The Ultimate Guide to Body Building for Women Over 40

Are you over 40 and have become interested in resistance training and bodybuilding? It may seem strange, however, you aren’t the first, with many women with no background in fitness sharing this experience, which has been the first step toward incredible transformations.

In this article, we will discuss the body building of women over 40. We cover how to begin training, beginner exercises, nutrition tips, and common myths to help you realize your training goals.

How to Start Bodybuilding as a Woman Over 40

From the outside, bodybuilding can seem like lifting heavy weights to build bigger muscles, however, there is so much more to developing a lean, strong physique. Here, we discuss how to start bodybuilding including goal setting, choosing equipment, and preparation.

Setting Realistic Goals for Strength and Fitness

Before you begin you must establish a game plan to achieve your strength and fitness goals. While you want to build muscles, you should consider one of the following things:

• Do you want to build lean muscle?
• Do you want to build muscle and lose body fat?
• Do you want to maintain your weight and increase muscle?

For example, if you are skinny and want to build muscles, you will need to increase your calorie and protein intake. If you want to lose weight and build muscle, you will need to be in a calorie deficit and prioritize protein intake to lose body fat and build muscle.

Once you have determined your overarching goals it's time to talk specifics. This can be done using the SMART method, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Here’s an example. Jenny wants to lose 10 pounds and increase muscle mass before her summer vacation in three months.

• Specific: Lose 10 pounds
• Measurable: Can use scale weight, measurements, clothes sizes, and pictures
• Achievable: 1 pound per week (healthy weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week)
• Relevant: Summer holiday, she wants to look fit and strong
• Time-Bound: 10 weeks

Setting achievable goals in detail helps us visualize and remain focused on the target. Bodybuilding and losing body fat is challenging, and there will certainly be moments when progress slows. Clear goals can push you forward during rough patches, ensuring you persevere.

Choosing the Right Gym or Equipment

Next up is choosing the right gym or equipment.

Choosing The Right Gym

Gyms are great places to train as they have all the equipment set up, making it easy to transition from one exercise to the next with minimal setup.

However, like all things, not all are created equal. Some have incredible equipment but poor management and culture. When looking for the correct gym, check online reviews and do a weekly trial. During this time we suggest:

• Visiting during busy times
• Make note of staff and how they interact with the members
• Make a mental note of cleanliness
• Check to see if the equipment is maintained
• See if the equipment is put away and organized
• Take note of other members and if they are happy with the service

While it may not always be easy to gauge all these elements, keeping an eye out for red flags can save you the headache further down the track.

For example, cleanliness, organization, and maintenance are controllable, and if these things aren’t it may signal poor practices. Trust us, you don’t want to be wiping someone else sweat off a machine or looking for the 5kg dumbbell left on the other side of the gym. While small, these things can make for a frustrating experience over time.

Equipment For Home

Training at home? Then you’ll want to purchase versatile equipment that can be used for multiple exercises. Here is the equipment we would prioritize:

• Kettlebell — 8–12 kilogram kettlebells are versatile and can be used for squats, deadlifts, and lunges.
• Dumbbells — A full set can be expensive so in the beginning we recommend 3 kg, 5 kg, and 8 kg pairs. This will cover your bases for rows, chest presses, and curls without breaking the bank.
• Resistance band set — These can be purchased as packs of three bands which cover light, medium, and heavy bands.
• Mat — Great for stretching, mobility, and floor exercises.
• Fitball — Inexpensive bench replacement for performing chest press, shoulder press, chest flys, and supported rows. Can also be used for ab workouts.

Importance of Warming Up and Stretching

Warming up and stretching are crucial when bodybuilding. Daily activities and inactivity can decrease flexibility and mobility, impacting the range of motion. Exercises performed through full range of motion may improve strength, muscle size, and body composition.

A 2014 study revealed that individuals who scored lower in functional movement screening were 4.7 times more likely to suffer a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, further evidence suggests it can reduce strength levels.

Dynamic stretches and active warm-ups can increase the range of motion and stretch tolerance and decrease passive stiffness. This can be further improved with static stretching after each session. This can carry over to daily life improving function.

Beginner-Friendly Exercises for Women Over 40

In this section, we present the beginner-friend exercises for over 40. We share equipment, technical cues, and expert tips to ensure you are performing the best to maximize results.

Hip Raises

The hip raise is an incredible exercise for developing glute strength and hip hinge awareness. The glutes which control the hips are some of the largest and strongest in the body and are vital for lower body movements and function.

Performing the hip thrust in the lying position will develop muscle mass and strength and improve function, improving your other lifts in the gym.

