It’s hard to believe that Good Morning Britain’s Ranvir Singh has a wake-up call of 3am when she looks as glamorous as she does on our screens.

And recently, fans have noticed that the presenter, 48, has a new glow about her, having lost weight and, by her own admission, healed her relationship with food.

"You’ve always looked good [but] at the moment you’re absolutely glowing," gushed a fan under one of her stunning Instagram snaps.

Another said, "You look in sensational shape and you’re so naturally beautiful," as a third added, "She’s lost weight and looks great."

Over the last year, Ranvir has been hitting the gym and taking her fitness more seriously - embracing the gym and getting into strength training.

Speaking to Good Housekeeping, the mum-of-one explained, "It’s since I started at a little women-only one, and it’s made me realise how intimidated I had been, often feeling that gyms were somewhere that I didn’t belong. But since I joined this gym, I’ve actually wanted to go."

Discussing the benefits of weight training, Celebrity Nutritionist Gabriela Peacock explains, "As we enter our late 40s and early 50s, preserving lean muscle becomes increasingly important - not just for tone and strength, but for overall metabolic health. Weight training helps to maintain muscle mass, which naturally declines with age, and this supports a more efficient metabolism, stronger bones, and better balance."

She adds, "It’s also a fantastic way to improve insulin sensitivity and support long-term weight management. When combined with good nutrition, including enough protein, fibre, and key micronutrients, weight training can make a huge difference to energy levels and body composition."

On top of weight training, Ranvir has worked with a nutritionist to heal her relationship with food - something she says has been "an eye-opener" and helped ease her anxiety.

"I have a very deep-rooted compulsive eating/food addiction type experience with eating... since I was about 12. Nutrition education is only the very last piece of a complicated, messy, life-long jigsaw that I've struggled to solve," she told The Express.

"I desperately want to break the cycle of weight loss and weight gain, but more importantly, to remove the awful grey cloud that I know so many of you, like me, have constantly hanging over your head."

Over-eating and emotional eating are something Gabriela sees time and time again with her clients. "So many of us turn to food for comfort or stress relief - and that’s completely human. The key is learning to pause and recognise what you’re really craving: is it food, or perhaps rest, reassurance, or distraction," she says.

Gabriela advises, "Focus on creating realistic routines that fit naturally into your lifestyle. You can absolutely enjoy a biscuit or a glass of wine - it’s all about balance.’ She adds, ‘Real-life wellness isn’t about perfection, it’s about feeling good and finding balance."

This is particularly important to remember today, when so many are relying on quick fixes like weight-loss injections - something Ranvir presented an ITV program on.

‘Healthy weight management should never rely on extremes. The most sustainable results come from consistent, balanced habits rather than quick fixes,’ says Gabriela. For those seeking a ‘more natural, everyday approach’ to weight loss she recommends GP Nutrition’s Fibre Capsules and MetaboliseMe. Gabriela explains, ‘My philosophy is always to empower my clients to find what works for their body long-term, not just what’s easy and works fast.’

This article was originally featured in Woman magazine.

Discover GP Nutrition’s healthy weight management supplements at https://gpnutrition.com/products/metaboliseme

I remember the first time I walked into a gym for a strength training session over 15 years ago. I was 30 years old and thought I was well past feeling intimidated to walk into a gym. I was wrong. I looked around at everyone else wearing all the ‘right’ kit, lifting weights I could only dream of doing, and immediately wanted to leave.

But despite feeling completely out of my depth, something made me stay. And it didn’t take long to realise showing up was one of the best decisions of my life, and that all of my preconceived notions of lifting weights were wrong.

Someone who knows these misconceptions of strength training better than anyone is fitness expert Caroline Idiens. Having worked as a PT for over 25 years, Caroline has helped hundreds of women realise the life-changing benefits of strength training, physically and mentally through her online fitness platform Caroline’s Circuits. Keen to dispel strength training myths and help even more people, Caroline has shared her expertise in her first book Fit at 50 - a guide to help women on the path to a stronger, fitter and happier (mid)life in just 6 weeks.

Fit at 50’s step-by-step style breaks down everything you need to get started with strength training over six weeks, including simple home workouts to follow, advice on sleep and nutrition, and tips on how best to future-proof your body in midlife and beyond.

In a woman&home exclusive, I spoke to Caroline to debunk some of the most common strength training myths - and she revealed why getting started with strength training at home is much easier (and way less scary) than you might think.

1. It's all about aesthetics

“A myth we have all grown up with is exercise equals how you look, but the way you feel when you lift is a game-changer for me," says Caroline. "It’s about inner confidence as you get older – anybody from 30 onwards when they start to lift weights has this feeling of empowerment. It’s a confidence where people look stronger, but they also feel stronger, and the ability to do everyday tasks becomes a little bit more manageable."

2. You need to spend hours doing it to see or feel any benefit

“It’s not the time you spend exercising, it’s what you’re doing in that time," she tells me. "You could go into the gym for an hour and not be particularly focused, but with a tried and tested routine that a trainer has written for you, the intensity and performance in 15 to 20 minutes can actually be better than the hour.

“I grew up in the cardio era, where it was all about spending an hour on a treadmill – you had to spend a huge amount of time exercising. But with strength training you only need 20 minutes of a really structured strength programme, working on maybe two muscle groups, and you can do so much. Bite-sized chunks of exercise really add up and can make a huge difference to your physical and mental strength.”

3. Strength training is just for body builders

“We need to break this barrier of the body-building image of lifting weights and what that conjures for most people is a picture of men in gyms lifting huge barbells. And that, when you say to people ‘I’d like you to lift weights’, unfortunately, is the first image they go to.

“It creates a feeling of intimidation of going into the gym where you think everyone else knows what they’re doing. They’re all wearing the best kit, they’ve all got huge equipment, and they’re all bulking up. For most people when you say ‘I teach strength training classes’, that’s what they think I do.

“The reality is, the strength training I do is about exercises that are going to help you day-to-day and keep you stronger into your 80s. It’s about functional movements, like a lunge with rotation, which mimics the way you would move to get out of a chair or in and out of a car or the bath. It’s about getting stronger through movements that are going to count.”

4. You need a gym

“The joy of doing strength training at home is you take out that awful comparison with people in a gym. There’s none of that at home, but you need to pay close attention to technique and form," she says.

In Caroline's book, there are QR codes for warm-up and cool-down demonstrations and images that break down each movement, so you have everything you need to get started.

5. You need lots of equipment

“You don’t need to lift heavy to start - you can use a can of beans or water bottles. It’s not about going out now and buying 10kg kettlebells. I think this is the worry - people think they’d love to start exercising but can’t because they need so much equipment. You can start from body weight and go from there.”

Fit at 50 is available to buy now. For more home strength exercises, check out Caroline's 30-minute online classes at Caroline's Circuits, where you can use the exclusive code woman25 for 25% off your first month.

Strength training has become a big part of my life over the last couple of years, and a weighted vest and a pair of ankle weights have become my go-to on days when I can't get to the gym. But which one is better?

Of course, getting to the gym for strength training is ideal. My local one has more weights than I do at home to increase the load when I need to and I try to get there whenever possible - but life often gets in the way. These simple weights clip on easily so I can work out as I get on with my day.

As Annabelle Smith, personal trainer and wellness coach, says: "Adding on additional weight is a great way to intensify your activity, without adding any more time or making it feel much harder."

Weighted vests for walking and ankle weights have become increasingly popular over the last year as more women have discovered the pros (and cons) of both. Here, we look at both in detail and speak to experts in women’s fitness to find out if one type is better for keeping strong and healthy with age.

Benefits of weighted vests vs ankle weights

For strength

A weighted vest can offer a full-body workout if you wear one during a dedicated strength training session, says Emma Simarro, a personal trainer and the founder of Building Body Confidence. "It works many muscles, including the lower body, core, back and shoulders, and provides a great full-body workout. The harder you work, (e.g. the more squats and lunges you do), the harder the muscles will have to work to keep up with the extra resistance."

