles don’t get used often in daily life because many of us sit on a chair all day, Tang says.

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs, palms facing in. Brace your core. With a slight bend in your knees, hinge your hips back and lower the weights toward the floor until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Your torso will bend forward as you lower the weights; make sure to pack your shoulders down to maintain a straight, neutral spine. You will typically feel a stretch midway in your shins or slightly above. Push your feet into the floor to drive your hips forward, and stand back up. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.

“In this hip hinge movement, bending at the hips with a slight knee bend loads your hamstrings and glutes. Keep the dumbbells close to your legs the whole way down, like you’re sliding it along your shins. If it drifts away from your body, your lower back takes on work it shouldn’t,” Tang says.

3. Standing Overhead Press

Pressing weight overhead builds the muscles in your shoulders, upper back, and core all at once, Tang says.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and hold a dumbbell in each hand in the front-rack position (one end of the dumbbell is resting by your shoulder). Your wrists should be straight. Maintain a straight back as well, and stand tall to keep your hips stacked above your knees throughout the movement. Bracing your core and tightening your entire body, press the dumbbells overhead with your biceps by your ears. Avoid enlisting your legs to press the weights overhead. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps.

As you press the weights overhead, “Squeeze your glutes and brace your abs like someone’s about to punch you in the stomach – that keeps your rib cage stacked over your hips instead of letting your back arch as the weight goes up,” Tang says.

4. Incline Push-Up

A push-up is a full-body compound exercise. Your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core all fire together to hold your body in a straight line while doing the exercise, Tang says. “Elevating your hands on a counter or couch arm allows you to get the full depth of position by off-loading some of your body weight. That can be helpful if you’re unable to press up from the floor,” she says.

Place your hands about shoulder-width apart on an elevated surface, such as a bench. You can also use the wall, a kitchen counter, or a sturdy box. Get into a plank position by stacking your shoulders directly over your wrists and extending your legs behind you. Keep your body in a straight line from your head to your heels throughout the movement. Brace your core and tighten your quads and glutes. Lower your chest toward the bench by bending your elbows. Your elbows should make a 45-degree angle with your body. Push your hands into the bench to press yourself back up to a plank. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.

5. Weighted Step-Up

A weighted step-up mimics many essential activities in daily life, like climbing stairs or walking upward on a slope, Tang says.

Stand in front of a bench, box, or step with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides. Brace your core and stand tall. Step your right foot onto the bench and push through your entire foot to drive your body up and bring your left foot onto the bench. Make sure to stand up completely with both feet on the bench. Step back down with your right foot, then bring your left foot down to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 8 reps on each side. To modify this exercise, ditch the weights and use your own body weight.

“Step and drive through the midfoot, not just your toes. Stand up completely on top of the step before bringing your other leg up,” Tang says.

6. Leg Press

Herlihy recommends a leg press, especially if you’re new to training, because it helps target large muscle groups from the waist down, including your core, quads, hamstrings, and glutes. Hitting these large muscle groups makes your workouts more efficient and allows you to build more muscle overall, he explains. Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat.

Sit down on the leg press machine and adjust the seat so that your legs are bent at just above 90 degrees and your feet are flat and hip-width apart. Your shins should be perpendicular to the floor. Choose a weight that you can use for 15 to 20 reps. The last 2 to 3 reps should feel challenging enough that if you were to add another rep, you wouldn’t be able to do the exercise with good form, also known as training close to failure. Brace your core to stabilize your spine. Press your feet down and move the footplate away from your body, extending your knees and hips so that your shins are parallel to the ground. Avoid locking out your knees, lifting your butt off the seat, or rounding your lower back. Pause briefly, then slowly return to the starting position and allow the footplate to move toward you.

If you don’t have access to a leg press machine, Herlihy suggests doing a goblet box squat: Holding one heavy dumbbell in front of your chest, lower your hips down until your butt barely touches the box, then stand back up.

7. Seated Chest Press

This exercise works the entire anterior (front) of your body above the hips, including your chest, shoulders, and triceps, Herlihy says. Again, he recommends choosing a weight that will allow you to complete 15 to 20 reps with good form, while getting within 2 to 3 reps of failure.

Sit down on a chest press machine and choose an appropriate weight. Adjust the seat height so that the handles are aligned with your nipples and your elbows are below your shoulders. Your back should be firmly against the seatback, and your feet should be flat on the floor. Hold onto the handles and keep your wrists in a neutral position. Brace your core to stabilize your spine. Press the handles away from your body and fully extend your arms in front of you, but don’t lock out your elbows. Keep your head and spine straight, and your shoulders packed down. Pause briefly, then allow your elbows to bend and return to the starting position.

If you don’t have access to a chest press machine, Herlihy recommends doing a floor press with two dumbbells or a chest press on a bench. The movement is similar to that on the machine: Lie down on the ground or a bench. With a dumbbell in each hand, extend the weights in front of your chest, then slowly lower them toward your chest. Your arms should form 45-degree angles with your torso. Then press the weights back up.

8. Lat Pull-Down

Using a supinated (underhand) grip activates your biceps, in addition to the exercise targeting your traps (the triangular-shaped back muscles that run from the top of your shoulders to the middle of your back), rhomboids (bilateral upper back muscles), and posterior (back) delts, Herlihy says. Just like the leg press and chest press, he recommends choosing a weight that allows you to do 15 to 20 reps with good form and get within 2 to 3 reps of failure.

Sit down on a lat pull-down machine and extend your arms overhead to grasp the handles. Hold the handles with a supinated (underhand) grip. Your wrists should be just inside shoulder-width apart. Sit up tall with your core braced and your shoulders packed down. Anchor your lower body by adjusting the thigh pad so that it rests on the top of your thighs.

With your legs anchored to the thigh pad, pull the handles down toward the top or middle of your chest. Finish with your elbows at the sides of your torso. Keep your head aligned with your spine. Pause briefly, then allow the handles to move back overhead to the starting position.

If you don’t have access to a lat pull-down machine, you can do the same exercise at home with a long resistance band. Tie the band at the top of a door or sturdy pole. Sit down on the floor facing the door and extend your arms to grasp the band. With your core braced and your shoulders packed down, pull the band toward the top or middle of your chest. Pause briefly, then extend your arms back up to the starting position.

The Takeaway

• During menopause, estrogen levels drop, which can affect bone density and body fat distribution, but you can offset these changes with strength training.

• Focusing on compound strength exercises – moves that work multiple muscle groups and joints at once – can help you improve overall strength, bone density, and body composition.

• Doing functional exercises, such as overhead presses, lunges, weighted step-ups, and lat pull-downs, targets large muscle groups and allows you to carry out everyday activities with more ease.

EDITORIAL SOURCES

Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.

Resources

2. Belly Fat in Women: Taking – and Keeping – It Off. Mayo Clinic. July 12, 2026.

4. Khalafi M et al. The Effects of Exercise Training on Body Composition in Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Endocrinology. June 14, 2023.

5. Hang Su et al. Effects of Resistance Training and Aerobic Training on Improving the Composition of Middle-Aged Adults With Obesity in an Interventional Study. Scientific Reports. September 30, 2025.

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