Equipment

• Mat

How To Perform Hip Raises

• Lie on your back on your mat with your hands to your side.
• Bent your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
• Begin lifting your hip toward the ceiling until your torso and upper leg form a straight line.
• Then gradually lower to the starting position.

Tips

• Focus on lifting your hips, pausing at the top, and squeezing your glute muscles.
• To progress, place a dumbbell on your hips and hold it with both hands. This will overload the glutes, promoting muscle growth.

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Chair Squats

The chair squat is an excellent introductory exercise for targeting the quadriceps and glute and developing technique. As the name suggests, you perform the squat but sitting down and standing up from a chair.

The chair provides support, allowing you to squat down without fearing falling back. Furthermore, it is a movement that is performed daily, highlighting its application. Making is a must for beginners.

Equipment

• Chair

How To Perform Chair Squat

• Position the back of your chair against the wall.
• Standing in front of the chair with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Cross your arms across your chest so your opposite hands are on each shoulder.
• Breathe in and tense your abdominal muscles.
• Begin by leading back with your hips and lowering them until they touch the chair.
• From here, push yourself back up to the upright position.

Tips

• Position the back of the chair firmly against the wall to stop it from moving.
• When lowering, lead back with your hips. This will place a bias on the hip hinge and improve your squat technique.
• Aim to keep your knees in line with your toes. This will stop your knees from caving inward.

Body Weight Squats

The body weight squat is the natural progression from the chair squat. Similarly, this exercise targets the quadriceps and glutes, however, with the chair removed requires greater awareness, strength, and stability to perform the exercise.

Equipment

• No equipment

How To Perform Body Weight Squats

• Standing, place your feet just wider than hip-width apart.
• Position your arms across your chest so your hands are resting on opposite shoulders.
• Take a deep breath, tense your abdominal muscles, and lead back with your hips.
• Lower your hips until they parallel to the floor.
• Then push yourself back up to the starting position.

Tips

• Keep your arm crossed over your chest or outstretched in front of you. This will act as a counterweight, making it easier to lead back and lower your hips toward the floors.
• To increase resistance, hold a dumbbell or kettlebell with both hands directly under your chin, this is called a goblet squat. This will increase the overload of your target muscles.

Walking Lunges

Walking lunges are excellent for developing lower body strength, function, and balance. The walking movement requires each movement to work independently, developing single-leg strength. Furthermore, lowering toward the floor requires considerable control, helping improve balance and control.

Equipment

• No equipment
• Dumbbells (optional)

How To Perform Walking Lunges

• Standing with your feet together, step forward with your left leg to assume the split stance.
• Lower your right knee down to the floor until your knees are bent at 90 degrees.
• Then push yourself back up and bring your right leg forward so both feet are together.
• Alternate legs for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

• Focus on lowering the back knee straight down to the floor. This will improve lunging technique.
• Keep the heel of your back foot off the floor so that your weight is resting on the balls of your feet. This will improve balance.
• Beginners should start with body weight to familiarize themselves with the technique. From here, consider holding dumbbells at your sides to increase the load.

Seated Chest Press‍

The Seated chest press is fantastic for introducing upper body training for beginners. Performed in the seated position, the pin-based system enables you to safely target the chest, shoulder, and triceps as the weight is not lifted over the torso.

Equipment

• Seated Chest Press

How To Perform Seated Chest Press

• Sit on the seated chest press and grab a handle in each hand.
• Place your feet flat on the floor shoulder-width apart.
• Push the handles away from your body until your arms are straight.
• Then gently lower them until your elbows are bent at 90 degrees.
• Repeat for the designated number of repetitions.

Tips

• Keep your chest up for the duration of the exercise. This will improve your ability to target your chest muscles.
• Focus on correct breathing, exhaling as you press and inhaling as you lower the handles toward your chest.

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Seated Shoulder Press

The seated shoulder press is an upper-body exercise that increases muscle mass and overhead strength as it targets the shoulders and triceps. Like the seated chest press, it uses a pin-based weight system with the weight off to the side. This removes the danger of dropping weight and risking injury.

Equipment

• Seated Shoulder Press

How To Perform Seated Chest Press

• Sit on the seated shoulder press and grasp a handle in each hand.
• Position your feet flat and firmly on the floor shoulder-width apart.
• Push the handles up until your arms are straight.
• Then lower them down until the handles are just above shoulder height.

Tips

• Keep your feet firmly planted on the floor and your back pressed against the backrest for the duration of the set. This will reduce unwanted movement and improve lifting capacity.
• If you are a beginner, use a lightweight and familiarize yourself with the movement pattern. From here you can gradually increase to overload your shoulders.

