Progressive Lifting in Peri to Post Menopause: What It Really Means (and When to Use It)
Progressive lifting is a powerful training tool — but it’s also one that’s often misunderstood, especially for women navigating peri to post menopause.
Let’s clear something up first.
Progressive lifting ≠ beginner training
While progressive overload principles (gradually challenging the body) are used across all training levels, our MENO Progressive Lifting Planner is not designed for beginners.
It’s for women who:
💪🏻 Are confident with key lifts 💪🏻 Have been strength training consistently for 12+ months 💪🏻 Understand good technique and loading basics
Beginners do progress — but differently. Early progress comes from learning movement patterns, building coordination, and gradually increasing confidence. True progressive lifting assumes those foundations are already in place.
Why progressive lifting matters more now
As oestrogen declines and fluctuates through peri to post menopause, we see predictable physiological changes:
- Faster muscle loss (sarcopenia)
- Reduced bone density
- Strength and power declining before endurance
- Increased injury risk if training isn’t well-managed
Progressive overload is the stimulus that tells your body:
“We still need this muscle. We still need this bone. We still need this power.”
Without that signal, the body adapts downwards.
What “progressive” actually means (it’s not just heavier every week)
Progression doesn’t only mean piling plates on the bar.
You can progress by manipulating:
- Load – lifting heavier
- Reps – more reps at the same load
- Tempo – slower, more controlled reps
- Holds – pauses at the bottom of a movement
- Range of motion – deeper, more complete movement
- Rest quality – same work with better recovery
In peri- to post-menopause, load progression is still key — just not rushed.
How to progress in perimenopause
Hormones fluctuate, which means recovery capacity can change week to week.
Key principles:
- Lift heavy enough to feel challenged (RPE 7–9)
- Increase load in small jumps (2–5%)
- Progress when the lift feels strong, not when you’re exhausted
- Allow longer rest between heavy sets (2–3+ minutes)
Some weeks you’ll push. Some weeks you’ll hold. That’s not failure — that’s smart training.
How to progress in post-menopause
Hormones are more stable, so consistency improves — but recovery is still slower than in your 20s.
Focus on:
- Heavy lifting with more recovery
- Prioritising load over volume
- 3–6 reps for compound movements
- Compound lifts as your foundation
- Progressing load every 2–4 weeks, not weekly
Use strong reps as your green light to increase weight. You should finish sessions feeling energised, not crushed.
Common mistakes to avoid
❌ Staying in “light weights, high reps” forever ❌ Avoiding progression due to fear of injury ❌ Doing too much volume instead of enough intensity ❌ Not fuelling or resting properly (this blocks progress)
Strength isn’t about punishment — it’s about adaptation.
Ready to train smarter through peri and post menopause?
If you want structured, science-backed training that works with your body — not against it — Thrive Together is for you.
Our 8-week challenge is designed specifically for women in peri to post menopause, with:
- Smart strength training options with 5 planners to choose from beginners to progressive pathways for experiences lifters.
- Built-in recovery and deload weeks
- Expert guidance and education
- A supportive community that truly gets it
👉 Join Thrive Together and start building strength that lasts — not just for now, but for the long term. 💙