To get stronger, you have to push the muscles beyond their natural capabilities - a process known as progressive overload. A weighted vest can help you do this.

While ankle and wrist weights can help if you are very new to strength training, you'll be limited to certain exercises. There's no point doing a squat wearing ankle weights as you won't get any of the resistance. Also, the weight won't push you once you've been training for a few weeks as these straps tend to be very light.

Ankle weights are also better for isolating and strengthening particular muscles, rather than a full-body workout. “For example, a wrist weight may be a good option for someone performing bicep curls (an isolated exercise)," she says.

However, either option can be a good choice for anyone with wrist problems or injuries, with approval from a physician. “I have used weighted vests with clients who have had an upper-body injury - such as a fractured wrist - but have been keen to continue their training whilst recovering. Weighted vests are a great alternative to dumbbells or kettlebells as there's no need to worry about grip strength," says Simarro, and ankle weights work similarly.

Winner: Weighted vest

For maintaining bone density and muscle

I have joint hypermobility syndrome so staying strong and fit is a big priority to protect my body from arthritis or osteoporosis. I'm also aware of the role menopause plays in this risk. Women are at risk of osteoporosis when they reach perimenopause and menopause as we no longer have the protective effects of oestrogen, which is why it’s important to maintain bone density with one of the many types of strength training.

Personal trainer Anya Russell says wearing a weighted vest while doing squats, lunges, or walking helps with this. "The increased load also stimulates bone growth”, she says. They also offer more load as vests are heavier than ankle weights.

But, as Simarro points out there's not a huge benefit of one over the other, provided that the weight isn't too easy. "We know that women in midlife need to be lifting weights to maintain and build muscle mass and protect their bone density. Without it, we are losing both and these have huge health implications as we age, including conditions such as sarcopenia (low muscle loss) and osteoporosis (brittle bones). Therefore, anything that adds extra resistance will help protect against these conditions that impact as many as 1 in 4 women over 65.”

Winner: Either option - but go for a weighted vest if you've been working out for a few months at least

For losing weight

Wearing a weighted vest - whatever its weight - will undoubtedly make your cardiovascular system and muscles work harder. In turn, this means you’re more likely to be burning more calories.

If weight loss is your goal, a vest will be more effective than ankle or wrist weights because it’s heavier.

However, the most effective tool here will be the one that encourages you to move the most. If your weighted vest is too challenging, chances are, you'll avoid wearing it and won't get out for that all-important movement that helps a calorie deficit. In that case, ankle weights are the better choice.

Weighted vests are heavier than ankle and wrist weights because the weight can be spread over a larger area of your body. This means your body might tire and ache faster than if you wear the lighter bands on your limbs. When I wore my weighted vest for walking, I found its snugness across my chest quite claustrophobic and it made my shoulders ache, limiting how much I could do. I experience discomfort when wearing the bangles - apart from muscle fatigue from the exercises.

Winner: Weighted vest

For cardio exercise

PT Russell says the “extra effort required when wearing the vest while walking or hiking is great for cardio training” because the muscles, heart, and lungs work harder. Even just wearing the vest for a few minutes a day and building up, as I did, might help improve stamina and fitness.

A weighted vest distributes the load evenly across your upper body and fits snugly. You can adjust it, and many come with small pockets for storing gels or other essential items. “Weighted vests provide more overall resistance, engaging core muscles, and supporting full-body strength development, especially in the chest, back, and legs,” says Russell.

They are not recommended for high-intensity classes like running or HIIT as the weights in the vest will move around too much, which may lead to strain injuries. However, unless you're doing a HIIT workout or running without a weighted vest experience, it's going to be a better idea to wear a weighted vest vs ankle weights in the long term.

“Wearing ankle weights for a walk, for example, can lead to muscular imbalances as they challenge some muscles (our quads) more than others (our hamstrings)," says Simarro.

Winner: Weighted vest

For yoga and Pilates

While I love running and many women continue to run well into later life, many of us choose to opt for lower-impact exercises like yoga mat workouts or full-body Pilates workouts routines due to the risk of injury, joint discomfort, and changing hormone levels. This is where ankle weights come up trumps.

"These are best for low-impact workouts or those new to strength training," says fitness trainer Rachael Sacerdoti. "Leg lifts, squats, lunges, and kickbacks can be done with ankle weights to boost the intensity and calorie burn."

Winner: Ankle weights

Drawbacks of weighted vests vs ankle weights

• Ankle and wrist weights work smaller muscle groups: "Wrist and ankle weights are great for working the muscles in the limb they’re attached to but are not the right product for a full-body workout," says Simarro.
• Wrist weights can cause joint strain: "Wrist weights can strain the joints, leading to injuries if used during an activity such as walking or aerobics, where the movement patterns are less controlled," she says.
• Vests are not advised for higher-intensity workouts: If you're a newcomer to running, avoid wearing a weighted vest. "The weights will move around too much (especially on some heavier vests), so you're more prone to injury. They will make you sweat a lot too. In general, weighted vests are better suited to those who enjoy walking vs running.”
• Think twice about weighted vests if you have back problems: “Before adding a weighted vest, it is important to wear it properly, engaging your core and standing with good posture. If you have any lower back issues, get advice from your doctor or healthcare practitioner as a weighted vest would put more pressure on your spine."

The w&h verdict

Our experts agreed that weighted vests and wrist and ankle weights can add extra spice to your exercise regime. However, they work very different muscles and should be used differently. The consensus was that weighted vests are better for maintaining bone density, improving strength and muscle mass, and maintaining joint health - all very important for women over 45.

Wearing one - even just for a short walk - can help improve fitness and strength. Various weight options are also available, so there’s a vest to suit everyone regardless of fitness level. When choosing a vest, pick one up to 5% of your body weight.

That being said, all wearable weights can help increase muscle mass and bone density - and if you're planning on doing more Pilates and yoga than walking or strength training, ankle or wrist weights will probably be a better option.

Jessica Alba is a regular gym-goer - her Instagram feed often showing off her latest workout. And her most recent post shows her wearing some must-have accessories for strength training and improving overall fitness.

The actress is seen switching between cardio and strength exercises, all the while wearing a lace-up weighted vest, weight lifting gloves and a heart rate monitor on her upper arm. All of these accessories are must-have items, not just to get the best of your training sessions, but to stay safe and comfortable in the gym.

Jessica's workout gear is also perfect for when the temperature drops. her full-length leggings, long white gym socks and simple white t-shirt keeping her cool and comfortable. The high shine on her leggings elevates her simple look – there's definitely a case for these sculpting, highly flattering bottoms to feature in our pick of the best black gym leggings.

Shop Jessica's workout style

If you're new to weighted vests, one of the beginner options above is a great place to start to up your fitness levels and add some intensity to your workouts. Much like a running vest, a weighted vest is designed to fit over your back and chest, with either a clasp or velcro to help it secure at the front. Weights included - either built in or removable - add extra resistance to your movements, therefore upping the intensity of your exercise overall. It forces your body to work a little or a lot harder, depending on how much weight is added, and can therefore be really beneficial and helpful towards long term fitness goals.

You can also see Jessica chooses to wear weight lifting gloves, which can be an overlooked accessory when strength training. The heavier the weights, or if you're new to it, the skin on your hands can get sore or rip quite quickly, and gloves do a brilliant job at protecting them from that. They also add a layer of cushioning that makes handling weights much more comfortable, and really helps with grip.

Jessica is also wearing a heart rate monitor on her upper arm, which is something well worth researching if you want to keep track of your performance, and stay within a safe heart range rate while exercising.

Women are often told that strength training is the way forward to prevent some of the more challenging, long-term symptoms of menopause. It's also a huge mood booster and a great way to stay fit.

As if we needed another reason to start strength training, a new study conducted on those of early retirement age has found that lifting heavy weights consistently for one year can offer up to four years of benefits. 