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Lat Pulldown

The lat pulldown is an upper-body movement designed to increase muscle mass and posture. Targeting the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, biceps, and forearms, it is used to shape your physique.

Equipment

• Lat Pulldown Machine

How To Perform Lat Pulldown

• Sit down on the lat pulldown and position your knees under the pads provided.
• Reach overhead and grasp the bar using an overhand grip, shoulder width apart.
• Lean back slightly, and pull the bar down to your collarbone.
• Once it meets your collarbone, release the bar back to the starting position.

Tips

• Lean back slightly. This will provide room for the bar to pass your chin.
• Focus on pulling down with your elbows. This will help you engage your lats.

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Supported Row

The supported row is another machine-based upper-body exercise that can enhance your physique. Targeting the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and trapezius, it can be used to increase muscle mass and posture.

Equipment

• Supported Row

How To Perform Supported Row

• Sit on the supported row and place your chest firmly against the pad.
• Place your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
• Reach forward and grasp the handle using a neutral grip.
• Pull your shoulder blades together.
• Then row the hands toward your chest until your thumbs meet the side of your ribs,
• Then release until your arms reach the beginning position.

Tips

• Pull your shoulder blades together and the row with your arms. This will help engage your back muscles.
• Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together and engaging your target muscles. This can improve your mind-muscle connection, enhancing your results.

Seated Hamstring Curl‍

The seated hamstring curl is a lower-body isolation exercise for developing strong, lean legs. The hamstring muscle is essential for knee function and stability. Strengthening it can help improve knee function.

Equipment

• Seated Hamstring Curl Machine

How To Perform Seated Hamstring Curl

• Sit on the seated hamstring curl, and place knees under the knee pad and ankles over the ankle support.
• Grab the handles at each side, tense your core muscles, and bend until it passes 90 degrees.
• From here, slowly release it to the starting position.

Tips

• Start with a lighter weight to establish the correct technique, then gradually increase resistance.
• Focus on tensing the hamstring with each curl to establish your mind-muscle connection.

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Leg Extensions

The leg extension is a lower-body exercise designed to target the quadriceps. Like the hamstrings, the quadricep is vital for hip and knee function and standing posture.

Equipment

• Leg Extension Machine

How To Perform Leg Extension

• Sit on the leg extension machine and position your ankles against the padding provides.
• Grab the handles by your side, and tense your core muscles.
• Exhale and extend your leg until it is straight.
• Inhale and slowly lower it to the starting position.

Tips

• Pause for a moment at the top of each repetition and tense your quadriceps muscles.
• Concentrate on correct breathing techniques and keeping your core braced for the duration of the set. This will improve stability and your lifting capacity.

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Standing Calf Raises

The standing calf raise is a lower leg isolation exercise that can help you sculpt strong, toned legs. It targets the two calf muscles: the gastrocnemius and soleus. These two muscles are responsible for foot posture, walking, running, and jumping.

Equipment

• No equipment
• Dumbbells (Optional)

How To Perform Standing Calf Raises

• Standing, position feet hip-width apart.
• Push down with your toes and lift your heels off the floor as high as possible.
• Then gradually lower your heels back to the floor.

Tips

• Pause at the top of each repetition and tense your calf muscle.
• To progress, hold a dumbbell in each hand.
• To increase the range of motion, perform the calf raise on the stairs with your heels hanging off the edge. After lifting your heels, lower them below stair level to take the calf through a full stretch. This may increase muscle growth.

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Beginner and Intermediate Bodybuilding Programs for Women Over 40

Below we have created beginner and intermediate bodybuilding programs for women over 40 using the exercises above. The beginner program is used to introduce new movements and help you establish technique, while the intermediate program provides a natural progression once you complete your initial program.

Each program listed below will come with detailed instructions, including:

• Exercises
• Sets
• Repetitions
• Rest times
• Weekly schedule to establish a healthy routine.
• Warm-ups
• Cardio to help with weight loss

To increase muscle mass the ideal repetition range is 8–12 at 60–80% of your one repetition maximum, which is the maximum amount of weight you can lift for one repetition with the correct technique.

When choosing your weight, select it to make the final repetitions of the final set difficult. This will ensure you are overloading your muscles correctly.

Beginner Bodybuilding Program

This beginner bodybuilding program is a full-body routine to be performed three days per week. This will allow for 48-72 hours rest between workouts which is vital for recovery and muscle growth.

For those wanting to lose weight and gain muscle add walking to your rest days. This can increase energy expenditure, helping you maintain a calorie deficit for fat loss.

