Strength Starts Here: A Beginner’s Guide to Deadlifts.
Strength training basics for women in midlife
We know that strength training isn’t just for bodybuilders, but starting something new when you may be feeling at your lowest can be a big challenge.
It’s hard enough dealing with strange perimenopausal symptoms, from palpitations to itchy ears, let alone shoving the gym bros aside so you can get your pump on.
But here’s the thing: strength training is one of the best things you can do for your body right now. I want to show you a great compound exercise that works multiple muscle groups—a move you will want to perfect!
My Story
I had wanted to start strength training for a while. I’d booked the “Learn to Deadlift” workshop at my local gym, hoping that would help me feel more confident using a barbell, but it turned out to be a big disappointment. An older gent and I were there for the 30-minute workshop. I’d been training with my own dumbells at home for a while and wanted to take my strength training further.
We started with the basics using only the bar. I found this move quite straightforward, but the older gent didn’t. We spent the whole session coaching him, and I didn’t progress any further—which I found highly frustrating.
I realised that I needed more help, so I researched and found a personal trainer that I was comfortable with and could tell all my health issues and strength goals.
My PT gave me the confidence to do gym sessions I would have never done on my own. I started doing two sessions a week with my PT, and she gave me a session to do on my own.
It has been the best thing I’ve done for my strength, fitness, and overall well-being. I would have never believed that when I started eighteen months ago, I was deadlifting a 20kg kettlebell; now, I’m deadlifting 80kg!
So, let’s start with deadlifts. Deadlifts are an excellent strength exercise for women in perimenopause and menopause due to their ability to address key physical and hormonal challenges during this life stage. These include muscle loss, reduced bone density, weight gain, and functional strength declines, all of which are common as oestrogen levels decrease.
Benefits of Deadlifts for Women in Perimenopause and Menopause
1. Builds and Preserves Muscle Mass
Why It’s Important: Oestrogen decline accelerates muscle loss (sarcopenia), reducing strength and metabolism.
How Deadlifts Help: They target multiple muscle groups (glutes, hamstrings, back, and core), building lean muscle and improving overall strength.
2. Promotes Bone Density
Why It’s Important: Women experience bone loss during menopause, increasing the risk of osteoporosis.
How Deadlifts Help: The weight-bearing nature of deadlifts stimulates bone growth, particularly in the spine, hips, and legs—key areas prone to fractures.
3. Improves Functional Strength
Why It’s Important: Everyday movements like bending, lifting, or carrying require strength and stability.
How Deadlifts Help: They mimic natural movement patterns, improving the ability to perform daily tasks and reducing the risk of injury.
4. Supports Weight Management
Why It’s Important: Menopause often leads to a slower metabolism and increased fat storage, particularly around the midsection.
How Deadlifts Help: Building muscle boosts resting metabolic rate, helping with weight management and reducing the “menopause belly.”
5. Boosts Hormonal Balance
Why It’s Important: Menopause affects hormonal health, leading to symptoms like fatigue and mood swings.
How Deadlifts Help: Resistance training, including deadlifts, can stimulate the release of growth hormone and testosterone, supporting energy levels, mood, and overall vitality.
6. Enhances Posture and Reduces Back Pain
Why It’s Important: Poor posture and back pain are common with ageing and muscle imbalances.
How Deadlifts Help: Strengthening the posterior chain (lower back, glutes, and hamstrings) improves posture and reduces strain on the spine.
7. Improves Balance and Stability
Why It’s Important: Menopause can affect balance and coordination, increasing the risk of falls.
How Deadlifts Help: Deadlifts engage stabilising muscles in the core, hips, and legs, improving overall balance and reducing fall risk.
8. Boosts Mental Wellbeing
Why It’s Important: Menopause often brings mood changes, anxiety, or depression due to hormonal shifts.
How Deadlifts Help: Resistance training releases endorphins (feel-good hormones), boosting confidence, mood, and resilience.
Why Should You Start with Deadlifts?
They are customisable: Variations like Romanian, sumo, or trap bar deadlifts can be tailored to different fitness levels or mobility limitations.
They are efficient. Deadlifts are a compound exercise that works multiple muscle groups simultaneously, maximising benefit in less time.
Beginners can start with light weights, kettlebells, or even a resistance band.
Safety Considerations
Prioritise Technique: Proper form is essential to avoid strain or injury.
Start Light: Focus on technique before progressing to heavier weights.
Warm Up and Cool Down: Incorporate dynamic stretches and mobility exercises to protect joints and muscles.
Listen to Your Body: Adjust intensity based on how you feel, especially if dealing with fatigue or joint discomfort.
Want to know how to do a deadlift? Here is a breakdown with form tips to get you started.
Steps for Proper Deadlift Form
Set-Up:
Bar Placement: Position the barbell over the middle of your feet (roughly at the laces).
Foot Stance: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes pointing slightly outwards.
Grip: Use a double overhand grip or a mixed grip (one palm facing you, one facing away). Your hands should be just outside your knees.
Engage Your Lats: Before lifting, pull your shoulder blades slightly down and back as if trying to "bend the barbell" toward you.
Position Your Body:
Hips: Start with your hips slightly above knee level but below shoulder level. Think of a hinge, not a squat.
Spine: Maintain a neutral spine with no rounding or excessive arching. Your head should stay in a neutral position, looking slightly ahead.
Shoulders: Keep them slightly in front of the barbell.
Core Engagement: Brace your core as if you’re about to take a punch. This protects your lower back.
The Lift:
Initial Drive: Push through your heels to start the lift, not your toes. Engage your hamstrings and glutes.
Bar Path: Keep the barbell close to your body throughout the lift, almost grazing your shins and thighs.
Hips and Knees: Extend your hips and knees simultaneously, standing tall without overextending or leaning back at the top.
Lockout:
Stand fully upright with the barbell in front of your thighs.
Engage your glutes at the top, but avoid leaning back or shrugging your shoulders.
Lowering the Bar:
Hinge at your hips first, pushing them back.
Once the bar passes your knees, bend your knees and lower the bar to the floor.
Keep control throughout; don’t drop the bar.
Key Tips for Beginners
Start Light: Use a lightweight barbell or even a PVC pipe/dowel rod to practice your form before adding weight.
Master the Hinge: Practice the hip hinge by standing in front of a wall, bending at your hips, and pushing your glutes back until they touch the wall.
Use a Mirror: Check your form in a mirror or record yourself to ensure your spine stays neutral and the bar path is close to your body.
Warm Up: Prepare with mobility exercises for your hips, hamstrings, and ankles, and activate your glutes with exercises like bridges or clamshells.
Focus on Core Engagement: Imagine bracing like you’re about to blow up a balloon. This helps you stabilise during the lift.
Avoid Overloading: Gradually increase weight as your form and strength improve. It's better to lift light with good form than heavy with poor technique.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Rounding the Back: Leads to injury risk. Keep the spine neutral.
Starting Too Low (Squat Deadlift): The deadlift isn’t a squat; avoid starting with hips too low.
Jerking the Bar: The lift should be controlled from the floor to the lockout.
Looking Up Too High: Maintain a neutral neck to avoid spinal strain.
Neglecting Core Engagement: A weak core increases the chance of back injuries.
The key to success is consistency, not perfection. Aim to include strength training in your routine two to three times a week.