The study, led by the University of Copenhagen and published in the BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine, reviewed a cohort of almost 500 people from the Live Active Successful Ageing (Lisa) study, a randomised controlled trial, over one year. At the end of the trial, participants had an average age of 71. 61% of the group were women.

Researchers measured participants' leg strength across three different types of exercise - heavy strength training, moderate-intensity training, and a regular active lifestyle - over one year. Those lifting heavy weights worked out three times per week at a private training facility (i.e. a gym), while those in the moderate exercise group worked out once a week at a hospital and the other two at home. 

Following up two and four years later, researchers found that those on the heavy strength training program maintained their leg strength up to four years after the year-long program, while those in the other two groups had lost leg strength. 

Given that all participants were regularly active, recording an average of 10,000 steps on a fitness tracker during the study aside from the strength training, it's fair to say the study isn't representative of the regular population. However, researchers said: "This study provides evidence that resistance training with heavy loads at retirement age can have long-term effects over several years."

What is heavy strength training?

So, what do you need to do to reap these benefits? The group that participated in heavy strength training used exercise machines, including the leg press, chest press, low row, and leg curl machine to achieve the results. Each exercise involved three sets of six to 12 repetitions, between 70% and 80% of the maximum weight they could lift for one repetition - known as the one rep max. 

To replicate these results, you can complete similar exercises at the gym or try strength training for beginners at home. The key isn't so much in the equipment used, it's in the weight. Provided you are lifting a heavy weight - one you can comfortably move for a few repetitions but will struggle to lift towards the end of the set - you can reap the benefits with all types of strength training. 

How you lift the weight is also very important to get the movement right and, importantly, to avoid injury. If you're new to strength training, consult a personal trainer. 

It's easier to lift a heavier weight with a machine at the gym than with dumbbells at home as a machine supports the surrounding muscles, whereas a dumbbell will force you to use them to balance yourself. You also don't have to lift the weight with your arms to move into the starting position on a machine but you would with a dumbbell workout, so you're limited by your grip strength.  

The moderate-intensity group trained completed circuits with bodyweight exercises - including squats, press-ups, seated rows - and resistance bands. 

Is heavy weight training good for you?

Yes, as the study suggests, heavy strength training has some major benefits. Increased leg strength is particularly beneficial in retirement age as it coincides with the postmenopausal period, where conditions such as osteoporosis can develop as lower oestrogen levels caused by menopause trigger a loss of bone and muscle mass without a resistance training intervention. 

We naturally lose muscle mass with age as well, and experts have long said that length strength is also a big predictor of death in older people.

The study also showed that levels of visceral fat - considered the 'most harmful' type as it's stored around the organs in the body - stayed the same in the two active groups but increased in the group that didn't do any additional training. So while there wasn't much evidence to support the idea of strength training for weight loss, another argument was certainly made for the benefits of strength training for weight management. 

This is the latest study to highlight the benefits of strength training for women. Earlier this year, a study led by the University of Limerick and the University Iowa offered even more evidence of the benefits of strength training for reducing anxiety and depression, while other studies have highlighted the benefit of exercising even for just 30 minutes on sleep quality.

Strength training is one of the main activities perimenopausal women are encouraged to take up - but the gym isn't for everyone. Luckily, other types of strength training are available too. Here, writer Jen Barton reveals how she learnt to love lifting again by throwing out the rulebook. 

A specific image comes to mind when I think of strength training. I’m in my early 20 in a gym in my hometown of Manhattan. I'm surrounded by equipment I have no idea how to use. A super-muscly man is barking orders at me. “Don’t stop! Keep lifting!” I want to run away, cry, disappear. My arms are killing me. The weights are too heavy. I would rather be anywhere else. This isn’t a recurring nightmare though - it’s a memory. A core memory I’m pretty sure my brain filed under the heading: “This is why we never lift weights.” 

I assumed the problem was me, rather than the training style, and I was certain that I hated weightlifting after the experience - an opinion that remained until fairly recently. In my 40s, I found my way back. My style isn’t conventional and my path doesn’t look like most people’s, but it works for me and if you've had a similar negative experience or want to exercise outside the gym, it may work for you too. 

Types of strength training 

1. Exercise snacking

I found gyms off-putting in my early 20s when I was at peak fitness, after spending my teens training as a classical ballet dancer, and by the time I was ready to get back into fitness in my 30s, gyms seemed possibly intimidating. Four babies and knee surgery hadn't left me in great shape. My core was a mess, I had hip problems and pains in my other leg from overcompensating for my bad knee, and I didn’t have the lung capacity to run after a bus without gasping for air. 

I knew I had to do something. So, on a doctor's recommendation, I started spinning at home during the pandemic and found my enthusiasm for workouts slowly returning. But I still worried about doing anything beyond this - and I didn’t have the time or inclination to exercise for longer than 20 minutes. I didn't know it at the time but this 20-minute exercise burst is known as 'exercise snacking' - and it's a perfectly good way to get a daily dose of exercise into the day. 

Joanna Train, a sport and exercise psychologist with Optimise Potential Sport, says it's a training method that works for many clients who say they don't have time to work out. "Going to the gym for an hour can be overwhelming, whereas fitting in 10 minutes at home regularly can help build a long-term habit. Working out from home also eliminates barriers like cost, accessibility, and time. With strength training, repetition and frequency are really important to build a habit." 

I found this type of exercise was all about committing to moving my body instead of scrolling on my phone, for example. Nowadays, I squeeze in power walks while running errands, take a brain break with a 10 to 20-minute yoga class in my bedroom, and spend five minutes doing core exercises at home in front of the telly. You could also try a weighted vest for walking, which adds extra resistance to daily movements around the house and any exercise you do outside.

2. Home workouts

I thought I enjoyed going to boutique fitness classes in gyms and studios before I started working out at home, but truthfully, I could never relax. I would stress about getting there on time, worry about the cost of each session, and feel like none of the thousands of fitness classes fit into my schedule.

I also have issues working out in front of other people. It makes me feel self-conscious rather than motivated - or worse, I get ultra-competitive and push myself to do things my body can’t manage.

This isn’t uncommon. As Maddy Weaver, a PT who trains her clients in London’s GYMPODS (private workout PODs kitted out with functional cardio and gym kit), explains: “Most of the commercial gym spaces tend to be quite male-dominated, and I think for a lot of people who are coming back to exercise, wanting to try strength training or new mums, there is this sense of ‘gym intimidation – gymtimidation.’” 

A private space - like your living room, spare room, or back garden, improves your focus, so you can get your workout done. "A distraction-free environment is good at the beginning for people to take the time for themselves, to focus on what they’re doing, and not compare themselves to others,” she says. 

Though my workouts happened at home alone, I had a guide and an online community via Peloton - one of the best strength training apps - and their Strength team, specifically Callie Gullickson. I gravitated towards Callie’s classes as her playlists felt fun rather than terrifying, and she was heavily pregnant while teaching. Seeing her lifting while six, seven, and eight months pregnant made me feel confident that I wouldn’t injure myself if I followed her instructions. She always showed modifications too, which was perfect for me as a newbie with a very-far-from-rock-solid core.

Once I got into a groove over days, weeks and months, my body started telling me when I was ready to take things to the next level. Otherwise known as progressive overload, I found could increase the weights and the number of reps I could do. 

3. Barre and Pilates

I started my strength training journey at home by going to my comfort zone, aka low-impact, bodyweight-based strength training classes like barre (a ballet-inspired workout) and Pilates. As a former dancer, these felt like a homecoming of sorts, and I’d been doing Reformer and mat Pilates on and off since my teens, so I knew the moves by heart.

Both barre and mat Pilates are ideal for strength-training newbies like myself. They are types of strength training that focus on micro-movements and repetition, isolating specific muscle groups and primarily using body weight for resistance. You can do Pilates for strength training as the exercise also strengthens and elongates muscles. It can help with mobility, posture, injury prevention, and rehab too. Research by La Trobe University even found that Pilates not only positively impacted participants' core muscle strength, but did so while reducing chronic back pain.