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Beginner Bodybuilding Program

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Intermediate Bodybuilding Program

This intermediate bodybuilding program is a four-day per week, upper and lower body split workout routine. It uses the exercises above with minor modifications to sets, repetition ranges, and resistance to continue overloading your muscles.

Splitting your workouts into movements or body parts allows you to dedicate more time to each muscle group, while still getting the 48-72 hours rest between sessions for adequate recovery.

Each program will contain fewer exercises but have the option to perform three to four sets. This helps to increase training volume which has been shown to increase muscle mass.

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Upper Body

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Lower Body

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Nutrition Tips for Bodybuilding Over 40

Like overall health and well-being, correct nutrition is essential for bodybuilding. It provides fuel for your workouts and building muscle. Below we discuss nutrition tips for bodybuilding over 40.

Importance of Protein for Muscle Growth

When it comes to bodybuilding, few nutrients get more attention than protein intake. Protein has many functions playing a major role in hormones, enzymes, building blocks, and structural support.

Building muscle requires a net protein balance, meaning protein ingestion must be greater than protein breakdown. Consuming protein creates a positive balance preventing muscle loss and improving muscle growth.

This is especially important for women in their 40s as muscle mass declines by approximately 3–8% per decade after 30, decreasing strength and function.

The recommended daily intake is approximately 1.4–1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight each day for active individuals. Meanwhile, for individuals in a calorie deficit who are attempting to lose weight while building or preserving muscle mass, the daily intake ranges from 2.3–3.1g/kg. To achieve this, we recommend adding 25–30g of protein to each meal.

Dietary protein can be found in foods such as chicken breast, beef, pork, salmon, tuna, and mackerel are all excellent sources. If you still struggle to hit your protein target, you can supplement this with protein shakes.

Calories Surplus and Calorie Deficits

When building muscle calorie intake varies based on our individual goals. For women who are lean and have faster metabolisms, a calorie surplus will be needed to compensate for rapid energy expenditure and to increase muscle.

For example, say your daily calorie intake is approximately 1,700 (the calories you burn at rest). To increase muscle mass, consider increasing this to 2,300 calories per day to build muscle and fuel your workouts.

Meanwhile, someone who wants to increase muscle mass and lose fat will need to enter a calorie deficit and prioritize protein intake. For example, if their daily calorie intake is 2,000, they will need to consume around 1,700.

While this may seem like a small deficit it's enough calories to feel full and perform workouts at a moderate to high intensity which is essential for muscle growth.

Balancing Macros: Carbs, Fats, and Protein

A key part of nutrition is balancing your macronutrients. While protein and calorie intakes dictate whether build muscle and gain or lose weight, adjusting macronutrients can fine-tune our performance, energy levels, and results.

For example, there are three macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Complex carbohydrates provide us with slow-release energy and contain fiber which helps stabilize blood sugar levels and improve gut health.

Protein, as mentioned is vital for muscle growth and repair and can help improve satiety. Healthy fats support vital organs and reduce inflammation. The recommended macronutrient ratios for bodybuilders are:

• Carbohydrates: 55–60% of total calorie intake
• Protein: 25–30% of total calorie intake
• Fats: 15–20% of total calorie intake.

A careful balance of these is essential to ensure we are correctly fueling our body.  For women over 40, this holds additional importance as many women will be experiencing menopause symptoms.

During this time, decreased estrogen and progesterone can increase inflammation, appetite, and weight while decreasing muscle mass and bone density.

Identifying your macronutrient intake not only helps develop lean muscle and power through your workouts, while alleviating symptoms.

Complex carbohydrates and protein can help improve satiety, while healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce inflammation-related symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and joint pain.

Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition

Nutrition's role in developing muscle mass goes beyond muscle building and fueling workouts, it can help us prepare and recover from our workouts.

Post-workout, you should focus on consuming carbohydrates to replenish muscle energy stores and protein to aid in recovery.

While pre and post-workout nutrition can contribute to performance and recovery, your main priority should be hitting your daily calorie and macronutrient targets. These will make the biggest difference to your performance and results.

Overcoming Challenges in Bodybuilding for Women Over 40

The 40s can bring several challenges for women including menopause symptoms, and the decrease in muscle and bone mass. Below, we discuss how to navigate these challenges.

Managing Recovery and Rest Days

Recovery and rest days are an essential part of growth. During those initial weeks and months, you will see noticeable changes to muscle mass and strength which will provide you with a boost of motivation and drive to train every day.

However, when we don’t allow time for our body to rest and recover, our body doesn’t get the opportunity to replenish energy stores and repair damaged muscle tissue which is necessary for growth.

