It’s not about backing off from hard training, but about being smarter and more strategic. Many women going through menopause respond better to shorter, more focused sessions that balance challenge with recovery. It supports lean mass, bone density and metabolic rate – and helps reduce visceral fat around the abdomen. This may work for both sedentary people and athletes. Zinc may promote testosterone production in the testes. Taking 6 grams reduced levels. Benefits include practical tips to keep you healthy and vibrant, up-to-date health news explained simply and clearly, and special promo codes to use for our online courses, special reports, and more. Some gyms try to make women more comfortable by offering day care on site. "Most women have tried to achieve the perfect body for decades, and it only leads to a sense of failure," she said. Women embarking on strength training should do so with an empowering and realistic message, advocates say. Whether that’s hiking, swimming, rucking or playing five-a-side, long-term success comes from building a lifestyle around physical activity, not just ticking off workouts. One of the simplest ways to improve body composition over 40 is to stay consistently active between sessions. For others, it might mean structured sessions focused on interval work, sled pushes or circuit-style training. Strength training should form the backbone of any over-40 program – but conditioning still matters. "You should exercise to keep your endurance, lean muscle, and low body fat, which will, in turn, keep you healthy," El-Zawahry says. For example, research has found that men who performed resistance training several times per week experienced increases in testosterone immediately after workouts and improvements over time. Over time, consistent resistance training also supports muscle growth and strength gains. But with research mounting on the benefits of resistance training, experts say a few things need to change at the gym to make it more enticing to women. One 2016 study found that men who followed an eight-week weight training plan while fasting for 16 hours a day lost some body fat, but didn’t gain any strength. Fasted strength training also tends to prompt the body to rely more on fat than carbs—similar to fasted cardio—so the strategy may help with body composition if fat loss is your goal, some research shows. That’s why we use warm-ups to prepare the muscles and joints for the exact movement patterns ahead, rather than wasting time on generic stretching or lengthy foam rolling routines. Especially over 40, where time, energy and recovery capacity are often limited, training should focus on quality. As you get older, the goal of training is not just lifting heavier – it’s creating more muscular tension with less joint strain. It’s a more joint-friendly approach that builds muscle, reinforces good movement, and keeps progress steady without grinding the body down. Machines, cables and dumbbells all offer different resistance profiles that challenge muscles while being more joint-friendly than always using barbells. Older clients respond best to consistent, repeatable training sessions that minimise niggles and allow uninterrupted progression over time. However, it consistently improves strength, fitness, and body composition.27 In other words, the hormonal shifts from exercise are not the primary goal—they are part of the pathway toward better body composition, strength, and metabolic health. Inadequate sleep, energy intake, or excessive training volume—all common risks in competitive CrossFit—can blunt the testosterone response and even lower baseline levels over time. According to a 2020 review of CrossFit programs, six months of training led to sustained testosterone increases in men alongside lower cortisol levels.