Sticking to a routine felt manageable once I committed to 10 minutes of exercise daily, a few times a week. Within a couple of weeks, my sessions had become a non-negotiable.

4. Calisthenics

The stronger I started to feel, the more I wanted to challenge myself safely. So, I tried callisthenics - one of the types of strength training that uses body weight for resistance instead of equipment. I started integrating movements like crunches, heel taps and pushups, into my regimen, whenever I had a few spare minutes. 

Callisthenics can improve posture, strength, and body composition in much the same way that a full-body Pilates workout and barre do, so it came relatively easy to me.

I quickly learned most of my strength training “knowledge” was rooted in false preconceptions. For example, callisthenics is big on balancing poses, like crow – which happens to be my favourite yoga pose. If only I’d questioned my assumption that strength training was worlds away from the type of exercise I’d enjoy, I might have started sooner. 

5. Weighted vest

Part of my motivation to start strength training in my 40s was to do with my hormonal health. My perimenopause symptoms are intense and unpredictable so watching an interview with ob-gyn, Dr Mary Claire Haver, a menopause specialist and big-time advocate of weight and resistance training, had a profound impact on me. 

Following her advice, I bought myself a weighted vest, which I wear out for walks and on the school run. Studies from Oregon State and the University of Gothenburg show that these vests, which have slim weights adding up to between 5kg and 20kg sewn in, can help with health concerns from weight loss to bone mass maintenance in older women.

A weighted vest isn't as noticeable as you might think and it's been so easy to incorporate one into my routine. I’m thinking about investing in a pair of Bala Bangles (i.e. ankle weights) now the summer's here as these are less noticeable - but almost as effective. Wrapped around each ankle, they help to engage muscles on the move.

Why strength training is beneficial 

When women hit 40, there’s no shortage of experts recommending strength training for all sorts of reasons: to help reduce the risk of muscle loss, to strengthen bones and minimise the risk of osteoporosis, to boost brain health by releasing serotonin and dopamine, to limit back pain, to help with menopause symptoms, to help with menopausal weight gain...the list goes on and on.

"[With strength training], we're not going to feel so driven by the peaks and troughs of hormone imbalance," says PT Weaver. "I think that's been one of the really big benefits for lots of my clients." 

One of the reasons why I love strength training so much is that I can see how it’s impacted other facets of my life. I’m more active now. I continue to lift weights and then some: I run multiple times a week, do walking meditation, stretch my body in yin yoga. It’s a virtuous circle of exercise for mind and body, and now that I’m committed, I don’t see myself ever stopping. 

I jump out of bed most mornings, excited to move, cook, work out, and spend time with my kids. I feel like eating healthily and I haven’t had a sip of alcohol in a year. 

For some people, the community and accountability that comes from working out in a group, or a gym environment, is unbeatable. But that’s not the only way. I’ve found my happy place by myself, but not alone, sun streaming through my windows, show tunes blasting from my phone as I practise skull crushers on my bedroom floor. 

The good news is, you don't need to do strength training every day to reap the benefits of the activity. How often you should lift weights depends on your own goals, of course, but just two sessions of dedicated work a week is enough to build muscle - and once you get going, it's easy to keep going. 

One of the best kettlebells is a useful addition to your weights collection if you want to get stronger and improve your fitness at home.

Ranging from 6kg to above 30kg, kettlebells are a practical and versatile alternative to the best dumbbells. What makes them so unique is how they are made. "The weight is carried under the ball when performing kettlebell workouts, so they have a unique impact on the body," explains Lewis Paris, award-winning trainer and strength training specialist. The heavy-bottom design and thick handle mean the weight is off-centre. This challenges balance and stability more than other weights.

As woman&home's digital health editor and a certified fitness instructor, I've been using kettlebells for years to work out in the gym and at home. Over the last four years alone, I've tested close to 50 sets in various settings. For this guide, I collected a range of kettlebells from top retailers like Mirafit, Amazon, and Decathlon. I tested them against a list of important criteria, including handling, resistance variety, appearance, and price. For clarity and so you can accurately compare costs, all prices shown are for the 10kg weight.

The best kettlebells, tried and tested by us

How we tested the best kettlebells

I tested over 15 kettlebells for this guide, along with woman&home's editor Kerrie Hughes. We put each weight through its paces in several workouts, including functional fitness exercises, HIIT sessions, traditional weight training, and cardio-inspired sessions with walking lunges across my garden.

The kettlebells that made the final guide met the following criteria:

• Handling: For me, it was important that all the kettlebells could be used with both a single hand (for one-arm rows, for instance) and double hands (for kettlebell swings), so I looked at the handle width. I also assessed how bulky the bell was and whether it was easy to handle the bell for goblet squats and similar exercises.
• Variety of resistance: The weight you'll need for an upper-body exercise is unlikely to be the same as the one you'll need to do lower-body exercises, so it's important to have a range. That's why I included an adjustable option and ensured each kettlebell had various resistance options. You could find the right weight for your strength level and workout type without mixing and matching collections.
• Appearance: While function is always more important than style with home workout equipment, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be a consideration. I included kettlebells suiting a range of styles, from sleek and simple black cast iron options to bright and bold colourways in various materials.
• Wear and tear: I used my kettlebells through various exercises, bumping them around when it was safe to do so, to ensure they could stand up to the wear and tear of strength training workouts.
• Price: Kettlebells are balls of cast iron (more often than not) on a handle, yet their prices can be eye-watering. I included kettlebells at various prices, with options for those on a budget and those looking to splash out on their home gym.

What is the best kettlebell for a beginner?

If you’re new to weight training, our experts recommend opting for lower-weighted kettlebells to get started. As you progress and become stronger, you can increase the reps of each exercise to challenge yourself further or invest in heavier bells.

“For a beginner, I'd recommend a cast iron kettlebell due to its versatility (as it has a wider handle and can be used for a range of workouts)," explains Paris. "I'd typically start at around 4kg up to 12kg, and suggest doubling up the weight so you have a pair of the same weight and size to work with. Depending on the exercise, you can focus on using one kettlebell and then add in another or increase the weight of your bell incrementally to challenge yourself further."

However, it's worth weighing up dumbbells vs kettlebells if you're totally new to weight training, as dumbbells do offer a little more stability. And if you're in the gym, weigh up free weights vs machines.

Can you get fit using kettlebells?

Kettlebells will take you a long way in your fitness journey. You can confidently build muscle and get stronger just by using kettlebells, with research published in the Cureus Journal showing that the weights can be used to boost strength, power, endurance, explosive power, and postural coordination.

However, a variety of equipment and workouts is best. "Variety opens up your exercise selection, which keeps things more interesting, especially when you have been training for a while," says Danni Tabor, a strength training specialist and the co-founder of Lift Studio LDN. You might like to try a weighted vest workout, for instance, or a gym dumbbell workout to complement your training.

Ultimately, there is no right or wrong way to train. If you enjoy exclusively working out with kettlebells, you should embrace it. You are more likely to develop a sustainable workout routine if you enjoy the exercise you are doing. "It all comes down to your goals, time, accessibility, likes and dislikes regarding training and exercise," Paris adds. "With a good variety of weights in your kettlebell arsenal, you can get fit and strong just using your kettlebell."

One of the best strength training apps can help you make the most of this important exercise, whether you're brand new to lifting weights or you want to create a routine at home.

No matter your access to equipment, space, and budget, there's an option out there for everyone. Most of the apps in this list will require you to have a set of good dumbbells at least - kettlebells and resistance bands will also help. However, I've also made sure to include plenty of options for those with no equipment at all, and those who have access to a full gym.

As woman&home's digital health editor, I've spent my fair share of time on these apps in my home studio, at the gym, and on hotel balconies while on holiday. Only the very best, worth the time and energy (and money, in some cases) to use them, have been included.

