Menopause changes how the body handles bones and muscle, and experts say exercise can play a role in supporting both. In an AP report published Jan. 10, fitness coach Sarah Baldassaro of Alexandria, Virginia, described starting strength training after turning 50 with guidance from a coach. Baldassaro, who said she was 52 at the time of the interview, told AP that she felt stronger overall than she ever had at any age. She also said her fitness level was “much more like when I was in my early 30s.” Medical experts told AP that strength training can help keep bones and muscles healthy after menopause, when estrogen loss speeds up reduction in bone density and contributes to gradual muscle loss. AP reported that strength training involves working against resistance, and that it may also help women maintain a healthy weight and stay on track with New Year’s fitness resolutions. “People underestimate how powerful it is,” said Dr. Christina DeAngelis, an OB-GYN at Penn State Health, according to AP. For what workouts can look like, physical therapist Hilary Granat said bone and muscle health are intertwined. She told AP that when muscle pulls on bone during resistance training, it stimulates bone-building cells. Granat said resistance can come from options such as dumbbells, free weights, or machines like rowers. AP described one example— a chest press— as lying back on a bench or the ground, pressing weights up from chest level, and then lowering them. Granat emphasized intensity, saying it is important to work “close to muscle failure” and adding, “You really have to push yourself.” AP reported that Granat’s guidance translates to lifting weights heavy enough to be challenging and doing somewhere between six and 30 repetitions. The article said people will know they are working hard enough if they begin slowing down in tempo or speed, or if they cannot do another repetition in good form. As a rule of thumb for a bicep curl, AP reported that novices can start at a lower end of a range that includes 5 pounds (2.3 kilograms) up to 20 pounds (9.1 kilograms). Baldassaro told AP she has increased her lifting over time and said she has worked her way up to 20 pounds (9.1 kilograms) for some exercises. She also said her health coach helped her expand her workouts beyond mostly cardio, and she credited strength training as a key change for her. “the strength training has really been the difference maker for me,” she said. The AP report said strength training does not necessarily require equipment, and it listed options such as pushups, squats, lunges, situps, crunches and planks. AP added that a person can also try squatting down with a back against a wall. DeAngelis told AP that even getting into and out of a chair can help, saying, “You have to engage your core going from sitting to standing,” and adding, “That also allows you to work on your coordination and balance.” AP also described “impact training,” saying it includes activities such as walking, hiking, running, jumping, skipping and climbing stairs. For one higher-impact option, AP said a “rebound jump” involves jumping up and down from a step 10 to 30 times. Granat said, “We’re not talking about jumping hard and fast and a lot,” and told AP that three times a week is enough. Beyond strength work, experts told AP that middle-aged women should include balance exercises because they help prevent falls that can break or fracture bones. The article listed tai chi and yoga, along with an at-home option of standing on one leg while brushing your teeth for around 30 seconds. AP also noted that balance exercises benefit younger people as well, and it said bone mass peaks at 25 to 30 years old and slowly begins to lessen around age 40. After describing improvements from her strength routine, Baldassaro advised others to start now. “Don’t wait. Get started,” she said.