As mentioned, between 48–72 hours is essential for healthy recovery and growth. While it can seem counterproductive, it will help your body recover and perform at your peak for the following session.

Furthermore, the hormonal changes in your 40s can lead to greater fatigue. Rest and recovery ensure you are providing your body with adequate rest to function in and out of the gym..

If you are itching to train on those off days, consider going out for a walk. This is a great way to increase blood flow to working muscles while burning extra energy. Additionally, you can perform a split routine like the upper and lower programs listed above. This allows you to train opposing muscle groups on back-to-back days.

Adapting to Hormonal Changes

As mentioned, hormonal changes and fluctuation must be considered in your 40s. As you enter menopause estrogen and progesterone levels can decline leading to fatigue, stress, poor sleep, and poor mood, which can negatively impact training.

Eating a balanced diet, consisting of complex carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats, and adequate sleep. Nutrient-dense foods can help alleviate many menopause symptoms and provide sustainable energy, providing you with the energy to tackle your workouts.

On those days you are feeling completely depleted, consider taking a recovery day. This can be performing the same session with 50% of the resistance, going for a walk, or getting a massage. This may sound difficult, but if you stay home, you will start performing other tasks and errands which will drain your energy.

Performing a light session or having a massage will help remove you from your stressors and provide you will some time to recharge before getting back to your adult responsibilities.

Avoiding Overtraining

Overtraining can be a major issue for anyone engaging in a bodybuilding routine. As mentioned, gains and great results can lead to all-or-nothing attitudes which make us want to train every day. However, when this happens our body can’t recover which can lead to symptoms of overtraining including:

• Fatigue
• Constant soreness
• Disinterest
• Poor performance
• Poor sleep
• Negative mood
• Decrease mental processing

Rest and recovery not only improve performance and energy levels, it can also keep us interested in our training.

To avoid overtraining we suggest performing deload weeks every six to eight weights. This is where you perform every session that week with 50% resistance at the same intensity. This can help your body recover and consolidate movements. Additionally, consider taking breaks from heavy resistance training and replacing them with recreational exercise. This stops you from feeling like you are always in the gym.

Myths About Bodybuilding for Women Over 40

For years bodybuilding has been a male-driven sport. However, over the past two decades, more and more women have begun to try their hand at building lean, muscular, feminine physiques. Below we address common bodybuilding myths for women over 40.

“Lifting Weights Will Make You Bulky”

A common myth and fear for many women is getting bulky, which is simply untrue. A major contributing factor to the bulk that men gain from resistance training is the male reproductive hormone testosterone, which is responsible for increasing protein synthesis.

While both men and women produce testosterone, men have five times.) the amount. This leads to great protein synthesis and greater muscle growth. This does not mean that women cannot build muscle, but rather due to less muscular volume.

For those women with large bulky physiques, consider that they have put in years and even decades of hard work to achieve their results. This highlights how difficult it can be for women to increase their muscle mass.

“It’s Too Late to Build Muscle After 40”

Let’s settle this right off the bat, it is never too late to build muscle. In fact, due to the steady decline of muscle mass, it is strongly encouraged by healthcare professionals. Building muscle after 40 can help preserve strength, function, and metabolism which are vital for health and longevity.

Furthermore, resistance training loads bones, increasing bone mineral density. This can prevent and protect against frailty, loss of function, falls, and loss of independence in later life.

“Lifting Weights is Dangerous”

Likely one of the biggest misconceptions about weightlifting is that it is dangerous for the body. While bodybuilding and resistance training exercises overload the body, they do so in a controlled environment, with correct technique that can be stopped at any time.

Compare that to recreational sports, gardening, lifting objects, and performing daily tasks, which are often performed with poor technique. Resistance training allows for complete control, from the weight and range of motion. This provides a safe and effective means of strengthening the body and enhancing function.

Recap: Building Strength and Confidence After 40

Women of 40 should consider taking up bodybuilding, whether it is in the competitive space, or for general health and well-being. Bodybuilding and resistance training have a profound effect on the human body, including:

• Increased muscle mass
• Enhanced bone density
• Reduced stress
• Improve mood
• Improved function
• Greater self-esteem
• Increased metabolism

Far from the male-dominated sport of decades past, many women 40 years and over are taking to the weight room to not only transform their bodies but strengthen their bodies, and enhance their quality of life.

Considering trying bodybuilding, remember to:

• Track your calorie intake
• Record your macronutrients
• Eat 25–30 grams of protein in each meal
• Consume a balanced diet
• Prioritize rest and recovery

Following these key criteria alongside your bodybuilding routine will help take your training to another level for incredible results.

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