The best strength training apps, tested by us

Best free strength training app

Much like Gymshark, Nike is best known for the kit it sells. From the running shoes that help create marathon winners to athleisure wear, this brand has led the way in fitness for a generation already. The brand has added a training app, which is totally free to download and use as often as you like and for as long as you like, into their collection now, too, with much success.

The Nike Training App offers four types of resistance training workouts: Endurance, Mobility, Strength, and Yoga. The first of the four (Endurance) is the best for beginners and those looking to do a bodyweight workout, as it involves no equipment and focuses on building up your fitness. The Strength portion of the app also features plenty of equipment-free options, but you'll find a few where you'll need a basic set of weights.

All the workouts are customisable with filters you can apply to find the right workout for you, whether you want to work out for 10 minutes or 45 minutes. You can even filter workouts by how you're feeling on any given day. Need to boost your mood? Take on the 'Energetic' yoga flow.

The Nike Run App takes one of the top spots in our tried and tested list of the best running apps, too, so if you're weighing up cardio vs strength training, it may be worth downloading both.

Best strength training app for guided workouts

If you want to strength train from home but you don't have the motivation to dig your dumbbells out yourself, then I'd recommend Les Mills+. This New Zealand-born platform has hundreds of pre-recorded resistance workouts to choose from using dumbbells and resistance bands.

BodyPump is the original strength class and the one I'd recommend. While the instructors in the class use the Les Mills Smartbar, you can actually use any weight you have to hand to do the workout. The focus is on lots of repetitions using light weights, so you'll definitely feel the burn - and the strength gains in weeks to come. If you want to level up, try BodyPump Heavy.

I'd also recommend the regular functional strength training classes for those new to this type of exercise or looking for something a little more low-impact. This is your more basic class that teaches smaller compound lifts and prioritises form over anything else.

I've done regular strength sessions and a home Pilates workout with the Les Mills app, and I truly believe it's the best catch-all for this type of training. The instructors are personalities themselves, the workouts are challenging (without being impossible to do), and easy to follow along with.

You'll also find cardio workouts on the Les Mills app, which you can do on your own stationary bike or treadmill without issue. However, I have found the strength workouts are the best of the bunch. If you're looking for cardio, I'd recommend Peloton Cross Training instead - or the regular Peloton app.

Best strength training app for the gym

Fitbod is the strength training app I've had in the aptly named 'Gym' folder on my phone for the longest. It's specifically designed to be used in the gym (but it does have bodyweight workouts available) as the main function of the app is to design a reps-and-sets-based workout plan.

On sign-up, you'll find several filters to tap through, including workout duration, equipment, current fitness level, and the muscles you want to target during your workout. You can also choose to blend bodyweight moves with resistance and add an app-led warm-up or cool-down to your session, which makes the app entirely customisable to your needs.

This isn't an app for those new to strength training, however. You'll need to have some knowledge of the activity to start with and know how to use free weights and gym equipment to safely and effectively use the app. If you've already been going to the gym for a few years or are looking to move away from in-person personal training sessions and plan your own workouts, this could be the app for you. While there are form demonstrations available to help with technique, there are no follow-along video workouts available.

Best strength training app for beginners

Gymshark may be best known for selling the best workout leggings and running shorts but they've expanded their offering in recent years to include a strength training app. The Gymshark Training App is our best pick for beginners, as you can truly walk onto your mat, without any equipment, for the first time and take up strength training for the very first time. No prior knowledge is needed. This app has it all and is completely free to download and use.

Along with follow-along video workouts, the app offers a selection of 'How To' demonstrations. These cover techniques to start weightlifting for beginners - like deadlifts, squats, and overhead presses, along with guides on using the equipment in the gym. The Create section of the app offers you the freedom to create your workout from scratch, as well, much like the Fitbod app, but there are clear demonstration videos with each move to ensure your form is picture-perfect before you get started. Here, I also found the largest collection of bodyweight-only moves out of all the apps. If you're looking to do strength training at home for beginners, this could be the best place to start.

There are no hidden costs or additional extras to purchase, and the app offers both individual workouts - filtered out by type (e.g. dumbbell or body weight), body part, and format (sets and reps or follow-along videos) - and full programs to follow over several weeks. If you're based in London, you can also sign up for their free, weekly workout classes and run club that takes place at the Regent's Street Store.

Best strength training app for Apple users

Apple Fitness+ is the strength training app of choice for Editor Kerrie Hughes. While only those with an Apple product (e.g. Apple TV, iPhone, or iPad) will be able to download this workout platform, if that's your chosen tech of choice, then it should be a top consideration.

"I've done strength training for the last two decades. I'm well versed in lifting weights and doing bodyweight exercises, but I have to say, he 3 Perfect Weeks of Strength programme on Apple Fitness+ humbled me. I was apprehensive that I would breeze through it. I’ve never been happier to be proved wrong. The way these classes are structured makes them accessible to all. If you have experience with lifting weights, you can easily choose a resistance and a range of motion that challenges you. And if you are a total beginner, there is always someone behind the main instructor in the class demoing a scaled-back option, which isn't something other apps have. The trainers also offer advice on techniques to help make things a little easier with each new movement," she says.

Along with these dedicated programmes, there are one-off strength classes you can follow, and several other workout types - including Pilates abs workout and Pilates with weights, if you're looking to focus on low-impact strength, for example.

Best strength training app for women over 45

Strength training is a good practice to get into at any stage of life, but it's even more important with the onset of perimenopause. Much like doing Pilates or yoga over 50, strength training during this life stage can help prevent muscle loss, reduce the risk of conditions like osteoporosis, and help boost your mood. Owning Your Menopause is an app designed to help with this, founded by specialist personal trainer Kate Rowe-Ham.

There are hundreds of video-led workouts available already in the app (including almost 300 strength-specific workouts) with live workouts scheduled every week. Within the library of classes, you'll find sessions devoted to lower-body, upper-body, full-body work, and conditioning. You'll need a set of dumbbells to make the most of this app, but modifications can be made if you're working with your body weight at the moment.

Owning Your Menopause is currently the only app that offers live workouts based around strength training, designed to support women experiencing the symptoms of menopause, as well as those who are postmenopausal. It offers a personal feel that the other apps don't, as you'll also find educational materials on the platform, available to answer any nutrition-based questions to complement your training, and a community of like-minded people to discuss your experiences, concerns, and wins with, separated into useful topics like Sober Living and Menopause in the Workplace.

Best strength training app for cardio

In October 2025, Peloton announced an overhaul of its bike and treadmill machines with the Cross Training series. The upgraded Bike+ now comes with a 306-degree swivel screen, better speakers, and Peloton IQ. Together, these take Peloton from being a cardio-focused training app into a multi-disciplinary workout platform to at least rival (if not outperform) any other strength training app.

The swivel screen means you can turn your space into a spin-studio-turned-gym and keep the trainer focused on you, no matter where you are, and the Peloton IQ keeps a trained eye on your form and progress both in classes and in your own workouts, which you can choose in the on-bike app, to monitor both and make suggestions - without holding video in the system.

Of course, you have access to hundreds of pre-recorded workouts and live classes via the Peloton platform as usual. If you opt for the Bike+, you can spin to your heart's content before going onto your strength workouts, outdoor walk, Pilates, yoga, or meditation. Having had my hands on the new bike, I can confirm it's all very impressive (and genuinely motivating, importantly) and makes Peloton worth it still in 2025.

It's certainly the most advanced strength training platform on my list - and possibly every list out there. With that comes a cost, and the bike is not cheap. However, the monthly platform subscription is still cheaper than one PT session in most places, and the Bike+ is undoubtedly a one-stop solution to full-body strength and cardio fitness.

