Resistance Training in Women: From Taboo to Essential Practice
- Alastair Hunt
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
For decades, women were steered away from resistance training (RT), their fitness routines restricted by social norms and outdated beliefs about femininity. However, times have changed. A comprehensive 2025 review by Kraemer, Fragala and Ratamess published in Sports Medicine and Health Science traces this remarkable transformation, revealing the science, sociology and strategies behind how resistance training has become not just acceptable, but essential, for women.
As ever, please talk to your doctor or medical practitioner most familiar with your medical history before implementing any changes in diet, exercise or lifestyle, especially if you are under treatment. Links to all studies at bottom of page.
A Historical Turning Point
Throughout the early 20th century, women were largely excluded from strength-focused activities. Exercise for women meant grace and lightness - calisthenics, yoga and aerobics - rather than strength and power. Weight rooms were designed by and for men. Only in the 1970s and 1980s did the fitness boom start nudging open the door for women, thanks to figures like Jane Fonda and Rachel McLish, and pivotal legislation like Title IX in the U.S.
By the 1990s, more inclusive gyms and growing visibility of female strength athletes began to shift the cultural narrative. And in the 2000s, the internet and social media accelerated the change. Today, strength training is normalised and more women are lifting for health, longevity, and performance than ever before.
The Physiology of Female Strength
One key reason for the delay in recognising the value of RT for women was a lack of research on female physiology. The authors outline how men and women adapt similarly to training, but with unique characteristics due to hormonal and structural differences.
While men typically exhibit greater absolute strength (especially in the upper body) women experience comparable relative gains when strength is adjusted for body mass. Studies have shown that with proper programming, women can make impressive strength gains, particularly in the lower body.
What drives these adaptations? Hormones play a central role. Testosterone, which is higher in men, is a potent anabolic hormone that promotes muscle hypertrophy. But women also produce anabolic agents like IGF-1 and growth hormone (GH), and oestrogen itself plays protective and recovery-enhancing roles in muscle and connective tissue.
The review emphasises that training variables - volume, intensity and supervision - are more important than gender. In fact, studies show that when matched for these factors, strength gains between men and women are often more similar than different.
What are the differences between men and women in the gym? Explore further here.
Health Gains Beyond Muscle
RT does far more than increase muscle. For women, it brings significant improvements in bone density, metabolic health, mental well-being, and even cancer survivorship.
Bone health is a standout. Postmenopausal women, in particular, benefit from RT's ability to improve or maintain bone mineral density, reducing fracture risk. Metabolically, RT improves insulin sensitivity, blood lipid profiles and body composition. Learn more about bone health training - in or outside the gym - here.
Mental health gains are equally compelling. RT has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, improve self-esteem, and even protect against cognitive decline. One study (Erickson et al) cited in the review found that older women who engaged in regular resistance training had larger hippocampal volumes, an area of the brain linked to memory and learning.
When it comes to longevity and healthspan, the data is striking: women who perform any muscle-strengthening activities show a 19% reduction in all-cause mortality. Just 60 minutes a week of strength training has been linked to up to 27% lower risk of death, according to a 2022 meta-analysis. (Shailendra et al)
Why Many Women Still Avoid the Weights
Despite the mounting evidence, RT is still underutilised by women. The review highlights several barriers: lack of time, fear of injury or "bulking up" gym intimidation, lack of knowledge and absence of social support. Women over 45 are especially underrepresented, despite evidence that this group stands to gain the most.
Social and psychological factors persist as hidden hurdles. Some women feel self-conscious lifting weights in male-dominated gyms. Others worry about appearing too muscular, even though strength gains rarely lead to excessive hypertrophy without specific goals and protocols.
Encouragingly, the review also discusses effective strategies to reduce these barriers. These include:
Education: Teaching women the science behind RT can reduce concerns and increase confidence.
Environment: Creating women-only spaces or beginner-focused sessions may help reduce intimidation.
Coaching: Qualified, supportive trainers can help women select appropriate loads and progress safely.
Practical Guidelines for Resistance Training
So how should women train?
The good news is that training principles are largely the same for men and women.
According to the review, optimal results are achieved with progressive overload, sufficient intensity and exercises targeting major muscle groups.
Key recommendations include:
Frequency: 2 to 3 sessions per week for beginners; 4 to 6 for advanced trainees.
Load: Moderate to heavy weights (60–80% of one-rep max), adjusted to individual goals.
Exercise selection: Prioritise multi-joint lifts like squats, lunges, deadlifts and presses, alongside corrective and core exercises.
