Women Over 50 Should Lift Heavier, Says Dr. Vonda Wright—Here's Her 4x4 Formula to Age With Strength

3 min readTom Werner//Getty ImagesJump to:Dr. Vonda Wright's strength training formula for women over 50Why lifting heavier weights builds strength5 reasons muscle matters for healthy agingIf you're wondering how to maintain your strength as you age, Dr. Vonda Wright has a refreshingly simple formula.When asked whether there was an ideal way to build and maintain muscle as we get older—including how often to train and how many reps to do—the double board-certified orthopedic surgeon and healthy-aging expert shared her recommendation.“The minimum, if we're really working at it, is a couple of days a week progressively lifting,” she said on The Diary of a CEO.Progressive overload simply means gradually making an exercise more challenging over time—whether that's by increasing the weight, performing more repetitions, or reducing your rest periods.Dr. Vonda Wright's strength training formula for women over 50Dr. Wright then shared the rep range she believes is most effective once you've built a solid strength base.“For men in midlife, it's about 8 reps for 4 sets. For women—once we've trained to the place we can lift heavy—four reps for four sets,” she said.The reason? As women go through menopause, falling estrogen levels reduce one of the body's natural signals for maintaining muscle.“What we're trying to do by lifting heavier, especially for women, is replace the anabolic stimulus (the signal to repair and build tissue, including muscle) that estrogen was,” she explained.Indeed, estrogen plays an important role in maintaining muscle mass. As levels decline during menopause, lifting heavier weights can help provide the mechanical stimulus needed to continue building and preserving muscle.“Estrogen creates growth, so we must signal our body by the intensity of our work to build muscle through heavy lifting,” she said.Importantly, Dr. Wright stresses it's never too late to start.“There is never an age or skill level when our body will not respond to the strategic stress you put on it,” she reassured listeners.AzmanL//Getty ImagesWhy lifting heavier weights builds strengthDr. Wright also explained why heavier weights and lower reps serve a different purpose to lighter weights and higher reps.“Using smaller dumbbells but...more repetitions will function for hypertrophy—bigger total muscle—but not necessarily power and strength,” she said.For healthy aging, however, power matters just as much as muscle size.“I'm interested in [whether] I can move powerfully over time. Can I get up off the floor? Can I lift my suitcase above my head?” she explained.“So [the formula for] lifting for power is lower reps, higher weights. I do...4 reps for 4 sets of big weights.”5 reasons muscle matters for healthy agingAccording to Dr. Wright, building muscle isn't just about getting stronger in the gym. It benefits almost every system in the body.1. It helps prevent insulin resistanceMuscle is one of the body's main storage sites for glucose.“Insulin helps muscles absorb glucose from the bloodstream and store it as glycogen. Healthy muscle tissue is therefore more responsive to insulin, making muscle building a key factor in preventing insulin resistance,” she says.2. It helps you stay independentStrong muscles help you stay upright, maintain your independence, and reduce your risk of falls, fractures, and broken bones as you age.3. It releases the “longevity protein”When muscles contract, they release Klotho, which Dr. Wright describes as “the longevity protein.”Research suggests Klotho plays an important role in aging and the development of age-related diseases.4. It supports brain healthMuscle contraction also releases galanin—a peptide involved in brain function.According to Dr Wright, galanin may help support resilience and problem-solving.5. It supports a healthy metabolismFinally, muscle releases the hormone irisin, which helps convert white fat into more metabolically active brown fat that burns energy.Find the Perfect Women’s Health Training Program for You