How to choose the best strength training app for you

• Workout of choice: If you know you don't like lifting weights but you love doing Pilates, then it's worth trying a strength app with Pilates workouts built in - like Les Mills+ or trying one of the best Pilates apps. Don't try and force yourself to enjoy something you don't when the benefit is largely the same - at least for beginners.
• Try out a selection of apps: You may find that the first app you download isn't the one for you - and that's very normal. Have a look through the other options on this list before making a final decision. Everyone is different, and you might get on better with doing callisthenics for beginners via Apple Fitness+ than a resistance band workout via Fitbod.
• Consider your budget: Money's tighter than ever, but it's worth looking at what you can reasonably afford if you're looking to get the most from your app. While £45 for Peloton might sound like a lot, as you've already bought the bike, you're essentially getting a PT and exercise classes. I'd challenge anyone to find that for the same price in person.
• Assess your space and equipment: If you have an entire gym full of equipment, so you can weigh up machines vs free weights, the type of strength workouts you're going to be able to do is very different from those who have two dumbbells and just enough space to work out from home. Neither one is better than the other, as it's about getting the workout done at the end of the day, but there are different apps suited to each.

Is 30 minutes of strength training a day enough?

Strength training every day may be a little excessive for most people. How often you should lift weights depends on your lifestyle and goals but most people won't need to do this much to see progress. Doing too much can see the opposite result and lead to fatigue and injury.

Instead, per week, Rowe-Ham recommends three to five strength training sessions. That can be any type of strength training too - a chair workout, a weights session at the gym, or a bodyweight workout at home. "To see progress, add resistance or load to your sessions," she adds. Otherwise known as progressive overload, to get stronger or build muscle, you'll need to make your workouts harder so your body is forced to adapt to the stressor.

Strength training at home for beginners is a great workout routine for those looking to maintain muscle, improve flexibility, and support other exercise activities. It can be quick, convenient, cost-effective, and you don't even need any weights to get started.

While having a pair of the best dumbells or some resistance bands is very useful, you can just use your body weight to begin with. "Bodyweight exercises such as squats, planks, and lunges, engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, promoting overall strength, proprioception, and coordination," says personal trainer and coach Rhoda Cameron. "These exercises can also put less strain on the joints when compared to free weight training, thereby reducing the risk of injury. They can also help with balance and mobility."

Strength training has a lot to offer women and getting into a good routine at home can be the best to get the workout in for many people. Here, personal trainers and sports scientists speak to woman&home about the exercises they recommend for beginners, how to do them, and tips for making progress.

Strength training at home for beginners

1. Squats

"Squats are a great way to achieve strong and toned legs as they work your quads, hamstrings, and glutes," says Cameron.

There are many types of squats to choose from but it's best to start with a bodyweight squat, clasping your hands together in front of you or holding them out to the side to help maintain your balance through the movement. Once you've mastered these, Cameron says, "you can start experimenting with different variations, and perhaps hold some hand weights for extra resistance too." If you need some assistance, try doing squats as part of a chair workout and lower yourself onto a chair at a right angle to achieve the desired height.

How to do a squat:

• Begin by standing with your feet hip-width apart, toes either facing straight ahead or slightly turned out. Place your hands on your hips.
• Keeping your back straight and head up, bend gently at the knees and slowly lower yourself into a sitting position (as if about to sit on a chair), shifting your weight onto your heels and making sure your knees don't go past your toes.
• If possible, hold this position for 1 - 2 seconds before you ease back up to the start position.
• Start with 10 reps and work up to 20 or more.

Squats - along with lunges, split squats, hip thrusts, and all types of deadlifts - are an example of a compound movement. "These are exercises that target different muscle groups at the same time," explains Steve Chambers, a certified personal trainer and gym manager at Ultimate Performance.

"Rather than isolation moves, a bicep curl for example, which hit only a small and specific group of muscles, compound exercises recruit lots of different muscle groups, which means you’re getting a lot more bang for your buck per move," he says. This makes them a perfect addition to various routines, including strength training for weight loss and the more advanced, structured 5 x 5 workout.

2. Modified or box push ups

Push-ups are one of the best yoga mat workouts as they build strength in your triceps and pectoral muscles, and they are great for a stronger and more stable core, says Cameron. But, despite their appearance, push-ups are deceptively difficult, so start with modified push-ups if you want to.

This involves having your knees on the floor and your hands in a slightly different position than a traditional push-up would suggest. "To make the exercise easier or harder, play about with arm positioning: the farther apart the hands, the easier the move," she says.

How to do a modified push-up:

• Position yourself on all fours, hands directly under the shoulders and knees directly under the hips. Your gaze should be focused on the floor while your hands are placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Keep your abdominal muscles contracted throughout the exercise for proper form and make sure your back is neither arched, nor rounded.
• To perform the push-up, slowly bend your elbows out to the side as you lower your chest until your chin grazes the floor, then slowly push back up to return to the start position, ensuring your back is straight throughout.

Once you've got the hang of the movement, aim for three sets of 10 reps, with a perceived difficulty level of seven out of 10, Cameron says.

3. Lateral raises

It's just as important to work your upper body as it is to work your lower when doing strength training at home for beginners, Cameron reminds us. "Lateral raises can help you build muscle [around the shoulders, biceps, and triceps], and also increase mobility and the range of motion in your shoulders," she says.

This is another effective bodyweight exercise but, if you want to make it slightly harder for yourself, you can hold a light pair of adjustable dumbbells in each hand for this move. "Choose light weights that you can perform 10 reps with," she suggests. "Be sure to activate your core muscles too as this will help support your back and help prevent it from arching during the exercise." You could also learn how to do resistance band exercises if you're looking to make things harder.

How to do a lateral raise:

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees soft, arms hanging down by your sides, elbows slightly bent and palms facing your hips.
• Leading with slightly bent elbows, raise your arms out to the side, pausing as you reach shoulder height.
• Slowly lower back down to the start position.
• Make sure the motion is slow and controlled, ie a lift and a lower, rather than a swing.
• Raise both arms together or one at a time, whichever you feel more stable with.

4. Split squat

A split squat is another compound movement, recommended by Steve Chambers. As it involves separating the legs - putting one in front of the other - it's a great movement for working your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and core muscles, along with your coordination and balance.

"Pick a stride length that allows you to keep your front foot equally placed on the floor throughout, without the heel lifting," he says. "The back foot should not be so far back that you cannot fully flex the back leg or the hips are pulled forward."

How to do a split squat:

• Stand in an open space with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Place your hands on your hips and tuck your elbows in (bodyweight) or let them hang by your sides with the palms facing inwards (dumbbells)
• Step backwards and place your toes on the floor, with shoelaces facing down and your heel raised.
• Drop your back knee down towards the floor and drive your front knee forward to close the gap between the back of your thigh and calf.
• In the bottom position, your front foot should be flat and your back knee bent at 90 degrees and one to two inches above the floor.
• Pause for a moment at the bottom, keeping the upper body braced and tension in your legs.
• Push through the front leg to reverse the motion (imagine closing a pair of scissors) to return to the start position.

Once you've mastered the split squat, you can boost your strength even futher by grabbing a pair of dumbbells and trying a set of walking lunges at home.

Any movement in strength training at home for beginners is adjustable. If your flexibility is limited, Chambers recommends elevating your front heel with a wedge to allow you to fully move through the movement. "Full range of motion movements enable everything to move, because the greater the range of motion, the more control you have at the end range of the movements and the less likely you are to hurt yourself," he says.

As well as being one of the best bodyweight workouts, split squats are a great addition to any strength training for runners routine since, much like running, split squats put pressure on one leg at a time and so allow you to develop strength equally in both.

5. Plank

The plank is one of the best core exercises to do at home, the trainers agree. "It's excellent for core strength, which helps to support the body and posture in all aspects of exercise, and shoulder stability. It can also help reduce back pain," says Jenny Pacey, sports scientist, certified personal trainer, and bio-synegy.uk ambassador.

How to do a plank:

• Start in a forearm plank position, elbows directly below shoulders.
• Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels, engaging the core. This is most effectively achieved by drawing the rib cage down towards the belly button, drawing the pelvic floor up towards the belly button and subtly pulling the belly button towards the spine.
• Look slightly ahead, push back through the heels, and down through the elbows and forearms, slightly tucking the tail bone under.