Volume: 3 to 6 sets per exercise depending on goals, with adequate rest between sets.
Special considerations may include prioritising pelvic floor health and addressing injury risks such as ACL tears - more common in female athletes. Integrated programs combining RT with mobility, balance and plyometrics are especially effective.
Adjusting training around the menstrual cycle is often highlighted but the most recent research (Colenso-Semple et al; read our full article here) shows that RT does not build more muscle in one part of the menstrual cycle (the follicular phase) compared to another part (the luteal phase), one doesn’t need to time workouts around one's period for better muscle growth.
Explore training protocols in more detail, here.
Final Thoughts
This landmark review shows just how far we’ve come and how much potential still remains. Resistance training is no longer a male-only domain. It is a cornerstone of health, longevity and empowerment for women of all ages. Yet barriers remain. Social norms, misinformation and logistical obstacles continue to limit participation, especially among older women or those new to fitness. With growing research, better program design, and inclusive environments, the benefits of resistance training can become more widely accessible.
Only 1 in 5 women report doing any strength work. For any woman considering starting or returning to strength training: it's never too late.
The evidence is clear - lifting weights isn't just for athletes. It’s for everyone who wants to feel stronger, healthier and more confident in their own skin.
Supporting your body through balanced nutrition, physical activity, stress reduction, quality sleep and meaningful social connection (these are known as the Pillars of Health) are some of the most powerful health 'tools' we have. Changing health for the better is about consistent progress, not perfection, and even small changes can make a meaningful difference over time.
As always, the best health strategy is one you can stick with - one that fits your personal lifestyle profile. Improving health is about finding motivation, prioritising self-care and taking action. If you want to take effective and targeted steps to that fit into your unique lifestyle, The Whole Health Practice is here to help. Whether you want to improve eating practices, beat chronic illness or enhance your overall well-being, our consultations and programs deliver results that are tailored to your needs.
FOUNDATIONS - our premier whole person health consult - identifies and prioritises the key factors, known and unknown, that affect health and wellbeing. It provides targeted recommendations tailored to you, the individual, and your unique lifestyle.
Stay Healthy,
Alastair
Join us, or scroll down to contact us and learn more about our services:
Achieve your Health Goals
Your health, physical – mental – social - is complex and affected by multiple factors within and outside of your control. Our consults and programmes address the whole person, the root causes of ill health and maximising your health, performance & vitality.
Take the first step. Contact us to arrange an introductory call, to discuss how we can support your journey to health. We are based in Singapore and work with clients globally.
Book a Whole Health Consult to assess, identify and prioritise key factors (known and unknown) that affect your health. And receive personalised recommendations on how to address them.
Want to put recommendations into action? Learn more about our programmes for individuals or teams.
Related Studies & Resources
The study in review: Kraemer WJ, Fragala MS, Ratamess NA. Evolution of resistance training in women: History and mechanisms for health and performance. Sports Med Health Sci. 2025 Feb 3;7(5):351-365. doi: 10.1016/j.smhs.2025.01.005. PMID: 40936659; PMCID: PMC12421175.
Other
Colenso-Semple LM, McKendry J, Lim C, Atherton PJ, Wilkinson DJ, Smith K, Phillips SM. Menstrual cycle phase does not influence muscle protein synthesis or whole-body myofibrillar proteolysis in response to resistance exercise. J Physiol. 2025 Mar;603(5):1109-1121. doi: 10.1113/JP287342. Epub 2024 Dec 4. PMID: 39630025; PMCID: PMC11870050.
Zhao F, Su W, Sun Y, Wang J, Lu B, Yun H. Optimal resistance training parameters for improving bone mineral density in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Orthop Surg Res. 2025 May 27;20(1):523. doi: 10.1186/s13018-025-05890-1. PMID: 40420105; PMCID: PMC12107943.
Shailendra P, Baldock KL, Li LSK, Bennie JA, Boyle T. Resistance Training and Mortality Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Am J Prev Med. 2022 Aug;63(2):277-285. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2022.03.020. Epub 2022 May 20. PMID: 35599175.
Erickson KI, Voss MW, Prakash RS, Basak C, Szabo A, Chaddock L, Kim JS, Heo S, Alves H, White SM, Wojcicki TR, Mailey E, Vieira VJ, Martin SA, Pence BD, Woods JA, McAuley E, Kramer AF. Exercise training increases size of hippocampus and improves memory. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Feb 15;108(7):3017-22. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1015950108. Epub 2011 Jan 31. PMID: 21282661; PMCID: PMC3041121.
Comments