For this one, the length of the exercise is measured in time rather than reps. "Hold the position for as long as you can, maintaining good form," says Pacey. You may only be able to do 15 second to begin with but over time, aim to increase this to a minute or more.

Can you do strength training without weights?

Strength training at home for beginners is the perfect workout for those with little to no equipment. All you need is your body weight for an effective workout, says PT Haylene Ryan Causer. Bodyweight exercises, including those above and other programs like Pilates for strength training, "improve daily functional strength, enhance flexibility, and promote better body awareness."

They are also less likely to lead to injury compared to weighted exercises, she adds. "They allow individuals to build a foundation and improve form before adding external weights."

That being said, if you're looking to continue strength training at home in the long term, it's worth investing in a few key pieces of equipment. As personal trainer Pacey says, "Resistance bands are great for adding resistance to bodyweight exercises and increasing intensity, yoga mats provide comfort and stability for floor exercises, and dumbbells or kettlebells add resistance for more challenging strength workouts."

If you don't have much time on your hands, a weighted vest for walking may be a good option. Weighing around 5kg to 10kg, these adjustable vests act as extra resistance as you go about your daily life.

How many times a week should beginners strength train? 

Those new to strength training should aim for two to three sessions a week, Cameron suggests. "Make sure to start slowly and build up the intensity gradually," she says. "You want to aim for a perceived exertion level of around seven, so increase or decrease the weights (or modify the moves) accordingly."

Naturally, how often you should do strength training depends on your lifestyle, goals, and previous exercise experience. Speak to your doctor before taking on a new training routine.

Tips for doing strength training at home

• Don't do too much too soon: "There is always a temptation to go too hard, particularly when you’re super motivated to get in shape, but if you’ve never lifted weights before, it’s going to be a bit of a shock to the system," says Chambers. "Ease yourself in with light weights and focus more on getting your form right."
• Make sure to stretch: "Incorporate stretching and flexibility in daily routine to maintain joint health and range of motion," says Haylene Ryan Causer. Need help? The best stretching apps have routines for everyone, whether you're completely new to stretching out or a yoga-lover-turned-strength-training enthusiast.
• Take time to recover: Recovery is key, especially in the early stages of strength training. Along with stretching and plenty of sleep, introducing a recovery supplement to your routine can be helpful. For example, tart cherry juice has been proven to help with faster muscle recovery in strength-trained individuals.
• Complement your training with the right nutrition: "Consume an adequate amount of protein to support muscle repair and growth, and include a variety of nutrient-dense foods [in your diet], emphasising fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains," suggests Pacey. This can be done by changing your diet and supplementing what you eat with one of the best protein powders, for example.
• Always listen to your body: There's a common misconception that strength training at home for beginners is easier than cardio exercise but that's often not true. "You know your body better than anyone else and if a particular exercise doesn't feel right for you, omit it or ask for an alternative," says Cameron. It's also important to take rest days regularly.
• Change up your routine: "Try to vary your routines to ensure you get a good all-over workout, but also to keep things interesting," suggests PT Rhoda Cameron. In general, the experts suggest you change your routine every six weeks to give your body a chance to adapt to the activity before changing your routine. One of the best workout apps, or specifically one of the best strength training apps, can be a helpful way to discover other workouts for strength training at home for beginners.
  

The key to strength training at home for beginners is to ensure you're making it harder for yourself over time though. This is otherwise known as progressive overload, says Chambers. "All it means is that you progressively make each workout more difficult. By doing that, the body has no choice but to continually adapt to the ever-increasing stimulus – whether that’s lifting heavier weights or slowing down the movement to increase the time you spend under tension. As a result, you get fitter and stronger."

Strength training for women is unparalleled for its benefits. It's one of the only activities that can boost strength, bone density, mobility, and metabolism, and fire up all those feel-good endorphins for mental wellbeing.

There are so many reasons to do it - on its own or alongside your favourite activity, be that yoga or walking. But it can be daunting if you aren't familiar with it and you don't have someone close to you who is. Also called resistance training or weightlifting, strength training uses weights like dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands to push your muscles to fatigue. You can also use your body weight as resistance and do a callisthenics workout for beginners.

As woman&home's digital health editor, a keen gym goer, and a certified fitness instructor, I recommend it as one of the best exercises for longevity. Along with certified personal trainers, I reveal what it's all about, with a quick routine to get started.

What is strength training for women?

Strength training uses resistance against your muscles to make them stronger, to build muscle mass, and to boost endurance. It can be done with free weights, your own body weight, bands, or gym machines.

It's important to start with lighter weights or use your body weight when starting at home or in a beginners' gym routine, but the exercises should become more difficult over time. This is known as progressive overload, and it's when you start reaping the rewards.

"A good training program should be well-balanced and focused on strengthening all musculature," explains Aroosha Nekonam, a senior personal trainer at Ultimate Performance. "You should always be lifting at an effective intensity for growth, progressive overload and effective recovery, regardless of gender."

You can achieve progressive overload by increasing how heavy the weight is, increasing the repetitions (how many times you do the movement), or slowing the movement down, so you spend more time under tension. Doing this forces your muscles to adapt and encourages growth over time. It's a process that works equally as well for men and women.

Strength training benefits for women

1. Stronger muscles

Any time you have unfamiliar resistance against your muscles, tiny tears form in the fibres. During rest (and with the help of enough protein), these tears heal and the repaired fibres come back stronger than before. Your strength improves and so does the size of your muscle.

The benefits of being strong are obvious - but building and maintaining muscle mass is particularly important for women approaching menopause. As the body doesn't have oestrogen's protective benefits anymore, many women are at risk of sarcopenia (a loss of muscle mass), which can have serious health consequences.

It's why strength training is one of the best exercises for longevity as well.

"Reduced muscle mass puts menopausal women at increased risk of falls and bone fractures, as well as the health risks associated with poorer body composition, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and so on," says Emily Servante, a personal trainer who also works with Ultimate Performance.

Supplementing your diet and strength training routine with supplements like creatine for women and one of the best protein powders can also help.

Many women avoid strength training as they worry lifting weights will make them 'bulk up'. Jemma Thomas, a personal trainer specialising in women's fitness, says this is a common myth. "Weight training can be slightly misunderstood in that sense," she says. "It's actually very difficult to bulk up as most women have much less testosterone than men, so it wouldn't really happen unless you trained for that specific purpose and looked at the nutrition side too."

2. Build bone density

Just as weight training can help maintain muscle mass, it can help maintain bone density, which is very important as menopausal women are at a higher risk of developing conditions like osteoporosis. Resistance training can help prevent this by "stressing your bones", says Aimee Victoria Long, a women's personal trainer and the founder of the Body Beautiful Method.

During a workout, whether it's a weighted Pilates class or traditional weightlifting, the muscles pull against the bones in the body, which kickstart the creation of bone-forming cells.

3. Improve cardiovascular health

Much like weight loss, we often think of cardio exercise as the most practical way to boost cardiovascular fitness. While walking, running, cycling, and so on certainly have benefits, those same benefits can be found with weight training.

A review published in the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found, for instance, that less than an hour per week of resistance training can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and all causes of early mortality.

4. 'Tone' up

When people talk about 'toning', they are actually referring to building muscle. The more muscle you have, the more it appears and the less visible fat mass you have, giving that 'toned' appearance.

While low-intensity cardio like walking or running 30 minutes a day are favourite exercises for weight loss, strength training for women is the underrated favourite of many experts. "One of the key benefits of resistance exercise is the maintenance and improvement of a healthy body fat, through building muscle and losing fat," Nekonam says.

Lifting weights also helps maintain a healthy metabolic rate, which decides how many calories we burn resting and doing activities like sitting down and sleeping. "Age-related muscle loss also has a significant impact on our metabolic rate as we get older. In real terms, by 65, we can experience a daily drop in metabolic rate of 500 calories, which makes it much harder to stay in shape," Servante explains.

"But it's not all doom and gloom because strength training can help prevent this and help you maintain a healthy weight. Studies of women over 60 who do the right things via their exercise and diets have shown that they have only a 0.36% metabolic drop per decade versus the norm of 5 to 7%," she adds.

5. Relieve back pain

It'll be music to some ears to learn that strength training workouts, such as a dumbbell core workout as well as heavier lifting, can help prevent back pain - provided you do it right. "With correct form and posture, you'll be switching on your core muscles and all around your abdominals, which will strengthen this area," Thomas says. "In turn, this creates much better support for your back. Your posture will start to improve and with that backache can also significantly reduce."

While you may think that bending down to pick up relatively heavy weights is a no-go, a program of heavy-load lifting has been proven to reduce lower back pain by re-training the body's movement patterns. A study by the Luleå University of Technology looked at patients with the issue over two years and found those who take up strength training were up to 80% more likely to report a decrease in pain intensity and disability in both the short and long term.

Partially, this is because focused strength training encourages you to think about how your muscles move and actively engage them. When translated to the real world, you're more likely to follow similar movement patterns when picking up heavy loads in daily life, reducing your chance of injury.

However, if you do suffer from back pain, it's important to refer to a medical professional. "It will also be best to enlist the help of a personal trainer who can support and guide you with proper technique, and form and help you progressively build strength without injuring yourself," says Nekonam.

6. Build confidence

There's no better way to build your confidence than to feel your best - being active, strong, and mobile - and look your best. But, it's also commonly understood that exercise - regardless of whether that's running every day, going cycling as a workout, or resistance training - improves our mood for up to 24 hours after exercise, and suppresses the sympathetic nervous system (i.e. 'the flight or flight response' to stress), per research on the subject summarised in a review by New York University.

The review also explains how we can experience significant improvements in cognitive function - such as decision-making, problem-solving, and working memory - after just one singular session of exercise, regardless of intensity, and the effects can last for up to two hours after the session has finished. Win!

7. Boost your balance and stability

You'll naturally feel more balanced and stable on your feet throughout life with a regular strength training program. In part, this is because resistance training comes with benefits like better strength, endurance, and bone density, which all help with stability.

However, lifting weights in compound exercises (which are exercises like squat variations and push-ups that target multiple muscles at the same time) also strengthens the key stability muscles, such as those in the abdomen, pelvis, and back.

Those who have regularly strength trained and done some agility training for as little as five weeks also have a lower risk of falling, according to research from the University of British Columbia, making it a winning exercise for longevity.

A strength training routine for women

Try this routine for three sets of eight to 12 repetitions. You'll need a bench, a set of dumbbells (medium weight), a kettlebell (medium to heavy weight), a pick of the best thick yoga mats, and about 30 minutes.

1. Squat

Learning how to do a squat correctly can be the basis of a great strength training routine, whether you use weights or not. It's easy to develop, so you can make it harder for yourself.

2. Lunge

A lunge or walking lunges are excellent single-leg movements that targets the lower body, including the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves. Here's how to do it:

• Stand on a yoga mat or stable ground and step a medium step forward with one foot.
• Bend your knees, inhale, and leading with your back leg, lower your body until the back knee is a couple of inches from the ground.
• At the bottom of the movement, your front thigh should be parallel to the ground and your back knee should be pointing towards the floor.
• Make sure your weight is evenly distributed between both your legs.
• Exhale and push back up to the starting position, making sure to push through the heel of your back foot.

3. Chest press

Done with a barbell in a squat rack or dumbbells, a chest press is a weighted exercise that targets the chest muscles but also includes the shoulders and triceps (back of the upper arm). Here's how to do it:

• Lie down on a flat bench in the gym or down on your yoga mat at home with a dumbbell in each hand.
• Palms facing forward and dumbbells resting horizontally, lower the weights to your mid-chest (on the line of your sports bra) while keeping your elbows slightly bent.
• Once they reach a couple of inches away from your body, press them back up to the starting position by pushing your arms up straight.
• Keep your chest muscles engaged by pulling your shoulder blades back and down and keep your core engaged by pulling your belly button towards your spine.

4. Deadlift

A deadlift is a great way to target most of the muscles in the body in one movement. It recruits the glutes, hamstrings, core muscles, all the back muscles, quadriceps, and forearms. It's also one of the most versatile compound movements as you can do it with a dumbbell, kettlebell, or barbell in the gym or at home. The key is remembering it's very different from a squat. Here's how to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with a kettlebell or dumbbell between your them.
• Hinge at the hips by pushing your buttocks back (as if you're trying to hit a button on the wall behind you), only bending your knees slightly. Keep your back straight.
• Grab the weight with both hands, then drive through your heels, lifting the weight with you and standing up straight.
• Maintain a neutral spine.
• Slowly, lower the kettlebell back to the ground following the same movement - pushing your hips back, keeping your back straight and your core engaged. 

You can support all your lower-body exercises with other movements, like the clamshell exercise. This one helps strengthen the glutes, hip flexors, and core muscles, ready for your next squat or deadlift.

5. Row

A rowing exercise targets the back muscles and is a great way to bring in the core and arm muscles too. Here's how to do one:

• Place one knee on a bench, the hand of the same leg in front of it. Place your other foot out to side and grab a dumbbell with that same hand.
• Keep a straight spine, looking at the top of the bench rather than straight ahead.
• Pull the dumbbell up to your waist, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the same time. Keep your elbow close to your body.
• At the top of the movement, slowly lower the weight back down to the starting position.

6. Plank

A classic plank is one of the top core exercises to do at home or in the gym. It focuses on the abdominal muscles, but also helps strengthen the lower back, shoulders, and back muscles, which helps with stability. Here's how to do one:

• Come down to your yoga mat and into a 'tabletop' position (on your hands and knees).
• Lower yourself down to your forearms with your elbows directly beneath your shoulders.
• Extend your feet behind you until your body makes a line from shoulder to heel.
• Engage your core by thinking about pulling your belly button towards your spine.

How often should you do strength training?

Anywhere between once a week and four times a week is ideal if you're just starting out, our experts say. However, how often you should lift weights and how long you should lift weights for depends on your experience.

If your cardio fitness is good, thanks to running or cycling, you're more likely to adapt to strength training faster. Equally, if you already do some light resistance training by wearing a weighted vest for walking, for example, then you'll be in better starting position.

If you're a beginner and just learning how to start weightlifting, you may need to go a little slower. "To start, and to get your body used to strength training, I would suggest twice a week for a few weeks then you can introduce a third session if possible," says Thomas.

Nekonam agrees. "How many times a week you train will depend on your goal, but on average training three to four days a week is a good amount to ensure effective recovery time," she says.

At home vs the gym

• Time: If you have limited time, grabbing some weights and doing a quick workout can be an easy way to start doing strength training for women without having to change up your routine too much. If you have more time, then going to the gym allows you to have a break from your home, which can be especially useful for those working from home often.
• Help: Unless you're looking to invest in one of the best strength training apps to use at home, going to the gym can give you free access to guidance with your form from in-house instructors.This is very important to reduce the risk of injury.
• Equipment: If you've fully invested in a home gym set up with a treadmill and weights set, you won't find this to be an issue - but most people won't be able to fill their home with the same equipment they can find in the gym.
• Versatility: Most gyms offer personal training sessions, classes, and alternative equipment you may not readily have access to at home. Having these can help you spice things up when your workouts get stale, which can keep you coming back when motivation is low.
• Social: You might be working out at home with your partner or family, but if you're not then the gym can provide a social setting in which to exercise and meet new people.
• Cost: Working out from home may work out to be cheaper in the long term than going to the gym, depending on the cost of the gym membership. A simple weights set-up from Amazon may cost you £100, for instance, but a gym membership often starts at a minimum of £25~ per month in the UK.